Archive for the 'Photographers’ Rights' Category

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“Blind Ambition: The Ultimate Braille Challenge”

Published July 7, 2008 Photographers' Rights Leave a Comment
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Photo by discarted

Talented writer Heather Murphy wrote this story for the NPR site about the Braille Challenge, an annual contest here in Los Angeles for supersmart blind and visually impaired students who come from all over the country to test their skills in areas like spelling, reading and proofreading.

With an accompanying video by Amir Noori and photos by Shawn Nee (discarted), it’s a multifacted multimedia story — and worth checking out, if I do say so.

Shawn says he was impressed and humbled by the kids he met at that day, noting their self-awareness and complete confidence and “how they were constantly reminding themselves and the people around them that, yes, they’re blind so quit walking on egg shells and just publicly acknowledge it and get comfortable with it because they sure are.”

Read and watch the story here.

A Photographer’s Unique Angle

Published July 3, 2008 Photographers' Rights 4 Comments
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Photo by Chris Toalson

How’s this for a different perspective? Kevin Connolly was born without legs due to a birth defect. In 2007, he traveled the world for three months — 15 countries, 31 cities — and took over 32,000 photos of people staring at him.

Connolly, 22, is a unique guy, to put it mildly. He competed in the X Games monoski-cross for disabled skiers and placed second. He has prosthetic legs but doesn’t use them or a wheelchair; he prefers to get around on a skateboard. He was alone for half of his three-month travels. (And he only got hit by a car once.)

He held his camera at his hip and looked away while taking the photos so people wouldn’t change their expression or feel self-conscious. His aim was to find the commonalities in the world — in its reaction to someone like him.

As he told the Christian Science Monitor:

“The thing I just loved was you had an executive-looking type guy in say New York City, someone who’s clearly wealthy enough to afford a very nice suit and a good cell phone, staring at you in the exact same way that a beggar in Ukraine would.”

Fifteen of his photos are on display at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. through July 20.

To see more of Connolly’s work, check out his web site.

Or read more about his story in The Washington Post.

Charges Dropped In Albequerque Case

Published July 2, 2008 Assault , Photographers' Rights , Police Harassment 2 Comments
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KOB.com is reporting that charges were dismissed against Rick Foley, an Albequerque NBC news photographer who was arrested  by APD Officer Daniel Guzman after exchanging words at a crime scene. We posted about this story in the beginning of June — viewing the tape of the incident, most would conclude that the officer’s behavior was egregiously aggressive and an inappropriate response.

The Albequerque Journal reported today that Judge Benjamin Chavez said the charge of failure to obey an officer wasn’t viable because the citation didn’t provide sufficient information detailing the crime that took place that night.

Officer Guzman is on paid leave and his disciplinary hearing is scheduled for next week. This incident has prompted Police Chief Ray Schultz to review the way his department handles the media at crime scenes.

Sometimes things are handled correctly, and this is good development for journalists’ rights.

Via KOB.com

Spy Photographer Thwarted at Car Shoot

Published June 27, 2008 Harassment , Photographers' Rights , Police Harassment , Street photography Leave a Comment
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This is funny. I happened upon this post on motortrend.com that details the exploits of an automotive spy photographer (is that an official title?).

The guy, operating under the name Ringo Kamens, says he came across a super-secretive car photography shoot in downtown Denver, and his attempts at getting shots of the yet-to-be-released car got him in hot water with the crew. They berated him, saying they had a permit and no outside photography was allowed. Then they called over plainclothes officers who told him he wasn’t allowed to shoot on city property. He willingly left once they tried to take his camera and threatened him with arrest.

Too bad Kamens didn’t know the laws protecting his rights to shoot the shoot — permit or no, city property or no. Kamens actually had every right to take those photos.

Nobody was up in arms over this trampling of his rights though. Commenters were more concerned with guessing the make and model of the car. (Most people think it was the Audi A4 Avant.)

Article via Motor Trend. 

Read Ringo’s account of what happened here.

Gorilla Photographer

Published June 25, 2008 Photographers' Rights Leave a Comment
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South African photojournalist Brent Stirton was recently interviewed by NPR about his work photographing endangered gorillas that were murdered in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His famous shot of a dead 500-pound gorilla being carried out of the Virunga National Park after having been shot by unknown assailants appeared in Newsweek in July 2007. It’s also part of National Geographic’s July cover story, which investigates the mysterious killings of seven mountain gorillas in what was supposed to be a protected sanctuary. The pictures are completely arresting and worth a look.

Listen to the NPR interview here.

Read the National Geographic story here.

Andrews International Execs Remain Silent Over Guards’ Aggressive Behavior

Published June 24, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Photographers' Rights , Security Guard Harassment , Street photography 3 Comments
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Photo by discarted
NOTE: This guard did not have anything to do with the incident.

Dear Mr. Andrews:

I wanted to write again regarding an incident with your security personnel because it seems as if you didn’t receive my last letter. At the very minimum, this is a customer service issue, and it’s shocking that you wouldn’t want to address, much less acknowledge, a situation where your security team’s actions have been questioned.

I am referring to what happened between myself and your security guards at the Hollywood and Highland Metro station where I was harassed, threatened with arrest and cursed at for taking photographs. In case you are unaware, Andrews International security are notorious for overstepping the limits of their authority and harassing people in Hollywood. There are extremely few laws that restrict photography in public places, and they’re mostly relating to military installations or people with an expectation of privacy (i.e., in their homes). National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) attorneys have issued a memorandum on the subject that says in part:

+ There is no federal law that would prohibit photography in public places or restrict photography of public places and/or structures.

+ Any restrictions that the government does impose would need to have supporting evidence that it was essential for public safety. The burden is on the government;

Presumably you are thinking that the issue will just go away, but I’d like you to know that photographers will continue to shoot in public spaces in and around Hollywood since it is our legal right to do so. What’s more, now that we have a small movement going, this issue is on the radar, and it’s more than likely that your guards will unnecessarily and inappropriately detain photographers in the future. So my suggestion to you is to train your security force on the laws so that a situation doesn’t escalate unnecessarily.

Sincerely,
Shawn Nee

To contact Andrews International executives regarding this incident click here.

Paparazzi vs. Surfers: Bedlam on the Beach

Published June 23, 2008 Assault , Photographers' Rights Leave a Comment
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A pack of surfers that attacked paparazzi (twice) on a Malibu beach, in defense of Matthew McConaughey no less, has gotten a lot of buzz over the last day or so, with reactions ranging from “What intrusive, blood-sucking scumbags” to “Beaches are public places and don’t go to Malibu for seclusion and privacy.”

In my view, the photographers should be able to shoot on public property if they’re not breaking any laws. Driving like lunatics, chasing celebs, trespassing, etc., they should be fined or arrested. But I’m on the paps’ side on this one. It’s basically a photographers’ rights issue. And not all paps suck. The surfers were acting like a bunch of thugs, and Malibu locals/surfers are known for doing this to any outsider on “their” beach. I mean, the surfers walked the entire length of the beach to start a fight with them. They were the aggressors and should be arrested.

To view it from a different angle, how would you feel if you were on Hollywood Blvd. and a bunch of guys walked the entire block and jumped you because they didn’t like you taking a photo of somebody they were hanging out with?

 

Day Two of the Paps vs. Surfers:

 

 

 

Tourists Will Be Free (Sort of) to Take Photos of Pentagon Memorial

Published June 20, 2008 Photographers' Rights Leave a Comment
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Photo via Unknown

Here’s an interesting conundrum. The Pentagon will dedicate its 9/11 memorial in September on the grounds of one of the most secretive government complexes in the country. So then how to deal with the ensuing round-the-clock tourists – all no doubt carrying cameras?

 

In this article from Washingtonpost.com, Nick Miroff reports that the Pentagon is preparing to somewhat relax its strict policies regarding photography, and that means allowing people to take pictures of the building from within the memorial site (but not outside of it).

 

The challenge for government officials, Miroff writes, is to create “a visible enforcement presence that discourages threats while not making visitors uncomfortable with an overwhelming police presence.”

 

It’s not overwhelming as long as they don’t know it, right? There will be “state-of-the-art surveillance equipment” on the site.

 

And, of course, security can confiscate any cameras as they see fit.

 

Sounds like a scenario ripe for confrontations, but more power to them if they can make it work.

 

Article from Washington Post.

Miami Throws the Book at Photog

Published June 20, 2008 Photographers' Rights 6 Comments
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Photo by discarted

Carlos Miller was in a Miami court this week fighting for his constitutional rights. The freelance photographer was arrested in February 2007 for three misdemeanors (disobeying a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence) while taking photos of police activity on Biscayne Boulevard.

Oh his blog, Miller writes that Judge Jose L. Fernandez apparently didn’t like his attitude in court and otherwise, so he gave him the harshest sentence possible – even though the prosecutor recommended just three months of probation and court costs. Miller got one year of probation, 100 hours of community service, anger management class and a fine of $540.50.

Judge Fernandez called Miller out for his lack of remorse and accused him of intentionally getting arrested to write about it on his blog and become a hero. Judge Fernandez said he should visit Arlington Cemetery to see some real heroes.

This response is so extremely tired – this blanket “veterans/military/we fought for you” crap. It’s amazing how often this is used by law enforcement and government officials. It happened last month to Discarted when he was approached by security guards for taking photos in the LA subway.

On top of that, after having my photo taken, Officer ******* then asked me if I was in the military and I said, “No, I don’t believe in the military.” He then exploded and said, “I fucking built this land you’re standing on! Get outta here!” 

So by implication, anyone who hasn’t served in the military doesn’t have the right to question the law or enjoy the protections of the constitution? That rationale has more holes than Miami’s porous border.

You can send your thoughts on what it is to be a hero to Judge Fernandez:

Court Administrator’s Office
Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center
175 NW 1st Ave Suite 3016
Miami, FL 33128

Charges Dropped for Nose Bump

Published June 19, 2008 Assault , Harassment , Photographers' Rights , Police Harassment Leave a Comment
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Photo by discarted

UPDATE: Charges were dropped today against Tony Overman, the Olympian photographer who was arrested for bumping a cop with his nose during a heated back-and-forth at a crime scene.

 

It seems that cooler heads thankfully prevailed, but of course there were commenters on the Olympian site who didn’t agree. One in particular said: “This kind of lawlessness is what drives investors out of our fair city.”

 

Lawlessness is WAY overstating things. Did this person even read the original story? In no way was there anything close to lawlessness going on.

 

Talk about hyperbole! This was a case of two tempers that got out of hand and they both probably acted out of line, but to call Overman a “rioter” or say this constituted an “assault on an officer” is so off base.

 

There is actually real crime out there that needs addressing. Tying up the court system with a case like this would have been a gross waste of taxpayer dollars.

 

Article from The Olympian. 

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