Comments on: Clampdown on Photographer’s Rights in New York City

By: Frank

Frank — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:40:40 +0000

hi,

I called called that number 215-672-1200 and Dan Brucker is the person you talk to. You call him a few days before you want to shoot and he will fax you a letter you have to sign and then when you go down you will get a badge to wear while you take pictures.

Frank

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By: » Blog Archive » New York and your photogear…

» Blog Archive » New York and your photogear… — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:57:27 +0000

[...] A few days ago, one of my colloques warned me that the city of New York had tightened up the rules regarding the usage of tripods an other camera gear. I did some noseing around on the web and found quite a few articles like this one [...]

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:28:00 +0000

Since 2000. The world has seen many changes in the law in relation to photography and the rights of photographers. In many countries I have travelled to I have found restriction on taking picture within certain building unless you have a permit. Possibly 80% of there places just used this as an excuse to make money from anyone with a camera. But then other places have good reasons, some time to prevent the use of flash, crowd control, or to ensure that people with cameras were not disturbing other tourists. The US is not alone with these issue even countries like the UK has restrictions on the use or tripods in some buildings. http://www.shutervillage.com

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:11:00 +0000

Hello all. It is perfectly o.k. to use a tripod while shooting stills or video in Grand Central Terminal, however the photographer will need to apply for a permit in advance (call 212-672-1205). The permit is free but I believe that it is issued for a specific date. I don’t believe that it is a blanket permit covering an extended period of time. Even with the permit, the photographer will be limited to the hours of 10am to 4pm, and from 8pm to 1am. The reason is to avoid the mass of humanity during commuting hours. Additionally, photography is prohibited on the train platforms and staircases at all times. My sense is that the no-photo rule on the platforms is a result of 9/11 and the no-photo rule for the staircases is a safety related issue. Also at this moment (Dec/2007) there is no limitation on taking photos within the NYC subway system, although I can’t say for sure if tripods are allowed. In my opinion, the permit requirement for Grand Central has more to do with controlling the number of photogs using tripods than anything else. I don’t believe that the permit thing has any connection to 9/11. As for the use of mono-pods, I’m not sure, but one could argue that a monopod is not a tripod. And depending on who you happen to get, you might be able to talk your way into using your monopod without getting a permit. It is easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission. So click away! Personally I love making images in Grand Central. Try using a slow shutter speed to capture the random movement of commuters as they walk along the floor of the terminal. And one more thing, the building/facility is called Grand Central Terminal (not Grand Central Station). All trains “terminate” at Grand Central. They do not stop at Grand Central and then move on to other train stations.

Regards,
Steve S.

By: mikros

mikros — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 11:54:00 +0000

OK, I’ll stand up for NY. It gets really crowded and tripods block pedestrian traffic bigtime. Don’t get me wrong, I know we have the right to photograph anytime, anywhere, but they don’t let you set up anything in GCS.
Most museums etc don’t allow tripods either.

By: Freedom loving Photog from Washington State where freedom still rings..

Freedom loving Photog from Washington State where freedom still rings.. — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:06:00 +0000

New york is ridiculously un-American. And no this is not a knee jerk reaction to the article above. Think about it people! Since when does a nation of free people need anyones permission to do something as benign as to use a tripod to mount a camera. and that is just the tip of the permit iceberg in New York. This seems very faschist or perhaps elitist to me. But, I personally think it is the elitist mentality of Bloomberg and the city officials that have led to this. If you do not have the permission of the elite ruling class you are out of luck. And the mayor wants nothing more than to inflict his will on his stately niebhors.

No matter if you agree with the practice or not it is indeed very Un-American and the antithisys of freedom and liberty.

By: mark

mark — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 06:27:00 +0000

I stumbled on your website recently, when I googled "photographer's rights". I have been looking up the subject ever since I ran into trouble for a picture I took of some kids playing in a swamp:
kids in the swamp

Now, the parent of the child said I had no right to take a picture of her kid. I'm relieved to find out that photographers do have many of rights including taking pictures of whatever they want in public places.

Anyway, hope everything is going well with your photography.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 19:16:00 +0000

Nelson Mandela apparently spent something like 27 years in prison…
That’s 27 years too long. 27 years for others to ‘get it’.

If what you’re doing you feel is ethically right, then do it. If someone– anyone– tries to prevent you from exercising your rights– (whether through rationalization, intimidation or force)– “fight” them– ethically, legally, intelligently, subversively, ideally with a collective– by any means necessary– tooth-and-nail if you have to. Oh, and tell those who would ignore your rights nothing, as is your right. Risk jail. If for anything than to honour those in history who fought to uphold your rights that you enjoy! I’ll be doing the same for you with my camera in hand!!

From Wikipedia.org:
“The concepts of ‘natural rights’ by definition are those rights which are inborn by reason of being present at the time of birth, or shortly thereafter. One of these rights, is life itself. A person, simply by being born, has a natural right to live. This is not a right given by any government, but is a person’s right given by his creator, God or Nature. Thus, the right to life is a natural right…
Another natural right would be the ‘pursuit of happiness.’ Pursuit being literally to chase after, and pursue those things which make a person happy. This is a natural right…”

As for dealing with those who don’t get those concepts as applied to the happy endeavor of photography;
bring a tape-recorder, or a “shadow”– an invisible/unnoticed fellow photo/video/grapher (maybe with a hidden camera/audio-recorder, and an ability and willingness to “shove back” when push warrants it.) with you in the background for documentation (maybe with a telescopic zoom lense for clear close-ups of ‘faces of interest’). Then post the results online.

…”Then, on Friday evening, June 27, 1969, the police in New York City raided a Greenwich Village gay bar, the Stonewall Inn. Contrary to expectations, the patrons fought back… Almost overnight, a massive grassroots gay liberations movement was born. Owing much to the radical protest of blacks, women, and college students in the 1960s, gays challenged all forms of hostility and punishment meted out by society.”
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0194028.html

By: jacek

jacek — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 17:36:00 +0000

i googled for “photographer’s rights” and stumbled into your note on troubles at the Grand Central station. i took several pictures there, with my daughter, in 2003, no one bothered us. however, things are getting worse. i just posted a description of a silly encounter with security guards in front of fillmore west (http://jswphotozen.blogspot.com/2005/06/misinformed-confused-aggressive.html
). cheers, jsw.