PC Plod pounces again

Remember my blog about Jane Sweeney, the well-known travel photographer who got hassled in London for using a tripod whilst taking photographs. (Here, if you don’t.)

You’ll be glad to know that the ever-vigilant British Bobbies never drop their guard. Here is a another potential terrorist ... or maybe voyeur ... or maybe child-molester (unfortunately Plod can’t quite make up his mind on this point) being stopped in his nefarious tracks ...




A fair cop. Whatever the guy was doing, it can’t be good if he’s carrying a camera.

I’m so glad that Plod is on the ball. Makes me feel much, much safer when I visit the UK.

Notes:
  1. In the UK it is perfectly legal to take photographs of anyone or anything in a public place, provided you are not causing an obstruction. You do not need a licence (despite what this police officer is implying).
  2. Only a police officer with a search warrant can confiscate your camera or demand to see photographs you have taken. And no one, not even the police, can force you to erase photographs you have taken. That would require a court order.
As a matter of interest with regard to point 1, if you are in the UK you will probably be photographed, without your realising it and without your consent, dozens if not hundreds of times each day by ubiquitous CCTV cameras.

A more complete account of photographers' rights in the UK can be found here. And click here for details of those in the USA.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I’ve just discovered your site. Very interesting.

Having been an advertising art director for many years I have had the pleasure of working with many top photographers in Europe and the USA. And your comment about food photography is absolutely spot on because food photography is difficult. But, until Photoshop came along, not as difficult as cars and watches. Some of my recent automotive clients still demand that everything is perfect on the transparency.

In my early days hanging round London studios in the late 60’s I learned how a plate of pork chop, chips and green peas looked so much more attractive if there was a tube pushed through a hole in the plate and cigarette smoke puffed through it. Milk of Magnesia which coated the large balloon brandy glass was actually white emulsion paint and, on arriving in Switzerland, Suchard Express chocolate drink is visually more appetizing than the one my client, a big company in Vevey, made and was always used in our commercials.

I had the pleasure of meeting Ansel Adams in the early 70’s and we discussed lab technique. As an art student, his black skies had always amazed me and I taught him a little trick, which I stole from Art Kane and I still use. Separate the sky from the subject and turn it upside down. Reid Miles taught me how to choreograph my models in the style of Norman Rockwell and David Montgomery always insisted on buying his flowers two days before the Harrods still life shoot. David Bailey just made me laugh and Bert Stern annoyed me.

I look forward to reading more.

Ghinch

Alistair Scott said...

Wow! Thanks for your comments Ghinch. It sounds like you have a huge amount of experience and knowledge.

And you met Ansel Adams too! You mast have some great stories to tell.

Good to to have you as a reader. Welcome to my humble blog. I hope you continue to enjoy it and find it stimulating.

I hope everyone who reads it does, too.