Over Zealous Security or a Sign of our times?

[picsfor]

Yesterday (17th) i and a few colleagues from work had a trip to London to enjoy a day of photography.
We looked no different from all the other tourists and people milling around various parts of London with cameras.

And yet we were stopped on 4 (think it was 4) occasions and asked what we were doing and what was so important that we needed to photograph that scene.
1 pair of 'members of public' were even good enough to tell us when we arrived at London Victoria Station and stopped short of telling us where we had been up to that point.

The final person asked us why there was a need to mount cameras on tripods to photograph a scene containing the Sea Containers HO, the Oxo building and part of the London Eye at 8pm!

Whilst i appreciate that they were rehearsing the Official State Opening of Parliament - my question still stands.

What was so special about us? Or is it that our security services have too much time on their hands?
As one of my colleagues said - he would not have suffered such 'constant inquiry in the States!' - the land of paranoia...

[oRGie]

"jobs for the boys" comes to mind..  all that security budget to spend 

[alan1572]

to be asked once would be bad enough..but 4 times.

[picsfor]

and to be told what train you came into London on as well...

[magicrhodes]

Told you what train you came in on that sounds very Spook(y)s... was Roz there?

[picsfor]

Sadly no - but one of my fellow 'togs' was looking about for any cameras...

[Bigbill]

Hewwo from Soggy Sheffy,

Been ongoing for far too long this anti Photography stuff,thankfuly,the powers that be are now starting to see sense(to a degree)
Theres a piece in this months BFP newsletter about a bloke who was stopped from taking shots on a beach in the UK,the warden was not to be reasoned with,
and he got his way,on investigation the local council had to publish an apology as there IS NO LAW against taking shots in public,
please join the BFP and carry their blue card,
Personaly,ive been hassled in the Peace Gardens in Sheffield,which is DEFFO a public place,but,i cant be bothered anymore,i just walk away,i was prevented on Sheffy railway station by the manager before i,d even got my stuff out, OK,this is a private place,but,this episode contradicted  the content of the companies website,,,,,,blah blah,,,,it goes on and on,,,,,
Really,lets be honest about all of this,we are serious threats to the country and its good folk,so,lets bin all our stuff,and be good citizens !!!!!!

Shine Off !!

[picsfor]

Hewwo from Soggy Sheffy,
so,lets bin all our stuff,and be good citizens !!!!!!

But Bill - if you get rid of all our kit how will we get our weather reports for Sheffield?

[ABERS]

It may be worth looking at

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/777.aspx#photography

Printing off a copy and keep with you if you are intending to photograph on a railway station.

[Sarasocke]

Just printed out the German version of same after a woman had a go at me last week for taking a picture in the Frankfurt underground. Apparently the same rules apply to local transport services here.

And Bill, the Peace Gardens are most certainly a public place. Taken pics there myself and it never occured to me that I was being naughty 

What always amuses me is that "tourists" are never got at. Apparently "tourists" all have compacts and it's the horrible "professionals" with the big black things in front of their faces that get the aggro.

[Bigbill]

Hewwo from the Sheffy bit of planet America !!!

Cheers Abers,,,,,

Actualy,thinking about it,,,,maybe all the Canon owners could lead the way ?/

Shine On

[Oldboy]

Yesterday (17th) i and a few colleagues from work had a trip to London to enjoy a day of photography.
We looked no different from all the other tourists and people milling around various parts of London with cameras.

And yet we were stopped on 4 (think it was 4) occasions and asked what we were doing and what was so important that we needed to photograph that scene.
1 pair of 'members of public' were even good enough to tell us when we arrived at London Victoria Station and stopped short of telling us where we had been up to that point.

The final person asked us why there was a need to mount cameras on tripods to photograph a scene containing the Sea Containers HO, the Oxo building and part of the London Eye at 8pm!

Whilst i appreciate that they were rehearsing the Official State Opening of Parliament - my question still stands.

What was so special about us? Or is it that our security services have too much time on their hands?
As one of my colleagues said - he would not have suffered such 'constant inquiry in the States!' - the land of paranoia...

Perhaps it was the burkas you were wearing! 

[jinky]

I had fun last night in our Christmas market beer tent. Had been taking photographs of the market at night and walked in to look at the beer tent / band. No professional cameras mate the bouncer says. It`s Ok it`s a D80 it`s not a professional camera says I and carries on walking. "But it takes pictures " he says. Yes , like that guy with the compact over there and the one with the phone over there says I but I`m not taking pictures.". Well it`s a pro camera to me he says. His fellow bouncer says can you put it in your pocket, I do and they let me in! What`s that all about. Inside there was a guy a the front with a D700 and a 70-200 shooting away and another with a canon with a massive lens on it. You have to laugh don`t you

[Hinfrance]

 . .  or emigrate.

[Oldboy]

I had fun last night in our Christmas market beer tent. Had been taking photographs of the market at night and walked in to look at the beer tent / band. No professional cameras mate the bouncer says. It`s Ok it`s a D80 it`s not a professional camera says I and carries on walking. "But it takes pictures " he says. Yes , like that guy with the compact over there and the one with the phone over there says I but I`m not taking pictures.". Well it`s a pro camera to me he says. His fellow bouncer says can you put it in your pocket, I do and they let me in! What`s that all about. Inside there was a guy a the front with a D700 and a 70-200 shooting away and another with a canon with a massive lens on it. You have to laugh don`t you

Interesting point, but as the beer tent is constructed on public land I wonder how they could stop you, unless it was public safety grounds.