Re: Right to photograph buildings
And another PS: both Harvard and MIT have offices that encourage and assist visitors:
http://www.harvard.edu/visitors
http://web.mit.edu/institute-events/visitor/index.html
Those might be friendly points of contact for any questions about casual photography on campus.
Re: Right to photograph buildings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paulr
I would just go do it. The policy says you need permission for commercial purposes.
There are other reasons for prohibiting photography there. One is student confidentiality. A student can demand anonymity, as well as it can be achieved with ordinary means. I worked in Higher Ed for about thirty years and anonymity became an issue about twelve years ago. Very few students ask for it.
Re: Right to photograph buildings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jac@stafford.net
There are other reasons for prohibiting photography there. One is student confidentiality. A student can demand anonymity, as well as it can be achieved with ordinary means. I worked in Higher Ed for about thirty years and anonymity became an issue about twelve years ago. Very few students ask for it.
I'd like to see evidence of a student with fewer than 500 publically accessible photos on facebook.
Re: Right to photograph buildings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paulr
I'd like to see evidence of a student with fewer than 500 publically accessible photos on facebook.
I was, among other things, one who masked the private information for those few students who demanded it. Very few opted, and none used social media. We are talking about daughters and sons of billionaires, victims of stalking (a felony here), government spooks, and other good reasons.
Re: Right to photograph buildings
In general, if you are "on their property" you need permission. If you are on the street but not on their property, depending on what city you are in, you may need permission (permit) from the local municipality. I got kicked off a hospital parking lot just this weekend. And they always wait until you have the whole camera set and composed, just before you put the film holder in. Happened to me at a bank in downtown Phoenix last year, too. And at Disney Music Hall in LA. So, you just move to a public spot and use a longer lens if possible. On same day as bank incident last year I also went across the street onto a public sidewalk that was adjacent to the light rail (I mean it was the curb, then 18-24 inches and the first rail). Tripod was fully on the sidewalk, but I had to go in front of the camera (onto the street but not on the tracks) to set the shutter and aperture for just a moment. I made sure there was no train coming. Wouldn't you know... the train that was coming, but still a few blocks away (they don't move very fast) radioed ahead that someone was on the tracks. I set my shutter and was just about to make the exposure and a transit cop pulls up. Asked me if I was on the tracks. I said no. They said are you sure. I said yes. They asked, well did you see anyone. I said no. He drove off. I made my exposure...
Oh, and BTW, ALL of my sessions are EARLY Sunday morning... I specifically go so there are no people to deal with.
Re: Right to photograph buildings
Jac, it sounds like you're going out of your way to to follow rules that you may be taking more seriously than the enforcers.
I don't believe anyone photographing with a big camera on a campus, for personal reasons, is likely to cause anyone harm. This takes the decision out of the ethical realm and into the pragmatic one. And as someone who has done a fair amount of my work while flat out tresspassing, I can't imagine a solution other than going and taking the pictures. Worse comes to worse a security guard will ask you not to. Or will direct you to the office where you need to ask for permission. But I'll bet that if you don't get in people's way or act like a crazy person, few people will even notice.
Re: Right to photograph buildings
You should have just said that Obama said it was OK and that you were shooting for display in the Oval Office ;^)
Re: Right to photograph buildings
Wearing an orange vest (best w/ reflective stripes) signals “permission.”
A yellow hard hat, of course, will strengthen the signal.
Photography by stealth.
-----
In a pinch, drop by the school bookstore for a “Harvard” sweatshirt & day pack.
If you attended Yale, leave your sweatshirt at home.
Re: Right to photograph buildings
If its not clearly posted, I assume its all right and go for it. In a few cases that assumption has been incorrect but nothing more odious than being asked to leave or go to x and get a permit has ever happened (except at Sandia National Laboratories :) ).
Re: Right to photograph buildings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Leigh
It's private property.
You have no right to be on the property for any purpose without their permission.
Leigh
Private property or not, just go and shoot. I mean its a freaking college campus, not a nuclear waste site.