This video which seems to have been released by Houston Mayor Annise Parker as a part of the…ahem… Run, Hide, Fight series is nuts. I understand the need for awareness and diligence toward creeps (not just in the USA and not just terrorists) but this ummm “awareness” is over the top – particularly with regard to photographers.
After watching the video and others in the series, there are basically two groups that appear to be the focus.
1) people planting bombs – a multitude of examples including vests, backpacks, people trying to gain access to do this; and…
2) people taking photos – of public spaces? and exits? and… huh?
Seriously? Those are the two groups we should fear? I’m particularly referring to roughly the 1:45 mark where the specific vilification of photographers or “people with recording devices” is a big WTF.
So, in short, yes Mayor Parker we should keep a collective eye out for nutjobs. I’ll all for awareness, but I hate fear mongering. And pull your head out.
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Wanna know more about photographers rights? Check out this post or this post AND… very importantly…tune into the next chasejarvis LIVE episode on August 29th in collaboration with ASMP.org where I’m hosting a world class panel that’ll discuss the current and future state of photographers rights…the good, bad and ugly about some changes in our landscape.
(Thx Trey for link)
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‘Holla! Have you ever heard – Esther Willsher art (do a search on google)? Ive heard some awesome things about her art and my father who collects art an really understands art bought some of her prints for a snip cos shes new on the scene and rekons on making a killing.’
‘Hello there! Have you ever heard – Esther Willsher art (do a search on google)? Ive heard some decent things about her art and my brother in law who collects art an really understands art bought some of her prints at a bargain price cos shes new on the scene and rekons on making a killing.’
I’ve actually had this happen to me.
I was on a ferry boat taking pictures. I especially liked the stairway and a fire-hose that was coiled on a wall.
My ~good~ fellow passengers reported me as a terrorist for taking these photos. Multiple people reported me. I was soon confronted by a high ranking official on the ferry boat who demanded to see my photos and wanted to know why was I taking pictures of his ~safety equipment~….
I mean come-on… geez people, that fire-hose was beautiful the way it was so carefully coiled, it was sculptural.
Well, he started looking through my pictures… under implied threat of arrest what else could I do but comply…. what saved me was a shot of a young couple in silhouette standing on the bow looking out into the distance, the official saw that and realized that I was doing art not terror…
This is why I have an issue with sensor technology. Put two and two together bro. This “war on terrorism” is lowering a police state grid on the citizens of this nation. The last thing we need is technology that will help them.
Yes, apparently people creating things ( like photographs) is very dangerous…they should instead be consuming, consuming, consuming things at the mall and restaurant. Anyone else, must be reported…
;-p