My Life on the Net

I have had another weekend that I wish that as a photographer I wouldn’t have to deal with. I’m hoping to complete a photo book for December titled ‘Age’ and in that, one thing I am looking for is decayed buildings. Bored and thinking of enjoying the nice weather that appeared yesterday, I took my camcorder and camera out for a long walk around Dundee.

Now, taking footage with my camcorder was easy. No problems whatsoever. I could even say I had a little fun. See:

Sunny Day from Craig McCreath on Vimeo.

Then, after walking a few miles I found a nice warehouse that had seen better days. It was boarded up and even had some bollards marking where they would prefer the general public not to stand. I didn’t. I took this picture from the pavement (a completely legal act, might I add) and was confronted by a man who demanded that I stopped shooting.

I had only taken one shot and I was hoping to get the bigger lens out of my bag – but this guy kept insisting that in no way I could shoot here. Here’s basically what I remember from the event:

Him: You can’t shoot here.

Me: What I am doing is completely legal.

Him: No it isn’t–this is private property.

Me: Well, I’m on a pavement and last time I checked that was public property.

Him: [quietened down a little, I think he was getting a little unsure of the whole situation]

Are you press?

Me: No, I’m just an amateur photographer. If anything has happened here I don’t know about it. I only walked by thinking that this was an attractive building and I thought I’d take a couple of shots.

Him: You can’t shoot here… unless you cross the road. If this is for a school project (what age am I?) or whatever, just cross the road. As long as you’re not going to see it to the press.

Me: I don’t see how that would be any more legal, I’m on the pavement. But I’ll do what you ask only due to courtesy. But I know my rights and I suggest you learn about them.

Him: [leaving slowly.]

How come so many people don’t seem to understand the rights of photographers in the UK? That is twice now (in a row) I have been asked not to shoot a specific building because it is private property. It’s not only me – many photographers I know have been stopped by complete strangers and sometimes even police(!) that don’t know the law. With the fear of terror in the UK and especially in London there’s a negative sigma placed on photographers and somehow I don’t think me taking a picture of an off load bay would constitute and act of terror or would aid in planning one – or in this case, give me extra money if I did sell it to the press.

From now on, I’m always going to carry a copy of Photographer’s Rights in the UK so that the people I meet and try to invade my right to take photos can leave with a better knowledge of the law and therefore not disturb a photographer or let others do it in their steed because it’s really getting annoying now.

Extra - Thanks to islandboy for sharing the BBC’s Article ‘Innocent Photographer or Terrorist?’