Comments on: Are we giving up our right to take scenic photographs? http://www.mcnamarareport.com/are-we-giving-up-our-right-to-take-scenic-photographs/ Insights into Imaging Products, Trends, and Techniques Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:34:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mark Romani http://www.mcnamarareport.com/are-we-giving-up-our-right-to-take-scenic-photographs/#comment-202 Mark Romani Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:40:53 +0000 http://www.mcnamarareport.com/?p=529#comment-202 I was stopped at a pull off by Barkhampstead resevoir by some MDC patrol car and it was one of the most ridiculas experiences I've ever had taking pictures. She pulls in while I was changing lenses and I rolled down my window and said whats up. She said what are you doing parked here. I said I was taking pictures. She then says in a gruff tone can I see your pictures and I said sure. She took the camera and I could tell she did'nt have a clue how to operate it and then she made a stupid remark like its a good thing you don't have a picture of the weir dam, at least thats what I thought she said or I would have to delete it,like she would even know how. I then said to her I don't even know where that is! She then sayys to me "you can't take pictures of this area and sell them for profit" I looked at her in total disbeleif and said to her " I don't sell pictures for profit all mine are free on my websites." What a moron!!! Anyhow I could tell she was on a power trip and this was probably the highlight of her day, stopping a person in his car on property that is unmarked with no signs and thats exactly what I said to her. I pulled in here because there were no posted signs or anything indicating this peice of property twenty feet from the main highway was super top secret. Then she says something else dumb like, commen sense should tell me not that this is not a place to be. Where is Kresken when you need him. I had to bite my tounge now because I was getting agitated. So next she said ," can I see your license please. " Holy crap she actually was human I was shocked she used the magic word, but like a good little citizen sheep I said sure,baa,baa. I handed her my license so she could run a terrorist check and feel like she saved the world for George W. and company. I sninely said to her "I'am not hurting anybody". After a few minutes she return and I thanked her and said they really should post this area, as just up the road people were pulled of at a marked state forest. She headed back to her car and I had to have the last word so I said excuse me but can you tell me where I can go and take pictures around here and she said you can go back up the road where there is a green fence and drive in there. Thanks! This experience just shows what a paranoid country we live in. Taxpyers pay to build dams and they can't take a picture of them, such stupidity I could'nt stand it anylonger! I just now got on google map and found tons of pictures taken by ordinary people of this areas dams and I know of no one who has been arexted yet, but I will call my congressman and tell him to get his ass in gear. I was stopped at a pull off by Barkhampstead resevoir by some MDC patrol car and it was one of the most ridiculas experiences I’ve ever had taking pictures. She pulls in while I was changing lenses and I rolled down my window and said whats up. She said what are you doing parked here. I said I was taking pictures. She then says in a gruff tone can I see your pictures and I said sure. She took the camera and I could tell she did’nt have a clue how to operate it and then she made a stupid remark like its a good thing you don’t have a picture of the weir dam, at least thats what I thought she said or I would have to delete it,like she would even know how. I then said to her I don’t even know where that is! She then sayys to me “you can’t take pictures of this area and sell them for profit” I looked at her in total disbeleif and said to her ” I don’t sell pictures for profit all mine are free on my websites.” What a moron!!! Anyhow I could tell she was on a power trip and this was probably the highlight of her day, stopping a person in his car on property that is unmarked with no signs and thats exactly what I said to her. I pulled in here because there were no posted signs or anything indicating this peice of property twenty feet from the main highway was super top secret. Then she says something else dumb like, commen sense should tell me not that this is not a place to be. Where is Kresken when you need him. I had to bite my tounge now because I was getting agitated. So next she said ,” can I see your license please. ” Holy crap she actually was human I was shocked she used the magic word, but like a good little citizen sheep I said sure,baa,baa. I handed her my license so she could run a terrorist check and feel like she saved the world for George W. and company. I sninely said to her “I’am not hurting anybody”. After a few minutes she return and I thanked her and said they really should post this area, as just up the road people were pulled of at a marked state forest. She headed back to her car and I had to have the last word so I said excuse me but can you tell me where I can go and take pictures around here and she said you can go back up the road where there is a green fence and drive in there. Thanks! This experience just shows what a paranoid country we live in. Taxpyers pay to build dams and they can’t take a picture of them, such stupidity I could’nt stand it anylonger! I just now got on google map and found tons of pictures taken by ordinary people of this areas dams and I know of no one who has been arexted yet, but I will call my congressman and tell him to get his ass in gear.

]]> By: Ken http://www.mcnamarareport.com/are-we-giving-up-our-right-to-take-scenic-photographs/#comment-8 Ken Tue, 24 Feb 2009 23:25:04 +0000 http://www.mcnamarareport.com/?p=529#comment-8 Used to be that it was illegal to photograph the subways in NYC for similar security reasons. That ban was lifted, but it is still occasionally enforced: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/nyregion/18about.html It would be interesting to know the actual DEP code that says you can't photograph the dams. I know the Kensico Dam has banned vehicular traffic since 9/11, as well as hiking near the reservior, but you can still walk across. Nothing that I know of banning photography. Also, I live near the Jerome Reservoir in the Bronx (part of the drinking water system) and there are not signs explicitly banning photography. Not sure if I'd press the issue, though, knowing the NYPD. Used to be that it was illegal to photograph the subways in NYC for similar security reasons. That ban was lifted, but it is still occasionally enforced:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/nyregion/18about.html

It would be interesting to know the actual DEP code that says you can’t photograph the dams. I know the Kensico Dam has banned vehicular traffic since 9/11, as well as hiking near the reservior, but you can still walk across. Nothing that I know of banning photography. Also, I live near the Jerome Reservoir in the Bronx (part of the drinking water system) and there are not signs explicitly banning photography. Not sure if I’d press the issue, though, knowing the NYPD.

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