Photography Banned in Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland

And another one........<br><br>

<a

href="http://www.nowpublic.com/photography_banned_downtown_silver_spring_marylan

d">Story here</a>

Not long ago, I've seen on TV that some people in America carry their guns everywhere, and even a new born baby, in some states, can have a license to carry a gun (fact).

Trade your gear for a gun, to comply with the law, to be a good citizen. Any other alternative ?...

...but, I can shoot people better with my camera than my gun. Oh well.

 

"This is my camera. There are many like it, but this one is mine..."

Quote: - "They have a no photography policy to 'protect them from people who might want to use the photographs as part of a story in which they could write bad things about us."

 

Write bad things about them? Now, who'd want to do that? Time to stop corporate creep taking over the world. Where's the Constitution?

Camera's are not protected byt he consitution....

 

The can have my camera when they pry it from my cold dead fingers...

Quote: - "They have a no photography policy to 'protect them from people who might

want to use the photographs as part of a story in which they could write bad things about

us."

 

I actually like that part--that's what most photo restrictions are really about--but it's

apparently a lot more effective to blither about terrorism and store layouts.

 

It's not like they have a prayer of protecting themselves from people genuinely interested

in doing them harm anyway, whether through the press, ripping off merchandising ideas,

or figuring out how to plant bombs. The first requires at best mediocre picture quality,

and the latter two can make do with the truly awful.

 

I've shot P-O-P display design "espionage", never been close to being caught. But whip out

a DSLR for a quality artsy shot and security descends on you like flies.

Amazing story. Glad people taking action.

So this is what we mean when we say "public - private partnerships," I guess ? :)

So if you can't take a photo to be used with such a story, what are they doing to prevent someone from writing the story anyway (even without a photo). Ban paper and pens within city limits?

 

Most companies that take this approach to competition may have short-term success, but have rarely shown staying power in the market.

What isn't banned in MD. Not suprised a bit. Thank god I moved outta MD. wayyyyyy too

many laws in that state.

>>> Most companies that take this approach to competition may have short-term success,

but have rarely shown staying power in the market.

 

Not really. The issue isn't about the potential for writing "bad" stories, but being able to

control how corporate images are publicly displayed/released. Most all national brands (such

as Apple, GAP, Macy's, Pottery Barn, etc.) have such no-photography policies. OK with me

assuming you are not shooting from public property. Public vs private vs leased-public is

open to huge debate.

Let them try to control their already poor corporate images.

 

WE control where WE spend our money. Next time I drive to Baltimore or DC, I'll go out of my way to avoid Silver Spring.

The Peterson Companies are now finding that people 'write bad things about us' - spot large hole in foot.

'protect them from people who might want to use the photographs as part of a story in which they could write bad things about us."

 

Seeing paranoia like this makes me want to write bad things about them.

 

When will they ban writing about the places altogether? Will they start confiscating peoples pens, pencils, laptops and whatnot to make sure they can't write? One can write without having taken photos.

 

They sound as dumb as the Chippewa tribe that has banned a writer and magazine both from the reservation because he wrote things that 'made them look bad' and 'hurt their feelings'.

 

The Turtle Mountain Star (the tribal newspaper) has some stories about this ban. Maybe the tribe and Silver Springs should get together and patrol each others property to keep those cameras away?

Brad is right. I know for a fact and from experience that many malls and stores can and do prohibit photography for a variaty of reasons, including control of their corporate image and public perception of the particular place. It is private property and its perfectly legal. The only issue I see here is if it is private or public. I do know, working in a muni-law firm (not a lawyer)that re-development agencies do fund projects with public money that goes to the benefit of private interests. Its how a lot of big malls get built. The public interest is in the job creation and sales tax revenue generated. Its very possible that in this case it is "private" property.

There is a big difference between a Mall and a "company-town" as far as the exercise of constitutional freedoms are concerned. For the most part a private mall can tell you to leave. If you don't , you can find yourself charged with Trespass. Totally diferent with a municipalty, Si;ver Springs leasing the land from a government entity, in this case, Montgomery County. A photographer has all of their civil and Constitutional rights in tact in the "company-town". However, in the real world a photographer can end up being charged with something like diorderly conduct when a police officer is willing to falsely accuse the poor victim . A federal civil rights suit is just waiting to happen in Silver Springs, Maryland. What is sad, is that I am positive that the Governing body of Silver Springs knows that they will probably lose in court, but are willing and find it cost effective to chill peoples rights anyway. I mean its a hassle to sue Silver Springs! Someone should contact the ACLU about this situation.

>>>> There is a big difference between a Mall and a "company-town"

 

It's neither. It's *a* street with stores on it - not the town. The new trend is unenclosed

malls. Becoming popular in California. They're private streets with mixed-use stores and

housing, made to look like villages. Every block the architecture changes a little to make it

look like the "downtown" evolved over a long period of time - when in fact the project was

built all at once. Enclosed malls are so 1980s...

 

 

>>> A federal civil rights suit is just waiting to happen in Silver Springs, Maryland.

 

Civil rights? No doubt Al Sharpton is en route...

 

 

>>> Someone should contact the ACLU about this situation.

 

Really? And what do you think they will do?

Hey Brad, nice of you to chime in. Such a positive influence. Have you aver been arrested for taking a photograph? I have. There is a huge difference between a mall and Silver Springs , Maryland, Either get a law degree or learn how to use the one you have .

>>> Have you aver been arrested for taking a photograph?

 

No. Go figure, and out of more than 50K photos...

 

>>> There is a huge difference between a mall and Silver Springs , Maryland, Either get a

law degree or learn how to use the one you have .

 

OK, curious, where's your law degree from?

Brad, theres NO excuse for bringing Al Sharpton into this thread. None. Many people, including I, could consider your response as being racist. Maybe it was. I bet you haven't been in Silver Springs, Marlyland. I have. Its people like you that have really hurt the photonet community with their sharp tongue and nothing constructive to say. If you can't contribute something positive, why not just stay silent. We would all be better off.

>>> Many people, including I, could consider your response as being racist.

 

Oh, puhleeeese.... You brought up civil rights... Grow up.

 

 

>>> Its people like you that have really hurt the photonet community with their sharp

tongue and nothing constructive to say. If you can't contribute something positive, why

not just stay silent.

 

In other words, only people that agree with your position are permitted to contribute?

 

Again, who granted your law degree? And how does you being arrested have *any*

bearing on the above story?

Hey , the subject of the thread was about a photographer being threatened by a security guard for taking pjotographs. I have been in the same situation and worse. The thread is about how best to handle the situation. I feel sorry for you. You feel that mentioning a possible tool for handling a bad situation for photographers, the ACLU, raises issues of race? What GRADESCHOOL did you go to? Bet mine is better than yours Ha! Your mother wears army boots.

>>> What GRADESCHOOL did you go to?

 

Why the insults, John? And why are you now bringing race into it? Seems you have some

kind of projection issue.

 

The guy didn't get arrested. And he was asked to not photograph. It may very likely be

private property and you want to get the ACLU and the courts involved like it's a major

FEDERAL civil rights issue. Jeeez...

 

One more time, where is your law degree from? You seemed to make that a requirement

for commenting on this - so where is yours from?

>>> Someone should contact the ACLU about this situation.

 

OK John, here's your chance. Are you going walk the talk?

For Brad: 1. 1975 Graduated Penn State, BA Political Science, Summa Cum Laud, Phi Beta Kappa (cum 3.83)

2. 1978 Graduated Syracuse College of Law with Honors

3. 1987 Graduated Rochester Institute Of Technology,BFA Photography, with Honors

Admitted to Pa Bar 1979, Score 170 Multistate Exam