Tourist or Terrorist?
I just posted this in the photographers LJ community, but I'm also posting it here.
I was in downtown Chicago earlier today taking pictures for the monthly photo challenge. It's unusual for me to be coming home with my photo gear in tow, so I took the opportunity to take some photographs of Union Station and other places I passed along the way. After I got off the L (our nickname for the eLevated train), I took this picture of the train station.
I took this picture with my Panasonic LX3 with a fisheye adaptor. Moments after I took the photo, the conductor shouted out to me, "Do you have a CTA permit for that?"
CTA is the Chicago Transit Authority. I didn't believe there was a permit for such things. I was right. CTA Policy I knew I had a legal right to take photographs in public. I was standing at the end of the platform, but it's the public area. I didn't want to start a debate on photographer's rights so I said, "What's a CTA permit?"
"Obviously you don't have one then," he replied. "What you're doing is illegal."
"I only took a picture of the train," I said.
"Well, you don't look like a tourist. The only other people that take pictures like that are terrorists."
Now I could see this guy was getting pretty heated. "I am a tourist," I said.
"Oh yeah? Where are you from?" he said doubtfully.
"The north side." He didn't seem convinced.
"You know, there's too much going on to be acting like that."
"I only took a picture of the train," I replied. I was incredulous.
"I could call the police right now!"
"But I'm not doing anything illegal."
"I should call the police because you're arguing with me!" As he said this, he got out his radio and motioned as if he were about to call for backup.
"I am not arguing with you. I'm just saying, I am not a terrorist"
"I don't think you get it. You cannot be taking pictures here."
I just kept repeating that I was *not* a terrorist. Eventually I said something to the effect of "Ok, I'm stopping," and "fine, I get it." Then he finally left the station with me standing there, shocked. This was the first time I took pictures of the train and I got harassed. I wasn't poised on a rooftop with a telephoto lens or taking pictures of the water treatment pumps or power station. I was taking a picture with my non-slr with fisheye right out in the open.
I knew that I was within my legal rights to take the picture I took. But if he did call for police, I would have to stick around otherwise I'd probably be in some kind of added suspicion because I was fleeing the scene of the supposed crime. And I didn't know how versed the cops would be in the photographer's rights. I recently read a story where some security guards tackled and detained a guy for taking a cameraphone picture of them as they serviced and ATM.
I took the least confrontational route I could, but I'm wondering what others would have done or have done in such circumstances.
I was in downtown Chicago earlier today taking pictures for the monthly photo challenge. It's unusual for me to be coming home with my photo gear in tow, so I took the opportunity to take some photographs of Union Station and other places I passed along the way. After I got off the L (our nickname for the eLevated train), I took this picture of the train station.
I took this picture with my Panasonic LX3 with a fisheye adaptor. Moments after I took the photo, the conductor shouted out to me, "Do you have a CTA permit for that?"
CTA is the Chicago Transit Authority. I didn't believe there was a permit for such things. I was right. CTA Policy I knew I had a legal right to take photographs in public. I was standing at the end of the platform, but it's the public area. I didn't want to start a debate on photographer's rights so I said, "What's a CTA permit?"
"Obviously you don't have one then," he replied. "What you're doing is illegal."
"I only took a picture of the train," I said.
"Well, you don't look like a tourist. The only other people that take pictures like that are terrorists."
Now I could see this guy was getting pretty heated. "I am a tourist," I said.
"Oh yeah? Where are you from?" he said doubtfully.
"The north side." He didn't seem convinced.
"You know, there's too much going on to be acting like that."
"I only took a picture of the train," I replied. I was incredulous.
"I could call the police right now!"
"But I'm not doing anything illegal."
"I should call the police because you're arguing with me!" As he said this, he got out his radio and motioned as if he were about to call for backup.
"I am not arguing with you. I'm just saying, I am not a terrorist"
"I don't think you get it. You cannot be taking pictures here."
I just kept repeating that I was *not* a terrorist. Eventually I said something to the effect of "Ok, I'm stopping," and "fine, I get it." Then he finally left the station with me standing there, shocked. This was the first time I took pictures of the train and I got harassed. I wasn't poised on a rooftop with a telephoto lens or taking pictures of the water treatment pumps or power station. I was taking a picture with my non-slr with fisheye right out in the open.
I knew that I was within my legal rights to take the picture I took. But if he did call for police, I would have to stick around otherwise I'd probably be in some kind of added suspicion because I was fleeing the scene of the supposed crime. And I didn't know how versed the cops would be in the photographer's rights. I recently read a story where some security guards tackled and detained a guy for taking a cameraphone picture of them as they serviced and ATM.
I took the least confrontational route I could, but I'm wondering what others would have done or have done in such circumstances.