Photographing U.S. Post Office Building

[Alan Klein]

They can ask, but it's not against the law, like it or not. Google street view properly have them image photographed anyway, lol.

If the cops stop you, just tell them you work for Google.

[Alan Klein]

This thread is about a historic post office, not national security sites. It’s probably fair to assume that there will be little interest in a photographer taking a picture.

I don't know. Anyone who has a hood over their head looks pretty suspicious. Then there's the mask. You might be trying to steal stamps.

[Alan Klein]

hi Brian
I know, the post office annex and federal courthouse are in the same buiding and I was talking about the experience I had 3 years back. I said if they did a security check on me they'd have seen I photographed sites much more secure than a mundane streetscape.

Well, as long as you didn't visit any porn sites.

[jnantz]

Well, as long as you didn't visit any porn sites.

only to the Whitehouse.com by mistake, instead of getting my senator's phone number I was greeted by the "intern of the month"...

[Jeffrey]

Don't be bullied. You can photograph whatever you want from the public right of way including Post offices, FBI buildings, Police buildings, military bases, etc. Take a look at a Google street view, for example, I bet they already have a picture of that post office.

[Jeffrey]

there must be 100,000,000 photos of the white house, the capital etc.
i would only be concerned about military installations, but everyone takes pictures during air shows and the like.

no worries at all about the post office.

[r.e.]

Sounds like a good plan.

Yeah, I don't see the point of getting into a situation where there's a discussion about by legal rights. These days, when just about everybody on the street has a camera in their pocket, it's not likely to be an issue anyways. Where I live, the only real issue is my tripod on the sidewalk, which is illegal. However, we have wide sidewalks in my area, and I find that if I'm polite and stay out of the way of pedestrians, it doesn't become a problem.

[earlnash]

As long as you're not Black you'll be fine. Where a yellow safety vest and a hard hat, it'll make you look official.

[Michael Graves]

and, being "suspicious" is not a crime.

Maybe not, but it can sure tie up a big part of your day if you draw the attention of the wrong cop.

[jnantz]

there must be 100,000,000 photos of the white house, the capital etc.
i would only be concerned about military installations, but everyone takes pictures during air shows and the like.

no worries at all about the post office.

As long as you're not Black you'll be fine. Where a yellow safety vest and a hard hat, it'll make you look official.

I'm not black but I think you are right, it might be a skin tone thing, police, and NN/WS wackjobs who have an axe to grind have consistently given me problems because of the tone of my skin. pulled me over and sweat me out on the side of small roads and highways, made up bogus reasons for pulling me over, crossed their arms and stared me down and told me to "be careful" after I went to a police station to ask for directions, was called on my cell when some lady gave LE my license plate # when I asked her where a unmarked street was that I couldn't find the address(was for a photography job) her husband was LE and told me never to drive in his street again ) even been surveilled and harassed by LE in my own suburban neighborhood, no camera though, I was riding a 3 speed bike LOL. it's a losing battle ... for 20 years now I typically call LE on the phone and tell them if I am going somewhere to photograph, so I am a known quantity when some wacko "do gooder" calls then to report "some guy is photographing (intersection, streetscape, public building, building being torn down &c )" the time I described earlier in this thread I did not do that I just winged-it. probably if you look "anglo saxon" and aren't there to cause trouble and heckle the police/law enforcement you will be OK.

YMMV