Here in Louisville there is a great music blog called 37 Flood. It covers live shows by local bands, touring bands coming through town, record releases, benefits, clubs, etc. The blogger who runs it loves music and bands and gives attention and support to both. So why in the world would a local band have this local blogger kicked out of their show?

I was escorted out just as VHS or Beta took the stage and directed not to bring my camera back in. I was told that the band didn't allow photography unless you have a press pass.**

The bassist has been blogging about their tour and they have an active MySpace page. I point that out to say they're not some old school band with no idea about social media. In other words they should know better. They should know that they have nothing to fear and lots to gain from supportive fans who want to photograph and write about their shows. Or in words that I and others have said oh so many times before "Photography is not a crime."

There was a VHS or Beta billboard near the main music store in town. Every time I passed it I thought "I'm going to pick up the new VHS or Beta record." I hadn't done it yet but fully planned to do so. Not any more. I'm a photographer and social media advocate. If you don't want bloggers and amateur photographers documenting your shows then I don't think I need to spend my money on your records.

** I'll leave the door open here for the possibility that the fault actually lies with the club and not the band. Maybe the security guy was overzealous and thought that if he said it was on the band's request it would go down easier. If that is the case I will happily acknowledge it.

The Chicago Police Department is investigating allegations that an officer seized and damaged a Tribune photographer's cameras Monday night at the scene of a police-involved shooting that turned into an unruly public demonstration.

The story goes on to say that the officer intentionally knocked one camera out of the photographer's hand and threw a second camera down the street while the photographer was covering a fatal shooting, by police, of a teenager.

Photography is not a crime people. Not even photographing the police. How far are we going to ride this circle before we start coming back the other way again?

Just about every photography related site has already linked to this so let me not be an exception. I've signed the petition and I strongly encourage you to do the same.

To: Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting Cc: City Council Committee on Culture, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations

We, the undersigned, believe that the new rules currently under consideration for Film Permits (Chapter 9, Title 43 of the City Rules of New York) will have an irrevocable impact on independent filmmakers and photographers and their ability to engage in creative work in New York.

The proposed regulations would not only jeopardize the activities of artists, but of hobbyists and tourists, as well as commercial practitioners. Furthermore, we believe these new restrictions will have far reaching impact on the tourism industry and cultural economy of New York. With limitations placed on the kind of work that can be made, the commercial galleries, museums, and theaters that present the work, as well the film processing labs and rental companies that service the production of such work would lose considerable business.

The right to photograph in public space is established by the First Amendment, which states that, "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble." These rights are not the City's possession to take away, or to restrict to the point where such free expression is rendered impossible. The impact on public space of the types of activities you propose to regulate are so minimal that requiring permits is an undue burden towards exercising First Amendment rights. Furthermore, one cannot regulate an art form or activity by negating its very premise. The proposed rules, in refusing to recognize the spontaneity that is at the core of street-based filmmaking and photography, are untenable for that reason alone.

Because there was virtually no public notice about the proposals, many advocacy groups, photographers, and filmmakers did not know about the rules or the opportunity to file objections. We therefore call upon the city to dismiss these regulations altogether, and hold a new public hearing so that the communities that will be most impacted have an opportunitiy to meaningfully input into the shaping of new and constructive policies.

Sign the Petition

I don't know how I missed this story for a year but I did:

One year after his arrest, an Associated Press photographer is still being held at a prison camp in Iraq by U.S. military officials who have neither formally charged him with a crime nor made public any evidence of wrongdoing.

There is no doubt that everyone was operating under a state of hyper alertness and suspicion on the Virginia Tech campus on Monday after the tragic events there. Given those events and the environment it's perhaps understandable that police arrested and held Shaozhuo Cui, photo editor for the Virginia Tech student newspaper, on the grounds that as a young man of Asian descent he was a "suspect matching the profile" of the shooter that had been described to police. Even Cui finds it understandable

"I can't blame authorities for any of their actions, and I certainly understand that they need to do what they feel is best in a dangerous situation."

What isn't understandable though is why the police, even after they cleared and released Cui, are still holding on to his equipment. His camera, camera bag, media cards and the images they contain and even his IDs are still being held, as of Tuesday April 17, by the police.

"But as a student journalist, I don't feel it's appropriate that authorities continue to hold my camera and my work without any further explanation."

Obviously deepest thoughts and sympathies go out to the entire Virginia Tech community. That being said this is a story worth following and paying attention to. The student photojournalist did nothing wrong and he deserves access to his equipment and his images. Even in the darkest times we can't ignore cases of journalists being silenced either through force, or in this case by keeping images away from the photographer who captured them.

via PhotoAttorney

Original Story: Student photographer detained during Virginia Tech crisis, equipment confiscated

Update: More details from the photographer at Collegiate Times

There is a great article on the Popular Photography website about the war on photographers. Very reccommended reading.

A Canadian photographer was taking a photo of the exterior of the new Starbucks in her Toronto neighborhood when the owner ran from the building and told her she wasn't allowed to take pictures. A tourist group was in the area, heard the owner's craziness, and staged an impromptu shoot-in, while the owner glared at them from inside.

The photographer is wondering about the truthfulness of the owner's statements that you can't take pictures of Starbucks even from the street or sidewalk. I know it's untrue if you're in the US but I'm really uncertain about Canada. There is a really strong photoblogging community in Toronto though so I'm sure there is someone who can and will explain if and how the owner is wrong.

Being harassed for photography is a pretty common and hot topic these days. Anyone who shoots more than casually has probably been told "You can't photograph here" or an equivalent phrase in either polite or not so polite terms and many of us have been stopped and questioned by security or the police. I'm lucky that I've never been seriously harassed but I've had more than a few "put that camera away" run-ins and a couple "if you don't stop photographing I'm calling the police" incidents (um, go ahead since I'm not doing anything illegal). I've yet to figure out why people are so afraid of cameras and why those people are so certain anyone with a camera is a) targeting them and b) out to do nefarious deeds.

Despite these fears/paranoias, photography is not a crime in most settings and situations. Public places, people in public places, buildings you can see from public places are all fair game for photography under the law in the U.S. Photographers should remember this and not fall victim to harassment and bullying when they are within their rights. Business and private property owners have the right (though in most cases no good reason) to not allow photography on their premises but public property is another story. Well, unless you're in Troy, NY.