Don't leave home without it!

[Domenico Foschi]

So, I have been shooting the streets of Los angeles for a while now and today for the first time I had my first confrontation with two young men who didn't like the fact that I took a picture of them.

I purposefully made myself visible before shooting because I wanted to see some kind of reaction which actually happened by having both of them protruding their arms and hands toward me in some kind of defensive/offensive mode.
It was a great picture and I clicked the shutter.
The aftermath was that one of the fellas grasped my Nikon F by the lens and tried to yank it out of my hand unsuccessfully.
It was then that I raised my voice and I let him know that there would be consequences if he didn't release my dear camera.
So he asked me if I took a picture of him and I said "yes".
He flipped the phone and told me he was going to call the cops and that he was going to gloat seeing me in the police car.
I told him "go ahead, but this piece of paper is going to save us time to me and troubles to you since you have tried to yank my camera off my hands"
I handed him a copy of "the photogrpaher's rights guidelines that I always carry with me. http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm

It was a thing of beauty. He closed the phone, read the first lines, dropped the paper on the pavement with anger and left with his calmer friend.
Moral of the story, I recommend you to make a couple of copies and leave them permanently in your camera bag because if you shoot outside one time or another it is bound to be useful.

Good luck to all of us and let's keep having fun in what we love to do.

[David William White]

wow. thanks. done.

[Christopher Walrath]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

Is there a link?

[David Brown]

Is there a link?

Yes - it's in his post.

[Christopher Walrath]

Sorry. I was on the Blackberry. Apparently links don't readily show up so I will bear that in mind in the future.

[darkosaric]

I am wondering is there some equivalent for us in EU (Poland) ...

[Andy K]

Similarly I was photographing, with a Bronica SQAi, in a very picturesque area near my home. It is very popular with daytrippers etc.

I was taking a photograph along the street (narrow, cobbled, old buildings either side). A lady approached me and said 'Did you just take a photograph'
I replied 'Yes'
'What is it for?' she asked.
Joking I replied, 'Oh its for the newspapers, will be front page of all of them tomorrow'
Instantly she said, 'No, I'll sue you for taking my photograph'

I explained I was joking and that she was welcome to waste her money trying to sue someone for carrying out a perfectly legal activity but she then said, 'well then why are you using a camera like that, what is wrong with using your phone?'

I just couldn't be bothered arguing the toss with an idiot any more, turned my back and continued making photographs.

[MikeSeb]

...but she then said, 'well then why are you using a camera like that, what is wrong with using your phone?'...

Sigh. Andy, was there NO lawful way you could have removed her from the gene pool?

[AgX]

Domenico,

I don't see the point in photographers spreaded (nearly) all over the world, as we are, to hand out a pamphlet hinting at the US legal situation.

[archphoto]

Thanks for posting, Domenico, I have downloaded it.

Darksaric: you will have to translate it and make it a bit "official" looking.
You will be amaized about it how easy people believe in the contents on paper.

Knowing where you stand legaly is allway's the best, convincing other people that you are in your rights even better.

Peter