No . . . this isn't one of those articles that debates whether or not you make all or part of your income through photography. It is more a rant on one of the perils of being a photographer - professional or not - in 2011.
Our good friend Willam Beem has written quite a lot on his blog about the harassment photographers are increasingly subjected to while going about the business of lawfully taking photographs for their own enjoyment. Travel photographers especially have borne the brunt of over-zealous security officers in theme parks, office buildings, train stations, airports, and even malls.
We have experienced this ourselves. At a night photography field trip in Orlando a couple of months ago, a security guard prevented us from photographing one of the city buildings. I have been approached by security staff at quite nondescript office buildings to ask if I had a 'permit' to photograph them.
More recently, however, we have noticed a distinction being made as to whether we are "professional photographers". In a shopping mall in Las Vegas last month, a security guard asked if we were professional because Susan had a "big lens" (a 70-200 f/2.8). Last weekend, we experienced significant harassment in the grounds of the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida. The first example occurred before we even got inside the grounds when we were asked to "check our bag". When we replied that it contained camera equipment and we weren't about to leave it anywhere, we we told that we could not take photographs if we were 'professionals'.
Since saying that yes - we are professionals, but that we were there to take pictures for our own enjoyment - was not likely to be well received, we elected to deny it and were duly let inside. Subsequently, we were approached by two other security people - who evidently don't talk to each other - and asked the same questions. Apparently, they are concerned about the possibility that 'professionals' will sell pictures of the Ca' d'Zan Mansion; we can only assume that 'amateurs' have no such aspirations since they were snapping away left and right. We did try suggesting to them that even 'professionals' might like to take pictures for themselves sometimes, but they were resolute - no professional photographers.
The distinction in their eyes, of course, was our camera equipment. Had we been standing there with point-and-shoot cameras, or perhaps even small DSLR's, we would have escaped their scrutiny. This is of course amusing, as any wedding photographer will tell you that guests frequently sport more expensive equipment than they do - and I think we all understand that having expensive pots and pans does not make you a chef . . .
I been in the same situation as you guys I have a Canon 50D but with a 28-135mm Lens and last year I was with the family on a trip to my cousin wedding in Indianapolis and on the way back to home another cousin invite us to the Downtown so in order to get parking he decide to park in the Downtown mall which was fabulous. We went into the mall and I could not resist to take some pictures. Five minutes later we stop at a candy store and my niece was playing with those giants lolly pops and i was taking her a picture when 2 security guards came by and tell me not to take pictures and if i had some already in the camera that i need to erase them. My family was shock because they always go there and take pictures but never had that problem before.
They make me turn off the camera and close the lens and then they were following us until we left the mall. I got so mad because they were treating us like a terrorist or something like that.
Posted by: Hugo Bravo | June 22, 2011 at 10:42 PM
I know - crazy isn't it? What do these idiots think they are preventing??
Posted by: John Francis | June 22, 2011 at 10:45 PM
For me it's a great work, 'cause I'm really not into photography. I really do appreciate small things that looks perfect on my eyes. KUDOS!
Posted by: Unique Weddings | December 08, 2011 at 08:43 AM