Citizen harassment

[robert becker]

So this morning I was out enjoying my favorite hobby of wildlife photography. I had been shooting some songbirds in

shrubs and waterfowl along a local river. The area I was shooting is public property, but across the river is high end

private homes. After the action slowed down, I decided to head back to my truck parked about 1/2 mile away. As I

was driving away from the parking lot, two men with a dog stopped me. The older man told me that he noticed my

binoculars on my dashboard and asked if I was taking pictures of his house. I told him I was not taking pictures of

anyone's house, but of wildlife. He seemed rather belligerent so I decide to call the police to stop this nonsense and

to absolve any possiblility of wrong doing on my part. The police seemed rather disinterested in the matter, but

dispatched an officer anyway. It turns out, the officer is a bit of a nature photographer himself, but could understand

why the two men were upset about someone photographing their house. I showed the officer the camera and

explained that the file numbers were consecutive and nothing has been deleted, then went through the two hundred

or so shots that I had from the morning without even so much as a hint of anyone's house in the shots.

 

As I departed the scene, the officer was busy reprimanding the two men about how it's within my right to shoot

photos in a public place or even to photograph their house for that matter and how it was wrong for them to follow me

to my truck to "talk" to me. As I drove away, I thought I would record the scene for posterity and I shot a dozen grab

shots of the lecture for the heck of it.

 

I needed to rant a little, thanks for letting me vent.

 

Any thoughts?

[stemked]

<p>I've had those types of confrontations myself; homeowners and police. I can't say I've had as satisfying an ending to them as you had. I guess that's because I was using film during those encounters and couldn't present the evidence as quickly as you were able to.<br>

Nice to know there are some folks in blue who are watching out for us too.</p>

[greg s]

<p>It would seem to me that anyone should be able to differentiate between a bird/wildlife photographer's actvity/intent and an individual actually engaged in voyeurism. Even so... if someone wanted to look across the river with binoculars to see a house for a few minutes, big deal. None of it makes any sense and adds up to unreasonable behavior on the part of a paranoid person.<br>

I once inadvertantly drove down a private driveway in Australia and met the meanest person on earth. It happens.</p>

[robert becker]

Greg, I agree it happens. Just for giggles, I might spend every Saturday morning in that same place from now on! You know...photographing waterfowl and such.

[Mike D]

<p>Several years ago I wanted to shoot mushrooms in a county park but the unpaved parking lot was closed due to a recent rain storm. I decided to legally park across the street from the park near a housing development. Some guy and his family drove up to me and told me to leave because I didn't live in the development. He was very insistent, almost belligerent. The weather was getting worse so I decided to drive away instead of calling the police. Ironically, my camera equipment was worth more than his car. </p>

[lauren_macintosh]

<p>You drove away with a Smile, That says it all:</p>

[lauren_macintosh]

<p>You drove away with a Smile, That says it all:</p>

[irusan]

<p>I have to admit that, when I first read the title, I was expecting a story about a confrontation with the police. So many of these anecdotes are about how police are heavy-handed. It was refreshing to read a story where the police were on your side.</p>

<p>Of course, it helps that you handled the situation perfectly and weren't combative with the police but you were helpful in resolving it.</p>

<p>Nice story, thanks for sharing!</p>

[luc_hosten1]

<p>I had a similar experience photographing seagulls perched on a restaurant's advertising board. A staff member complained but a passing policeman calmed her and told her I was within my rights. Wonder where the image is - the board was advertising chicken wings and I thought the seagulls made an interesting image. This sort of interference happens every now and then and is never pleasant.</p>

[sknowles]

<p>Thanks. That's pretty much what I get, people harrass and/or report, and law enforcement dismisses me. One State Patrol office (they're responsible for security on State ferries) reported, "Just another dumb professonal photographer." Apparently we don't have the sense God gave geese to see how suspicious we look doing our photography.</p>

[matthew_newton]

<p>That State Patrol Officer might have had a point. I did realize recently that snooping around in bushes with a long telephoto lens taking pictures of people in parks is a little suspicious. :-D</p>

<p>In seriousness I've had one or two similar confrontations over the last few years, but they pretty much resolved themselves by just ignoring the person or brushing them off. Both cases I just ignored them until it seemed like they were going to have a stroke yelling at me and then just pointed out (in one of the cases) "I am on public property and it is perfectly legal for me to take pictures of that vulture sitting on a tree limb that just happens to be in front of your store. If you'd like to waste more of both of our time you are quite welcome to call the police and waste their time as well. Otherwise you can go back in to your store and maybe make someone else's day miserable"<br>

In the one case the store employee/owner nearly passed out from apoplexy in the other case, a 'concerned' citizen walking along seeing me taking a picture of an outdoor cafe, the person actually got yelled at by the cafe manager for disrupting his customers because she came out hearing the row this woman was making in front of his cafe.</p>

[brian_carey_photography]

<p>I had an incident about 3 months ago where I was shooting a cityscape of my home town and was approached by a police officer. I thought he was another photographer who just wanted to chat, he was in plain clothes. Several hundred meters in the foreground there was a soccer game going on. I could see it and actually was using it as a part of the composition, lots of colour. What I didn't realize was the players were all teenage girls, I couldn't tell that from where I was. Plus I was using a wide angle lens.<br>

Bu he asked me a few questions and I answered ignorant of what was going on. Gave him my business card and he pointed it out to me why he approached me. It never crossed my mind and I told him this. In hindsight I think he made it a bigger issue then need be but I have teenagers myself and can understand him being cautious.</p>

<p>I also do a lot of night and twilight photography and am expecting to be stopped by the police some day!<br>

This is something photographers may have to deal with time to time but in the interest of focusing on our craft best to put it behind us and move on!</p>

<p>Brian Carey</p>

[joseph_smith3]

<p>Robert, I believe your experience with the police is above average or lucky. I suggest that all fellow photographers go to this site to learn more about your rights. Carolyn is a photographer and an attorney. <br>

<a href="http://www.photoattorney.com/">http://www.photoattorney.com/</a></p>

<p>Joe Smith</p>

[robert becker]

All,

 

Thanks for the responses and comments. This is a great hobby we enjoy, but it has the potential to land us in these predicaments of having to explain ourselves.

 

Brian Carey,

 

Truth be told, I was rather nervous about being accused of something unthinkable and being labeled (branded for life) as some kind of peeping tom or pervert. Or possibly worse and being accused of a crime and having to defend myself in court.

 

Joe Smith,

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out in more detail when time permits.