I'll Take Your Film!
Dalado
Registered Users Posts: 27 Big grins
So I just started working for a small paper and I was about to shoot a bb game when I saw four unmarked SUV's heading down the street. I decided to follow them until they stopped a few blocks down. Once I parked my car and rounded the corner I saw three plain clothed officers go to a back of ahome and four or five more knock on a door and yell, "US Marshals, open up!" (I had it confirmed from a local patrolman that they were looking for a county inmate that was released by mistake.)
As the officers were about to get back into the SUV's I lifted my camera and one said to me who are you. I identified myself and he then said, "If you shoot any photos of us I'm taking your film!" I then asked who he was and he replied "US Marshals!" Since they didn't find the guy and I couldnt get near the house in time for a good shot, I decided against taking any photos.
Anyhow, I'm pretty good at Photography law, but it just caught me by suprise. I'm assumung that since I was on a public sidewalk he would have no right to take my film(card)?
My question is: If he would have tryed to take the film what could I have done and did anyone ever come accross this kind of situation? I mean I guess I could have said where's your warrent?
D.
As the officers were about to get back into the SUV's I lifted my camera and one said to me who are you. I identified myself and he then said, "If you shoot any photos of us I'm taking your film!" I then asked who he was and he replied "US Marshals!" Since they didn't find the guy and I couldnt get near the house in time for a good shot, I decided against taking any photos.
Anyhow, I'm pretty good at Photography law, but it just caught me by suprise. I'm assumung that since I was on a public sidewalk he would have no right to take my film(card)?
My question is: If he would have tryed to take the film what could I have done and did anyone ever come accross this kind of situation? I mean I guess I could have said where's your warrent?
D.
0
Comments
Try googeling "police harasses photographer" and you will find many articles and videos with stories similar to yours.
Like this one: http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/police-like-to-harass-photographers/
Or this one: http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-06-10/news/shoot-first-hand-over-film-later/
This interview with a copyright attorney might also be interesting to you,
it also describes some techniques for encounter with security of this kind:
http://www.photoshopusertv.com/?p=301
― Edward Weston
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=836675
― Edward Weston