Publicphotography.org

Last Friday, 45-year-old Chris White was at the Braehead shopping center near Glasgow, when he took a snapshot of his daughter Hazel eating some ice cream. He was then confronted by security guards — and later the police — who cited the Prevention of Terrorism Act to explain that it was in their rights to confiscate his phone.  Read More…

“A woman in Potacello, Idaho spotted an “older white man” taking pictures of “children” at a park, so she ran up to him and screamed at him until he left, and then called the police, who duly issued an alert asking the public for information about this mysterious stranger. The local press picked it up.”  Read More…

Last week a United Airlines flight out of Denver International Airport was returned to the gate after being ready for takeoff when a passenger noticed “suspicious behavior” and notified a flight attendant.   Read more…

Hi Everyone,

The months have flown by and the Publicphotography.org shoot is THIS Saturday, September 11, 2010.

Just to recap, in order to participate, all you have to do is go out on September 11 (in whatever city you live in) and take pictures of things in public. People, buildings, landmarks – It is your right to photograph these things in public in most countries.

Then please post your pics on your own blog if you have one AND in our Facebook group and Flickr group.

WHY are we even doing this? Because many photographers are being treated like criminals these days. Photographers in countries like the USA, Canada, England and other countries are being questioned, detained and in some cases even arrested (under the guise of national security) for merely taking photographs in public. It COULD happen to you, and that’s why we are doing this.

Thanks everyone!
Marko

Photographer Jerome Vorus writes on his blog that he was recently “detained for photography” by D.C. police after taking pictures of a traffic stop from a distance “far enough not to impede in any police investigation.” An officer asked him “for ‘security reasons’” why he was taking pictures and then asked him to produce identification. When Vorus asked if he was being detained, the officer, “after dancing around the question,” said he was free to go. But as that officer left, another approached, told Vorus he was being detained, and told him to put his camera away, according to the photog.

Read More…

Thanks to http://photography.ca/ ‘s Matt K. for this story: Bystanders are shocked after a [Calgary] Sun photojournalist was arrested Friday as he was shooting pictures in the aftermath of a home invasion.  Read more…

Freelance photographer Lance Rosenfield was working on assignment for ProPublica in Texas City, Texas, last week, when a BP security guard began following him. Rosenfield was later detained by police after taking photos for two ProPublica stories. Read more…

“Lance Rosenfield, on assignment for PBS Frontline, was detained and interrogated (sic) by the Joint Terrorism Task force for photographing a Texas City highway sign in public.” Read More…