From: Don Feinberg > Try to take a picture today in any US airport and see what happens to you. ----- ------- ----- The interior of an airport, or a mall, for that matter, is not public ground. These spaces are administered by corporate or quasi-corporate entities (Simon Corporation, Melbourne International Airport Commission, etc.), and are therefore subject to restrictions of what kinds of activities can be done there. Permission certainly does need to be (and, with tact, can easily be) secured before photographing inside these places. ----- ------- ----- From: Herschel Mair > The two lines I might question in Darin's beautiful picture of freedom > is: "Expect to be hassled" and "It can't hurt to send a friendly, but > polite letter beforehand" > Why? > Is photography so dangerous that we need to get police permission before > we go somewhere to shoot pictures? ----- ------- ----- First off, when I said "Expect to be hassled," it is so that you can be prepared to qualify any statement you make about what you are doing, to dispel suspicion. Then, when everything is airtight, as it should be, and it is abundantly clear that you are doing nothing wrong, you have a better experience than you expected. Right? Second, we do not NEED to get police permission beforehand. In fact, what I wrote mentioned NOTHING AT ALL about securing access to public areas or requesting permission of any sort; rather, it was simply geared toward voluntarily informing the officials of a series of photographic exercises. This way, as you are approached, they may have some idea of who you are and what you are doing, and their first thought is "long lens" instead of "rocket launcher." It never hurts to send a friendly letter to anyone, for that matter. The police are there to protect the public interest. If your goal is not destruction, espionage, or disruption, and are concerned about public safety, then you are on the same side as the police; they are therefore not to be considered adversaries. Engage them in conversation, especially if you can convey your passion for photography and how it is important for the (historical, promotional, artistic, etc.) reasons which drive your work. As mentioned on the Bert Krages website, "[n]ote that neither the Patriot Act nor the Homeland Security Act have any provisions that restrict photography." As much as various (typically obnoxious) societal forces try to make you believe freedom is a quickly waning concept, it is actually very much alive and well. And thriving. Go out and shoot. Respectfully, Darin Heinz Melbourne, Florida USA
