[jeroldharter]

I don't doubt the truth of the stories mentioned, but I think these are somewhat isolated cases. I took my 4x5 camera into the Wisconsin Capitol building. A security office asked me what I was doing and watched for awhile before moving on. I set up in the center of the rotunda, camera aimed to the ceiling, and crawled on my back under the tripod. Quite the spectacle and no hassle. Also, I forgot my Palm Pilot (which I use for BTZS data) in the car so I walked into an open door of a state assemblyman and asked if I could leave my tripod and Tundra case in his office while I ran to the store. (Perhaps they should have peaked in the Tundra case). Everyone was very friendly.

Just yesterday I went to the local water treatment plant to take some photos with the 4x5. Eventually one of the managers came out to ask what I was doing and if I had permission. I told him that I just came to took pictures and had no permission. He hung around for awhile and then left. Later, his boss came out and asked me about my equipment, said he was a former photographer at the local university, and told me where I could get a good deal on the university's used darkroom equipment.

I know that Wisconsin might not reflect the greater world, but I just wanted to make the point that some people use reasonable judgment.