The government of the Unitied States appears to be continuing its war against photographers. Watch the following video:

Watch and listen to the guard say:

“It’s not totally free but it’s free enough. We’ve lost a lot of our freedoms due to terrorism”

Sorry but those freedoms that we supposedly have lost DO NOT include having lost the right to take pictures of federal buildings from public sidewalks. There is NO LAW against that.

Watch the second video:

It is obvious from these videos that simply walking down the street and taking pictures will attract unwelcome attention from authorities. These encounters were rather mild as encounters go, however they do have a chilling effect since many people shy away from confrontations with authority and many photographers have chosen to leave their cameras at home and give up their hobby rather than deal with daily hassles.

However, the most disturbing news comes from the National Archives which has BANNED PHOTOGRAPHY:

Their stated reason is:

to ensure the necessary protection for the documents from
the cumulative effects of photographic flash and to enhance the overall
visitor experience.

However professional photographers – who probably are charged exorbitant fees:

will continue to be permitted to take photographs and video footage of the
exhibits and documents on display in the NAE with special permission
and with available light, e.g. without the use of any flash or steady
light source, just as they have been allowed to do in the past pursuant
to 36 CFR 1280.52. This final rule applies only to the general public,
who are the source of most photographic flash from either accidental or
intentional action.

Banning photography does not enhance the visitor experience. I refuse to visit museums that I cannot photograph because I know that I will be frustrated and angry by the time I return home because I will not be able to recall a particular detail of something that I saw. Postcards and guidebooks are expensive and it outrageous that the United States government is doing what other private museums do by forcing people to purchase these products in order to be able to remember their visit. Besides memories fade over time. Also postcards and guidebooks may not necessarily contain the image of the item I liked or a particular detail that I would otherwise take a closeup photograph of. These federal documents belong to ALL the people of this country and taking home memories should not be limited to professional photographers and so-called professional media.

for taking a picture of the outside of the store from a public sidewalk. Ignoring the law which permits photography from public property an employee of the Banana Republic store at 67th Street in New York City emerged from her store to harass a photographer. According to the photographer the conversation went as follows:

BA – “Sir, you cant take photographs. (Louder) YOU CANT TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS>”

Me – ” Or I can.”

Ba – ” It is against our store policy to take photographs in the store.”

Me – “I’m not in the store. I’m on the sidewalk.”

Be – ” Well, it’s our policy that you can’t take photographs in our store.”

Me – “Again, I’m not in your store. I’m on the side walk. Tell you what. I’ll stop taking photographs because it’s actually not that interesting. But you should go in your store and google photographers rights. Have a good day!”

Story posted here

with arrest for “assault” if he doe not delete pictures that were taken LEGALLY from a public sidewalk. According to the photographer who posted his story here:

the police try to lecture me about taking pictures of atms and banks, saying there is a “policy”. He also tries to say that the man was muslim and it was against his religion to take photos of him. I tell the police that I did not know he was muslim, and that was after the fact that I took the photo of the atm, which is on the public street. the most important thing was I was assaulted by one of the men. the police didn’t care, they persisted in this line of reasoning saying that there is a policy against shooting atms and banks, and that the atm guys didn’t know who I was or what I was doing.

office [sic] Pryce of the 7th pct then orders me to take my camera out and delete the photos of the atm tech. I tried to explain again, but office pryce tells me that if I refuse to cooperate that he will arrest me for assault. [assault for what? for taking pictures on a public street of somebody who tells me later that he is muslim?]

Officer Pryce of the New York City Police Department is trying to enforce non-existant law. There is NO LAW against taking pictures of unattended ATM’s from public property. Similarly there are NO LAWS that prohibit the photography of people because of their religion. In fact people do not even have a civil case against the publication of their picture based on religious grounds according to the New York Court ruling in Nussenzweig v. DiCorcia. Officer Pryce is clearly aware of the operations order yet he obviously ignores it while demanding that the photographer delete pictures that were legally taken.

Furthermore the officer threatened to arrest the photographer for assault if he did not delete the pictures. This is absolutely inexcusable and Officer Pryce and the NYPD should be investigated by the NYCLU for violating consent agreements and continuing their war against photography.

In spite of the fact that federal law (17 USC 120(a)) specifically permits photography of any architecture from public streets and sidewalks, it appears that eBay has instructed its security guards to try to stop photographers from exercising those rights.

According to the photographer who took this picture:

The driver of the SUV with the orange lights on top had just stopped me and told me I couldn’t photograph the building. I pointed out that I was standing on a public sidewalk and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.

Kudos to the photographer for standing up for his rights.

The Chicago Transit Authority has declared war against both photographers and railfans. In an ad which can be seen here, the authority equates photography with terrorism and enlists the public’s help in reporting photographers. The CTA rules specifically permit photography, therefore this ad and its implications are an outrage, both to photographers and the railroad enthusiasts that will continue to be harassed and abused by the authorities in Chicago.

What is the TVA afraid of? Watch as they try to cover up the effects of an ash disaster by preventing the monitoring of air quality downwind from the site, as well as harassing photographers who were documenting the installation of the air monitoring devices. The air monitors and videographer were there with permission of the resident of the property they were on.

The text of the policy which will be appearing on their website within the next two weeks reads as follows:

SFMTA Photography and Videography Guidelines

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates the
Municipal Railway (Muni), welcomes photography and videography on SFMTA
vehicles and publicly-accessible property subject to the following guidelines. All
photography and videography activities should be pursued safely and with respect for
all SFMTA customers and employees. SFMTA facilities and vehicles are for the
exclusive use of the SFMTA, its employees and its customers. Any and all
permission granted to photograph or take video in connection with these guidelines is
subordinate to the SFMTA’s obligations to its customers, employees and to the
general public.

Non-commercial Photography and Videography

The general public is permitted to use personal, handheld photography and
videography equipment on all Muni in-service transit vehicles and on publicly accessible
SFMTA property, including Muni stations, as long as such activities do not
interfere with transit operations.
While on SFMTA property, all photographers and videographers must comply with
the following restrictions:
• Photography or videography activities cannot interfere with the safe operation
of any Muni vehicle as determined by the vehicle’s Operator or other SFMTA
personnel.
• Photography or videography activities cannot impede the safe movement of
Muni customers as they board or alight from transit vehicles or make their
way through Muni stations.
• Stairways, escalators, doors and aisles cannot be blocked by photographers
and videographers at any time.
• Photographers and videographers must fully and immediately comply with
any requests, directions or instructions from SFMTA personnel related to
safety concerns.
• Large cameras, photo or video equipment or ancillary equipment such as
lighting, tripods, cables, etc. are prohibited.
When using photography or videography equipment on SFMTA vehicles or property,
always be aware of your surroundings, including your proximity to moving transit
vehicles or the edges of Muni platforms.
All photographers and videographers are prohibited from entering, photographing, or
taking video in non-public areas of the SFMTA’s transit system.

Questions about the SFMTA’s Photography and Videography Guidelines can be directed to judson.true@sfmta.com or 415.701.4500.

We found this email making its way around the web. It was reported to have been written by a Locomotive Engineer. Considering the number of avoidable railroad crossing accidents that happen each year, we thought we would share it. And there is a photography component as well:

Let’s start with some DON’Ts:
1) A train is really, really big. Can we all accept that? Not even
your Ram/F-350/Hummer/douche-mobile is a match for the smallest
locomotive. You say you have a Cummins diesel? Caterpillar? Detroit?
*/Oooooooh/*. Well I have an “EMD 567″ on a */bad/* day, and even its
pathetic 2,000 horsepower will pound you and your gleaming pickup into
the fourth dimension, so please, stay behind the white line!
2) I hate blocking crossings. Seriously, I feel like a complete
asshole when I stop a train in the middle of the road and leave two
dozen motorists to ponder their lattes and ask what the hell I’m
doing. The truth is, sometimes it has to be done, so don’t honk at me,
flip me off, or scream at me from the window of your Dodge Caravan as
you’re shooting a U. Instead, be patient and try to believe that
there’s a point to what I’m doing. It’s called “switching”, and my
conductor is depending on me to work slowly and not run his ass over.
If you don’t believe me, Wiki that shit.
3) Don’t climb on the equipment. I hate to sound like your mother, but
you’re saving me a lot of paperwork and horrifying flashbacks by
staying off the equipment. To you it might look like an abandoned
train or a free ride, but when that bastard starts to move with you on
it, there’s a damn good chance you won’t be able to hold on. As long
as you’re on Wikipedia, punch in “slack action” and see what comes up.
Also, the romance of riding freight trains is total bullshit. They’re
really dark, really cold, really windy, and hobos are f*ing SCARY.
4) Don’t put shit on the tracks. It’s dangerous to me and my
conductor, and it’s ten times more dangerous for you and everyone else
on the ground. If you’re wondering “can a train go over a rock?” the
answer is YES. There’s only one problem. You probably haven’t wondered
where the million shards of rock are going to go at four times the
speed of sound, have you?
5) Stop whining about the horn. Countless accidents have been avoided
because drivers missed the flashing lights but heard the horn. You’d
have to blast Miley Cyrus and Lil’ Bow Wow pretty f*ing loud to
drown out a five-chime, and often that’s the only thing that saves
people. Still, that’s no reason to keep your stereo at 80 decibels as
you’re rolling through a crossing at sixty without looking both ways.
6) By and large, railroad cops are major douche-bags, so when you’re
trespassing on railroad property, keep your head out of your ass.
These guys didn’t make the cut into the real police force, and they
will ream your ass inside and out to make up for their resulting
inferiority complex. Also, walking on bridges and in tunnels is
extremely dangerous. Ask yourself: If a train comes, where will I go?
Trains are much wider than the rails they run on, so don’t be fooled.
Now for some of the DO’s:
1) If you see a large object (like a garbage can, or an F-350) that’s
about to get love-tapped by a hotshot freight train, get in the clear.
If the shit’s about to fly at a railroad crossing, run to the side of
the street that the train is coming from. That way you’ll be behind
the point of impact and you won’t have to worry about catching that
beautiful pickup and its over-confident driver square on your f*ing
shoulders. If you run away from the train you’re just putting yourself
in the line of fire, and the death toll could very possibly be two.
2) If the gates stay down and the lights stay flashing, stay where you
are. I guaran-damn-tee there’s another train coming, and speeding onto
the tracks the moment the first train clears is a lot like celebrating
a touchdown too early. WHAM.
3) When you’re waiting for a train to pass, it’s a good idea to stay
back thirty or forty feet. Trains are operated by professionals, but
often they’re /*loaded*/ by total assclowns. I’ve heard some real
nasty stories about payloads falling off flatcars and crushing people
in their vehicles, or doors sliding off boxcars and ripping through
everything in their path. It’s rare, but shit happens!
4) Always report problems or suspicious activity. If you see a
photographer with a radio scanner and a big-ass notebook, ignore him.
We know those guys.* But if there’s a dude in street clothes working
a crowbar through a signal box, hit us up and tell us what the deal
is. Railroad crossings usually have signs with emergency numbers, or
you can call the non-emergency number for your local fuzz. If an
accident has already occurred or a life is at risk, call 911 instead.
Pretty sure they have our number.
5) Last but not least, when you’re inconvenienced by a train, remember
that we’re pulling for you! Trains are a great way to conserve fuel,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and keep American jobs alive and
green. Rail technology is the best solution to our energy crisis, and
as the rail network grows in the years to come, it’s important for
everyone to stay safe. Look, listen, LIVE.

While not directly related to the War on Photography, we nevertheless find this story disturbing because of the actions the government has taken to virtually beat bloggers into submission. Apparently the government was not happy that a bloggers, including a Travel Writer, were able to obtain an internal document outlining certain new security measures.

In one case:

Elliott, from Winter Springs, Fla., said TSA agents had showed up at his house, demanding that he reveal who leaked the security directive that followed a Christmas Day attack on a Detroit-bound airliner. The directive included security measures that quickly became apparent to many travelers.

The administrative subpoena – a demand for information issued without a judge’s approval – is a civil, not a criminal document. If Elliott refuses to comply, the TSA could ask a judge to hold the writer in contempt.

Another blogger was threatened with losing his job and forced to surrender his computer:

[the blogger] met with two TSA special agents Tuesday night at his Connecticut home for about three hours and again on Wednesday morning when he was forced to hand over his lap top computer. Frischling said the agents threatened to interfere with his contract to write a blog for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines if he didn’t cooperate and provide the name of the person who leaked the memo.

Instead of going through proper legal channels, securing subpeonas and giving bloggers sufficient time to contact attorneys to challenge those subpeonas, the government is resorting to threatening people’s livelihoods, and depriving them of their property without due process. Where is the so-called CHANGE we voted for? The constitution is being ripped to shreds by this government and we the people are allowing it to happen.

Story here

Watch this video of a SEPTA crew member ruining the video of a tourist group. The informal group visits Philadelphia once a year to “railfan”, that is ride and photograph the various transit systems there, only to have their event ruined by a LYING SEPTA crew member.