I'm a photographer not a terrorist

[tim atherton]

Maybe Cyrus could do with one of these...

http://www.photoattorney.com/2007/09/make-statement.html


(though knowing the way it goes in most of these encounters -

Cop/Jobsworth [putting down donut]; "huh - it says there you're a terrorist"

Photographer; "no, it says I'm not a terrorist"

Cop/Jobsworth [takes another bite of donut]; er - so, you say you're a terrorist?"

Photographer; "no, I'm saying I'm not"

Cop/Jobsworth [slurps coffee from 711 cup]; "well, that's not what your shirt says - assume the position buddy. Oh and give me your memory card'

Photographer; "um - it's a large format camera - it doesn't have a memory card"

Cop/Jobsworth [scratches ass]; "ha - and you were trying to get me to believe you're a photographer" )

[cyrus]

Maybe we all (http://carlosmiller.wordpress.com/) can use it, because we're all threatened!

[Scott Knowles]

I've gotten e-mail from the guy (Insomniac Studios) to consider the t-shirt after my two encounters this year with WA State Ferry (WSF) and WA State Patrol (WSP) folks photographing on a ferry which I have done many trips before, even with WSF staff talking and joking with me. The encounters with authority (http://wsrphoto.blogspot.com/2007/08/photo-that-got-me-in-trouble.html), although an interesting experience, was questionable in light of the two who did engage in suspicious" activities (WSP and FBI still looking for them). I haven't gotten any followup (http://wsrphoto.blogspot.com/2007/09/update-to-wsf-photos.html) from the agencies about the conflict between the law and civil liberties and the State Ferry system's interest to thwart suspicious people.

After some research I found there are no laws prohibiting photography on ferries (Revised Code of Washington), which raises the question if they could even arrest me and for what, nor any administrative regulations of the WSF or WSP. WSF even enourages photography on ferries (their Website), asking them to send in their images. What they don't say is that they only touristy ones.

I've contacted the WSF, WSP and recently the Governor's Office about this because I've posted six galleries of photos including images of what the WSP detained me for. It's funny that the authories don't have a problem with my photography but passengers and WSF employees are the ones reporting me. It's a go figure.

In the end, I realize this is a non-event, but I kid folks I wonder what the WSF folks would do if I setup the 4x5 on the deck of the ferry. It depends on where I set up and point it (car or passenger deck), but would it be considered "unusual" photography they want passengers to report? Especially under the dark cloth? And would they understand it's not digital?

[Brian Ellis]

That tee shirt is filthy. Do they come that way or would I have to get the dirt on it myself?

[jetcode]

and yet another angle on the same story ...


cop[with a mild smirk]; "that's quite a shiner you have"

photographer[obviously in pain]; "are you going to take the report?"

cop; "yes but I do have a question"

photographer; "what's that?"

cop; "how come you folks don't mind your own business and leave people and their property alone?"

photographer; "we have the right to photograph anything on public property"

cop; "so it's ok to stalk someone and bully your way into their lives?"

photographer; "it's my job, I get paid well, and the newsstands continue to pump the trash I shoot every week"

cop; "well then I guess it's to be expected to get decked every once in a while when you get in someones face and they don't like it"

photographer[nursing bruised eye and trashed equipment]; "I'm well within my rights"

cop[grinning]; "right, will you be needing an ambulance?"

[David A. Goldfarb]

Could I get a shirt like this guy's sign that says "I'm here on a research grant from Al-Qaeda"?

http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/photo/mta/1.jpg

[Kino]

and yet another angle on the same story ...


cop[with a mild smirk]; "that's quite a shiner you have"

photographer[obviously in pain]; "are you going to take the report?"

cop; "yes but I do have a question"

photographer; "what's that?"

cop; "how come you folks don't mind your own business and leave people and their property alone?"

photographer; "we have the right to photograph anything on public property"

cop; "so it's ok to stalk someone and bully your way into their lives?"

photographer; "it's my job, I get paid well, and the newsstands continue to pump the trash I shoot every week"

cop; "well then I guess it's to be expected to get decked every once in a while when you get in someones face and they don't like it"

photographer[nursing bruised eye and trashed equipment]; "I'm well within my rights"

cop[grinning]; "right, will you be needing an ambulance?"

Nice troll...

[jetcode]

Nice troll...

hardly a troll,

My dad was a cop and never did donuts, nor was he the ignorant one as portrayed in the OP, no in fact his job was to find out who was picking up the young girls at the local skating rink and killing them amongst all the other sordid activities a sheriff encounters, from gang warfare to abused children, and as far as paparazzi they are a real menace to a LOT of people.

so yeah troll what?

[Michael Graves]

Nice troll...

Odd that dissenting opinions are labeled "trolls" around here. Al-Qaeda is making incredible progress after all.

[tim atherton]

and yet another angle on the same story ...


cop[with a mild smirk]; "that's quite a shiner you have"

photographer[obviously in pain]; "are you going to take the report?"

cop; "yes but I do have a question"

photographer; "what's that?"

cop; "how come you folks don't mind your own business and leave people and their property alone?"

photographer; "we have the right to photograph anything on public property"

cop; "so it's ok to stalk someone and bully your way into their lives?"

photographer; "it's my job, I get paid well, and the newsstands continue to pump the trash I shoot every week"

cop; "well then I guess it's to be expected to get decked every once in a while when you get in someones face and they don't like it"

photographer[nursing bruised eye and trashed equipment]; "I'm well within my rights"

cop[grinning]; "right, will you be needing an ambulance?"

Cop gets back into his cruiser and goes back to reading his copy of US Weekly...

[tim atherton]

and as far as paparazzi they are a real menace to a LOT of people.



Not really - the celebrities and the people need them.

If there was an overwhelmingly massive market for their work, there wouldn't be paparazzi... simple really

[jetcode]

Not really - the celebrities and the people need them.

If there was an overwhelmingly massive market for their work, there wouldn't be paparazzi... simple really

Do you know any famous people? I do. Go ask one how they feel about the paparazzi. Ask them what it's like having their laundry imaginary or real on the front cover of the tabloids. I think you may find out that they hate fame, they hate the attention, and they hate "a******s" who stick a camera in their face.

It's invasive whether you care to justify it or not.

It is clear that I am speaking from my 9 years working with someone who has been burned so many times you never talk career with him and you most definitely do not show up with a camera in your hand. I cannot speak for other celebrities as you may be quite right, that they need the attention.

[tim atherton]

Do you know any famous people? I do. Go ask one how they feel about the paparazzi. Ask them what it's like having their laundry imaginary or real on the front cover of the tabloids. I think you may find out that they hate fame, they hate the attention, and they hate "a******s" who stick a camera in their face.
.[/I]


Guess what - no one is forcing them to be "famous"... (whatever that means?)

They can always do something else.

[jetcode]

Guess what - no one is forcing them to be "famous"... (whatever that means?)

They can always do something else.

Do you really believe that? Once you're in the media no one forgets anything, even after you die. Fame, it's a charm, it's a curse, and you live your life in the public eye.

[tim atherton]

Do you really believe that? Once you're in the media no one forgets anything, even after you die. Fame, it's a charm, it's a curse, and you live your life in the public eye.


pretty much.

there are also enough examples of people working at the top of their game in say film and movies - for just one example - who have chosen to pretty much shun the whole publicity/celebrity thing and yet still do what they want to do successfully.

So there's a big element of choice and "playing the game" involved

(there's also a difference between "famous" and infamy - which can also attract such attention)

and of course, in the end most of these people are only "famous" because of their public - and this is what their public wants. Without the public hunger, they wouldn't be "famous" - in many cases quite the opposite. They have chosen not to separate themselves from their product and have allowed themselves to become one and the same. That's a choice - a choice some in the same position chose to eschew.

But this is getting way OT