"I'm not a terrorist"

neil_g

neil_g

neil_g

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notacrime.jpg


http://www.not-a-crime.com/

Increasing concerns about terrorism, paedophilia, health and safety, personal privacy and plain old paranoia about pretty much anything Her Majesty’s subjects get up to has resulted in a deep mistrust of photographers.

Police routinely invoke anti-terror legislation to prevent photographers from carrying out their work, and photojournalists are constantly filmed at public gatherings and their details kept on an ever-growing database. Tourists, particularly foreign tourists, are also targeted by police, as was the case with an Austrian father and son recently who made the mistake of photographing a building of an extremely sensitive nature—Walthamstow bus station.
Put simply, Britain has become a no-photo zone, and so if you fail to comply, you may find yourself liable to attack, arrest or harassment. Recognising that Britain is not the only country where such a draconian anti-photographer culture is developing, the British Journal of Photography is beginning an international visual campaign to raise awareness.

Over the next year we hope to gather thousands of self-portraits of
photographers-professional and amateur—from around the world,
each holding up a white card with the words, ‘Not a crime’ or ‘I am not a terrorist’.
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This is partly why I am so glad that most of my photos are taken in the middle of fields. :p

I'm not quite sure this will do anything though, however that picture looks perfect for a small sticker. ;)

Or even spend a bit of money on an advertising campaign, perferably sticking posters next to the ones by the police slating photographers!
 
Amp34 said:
This is partly why I am so glad that most of my photos are taken in the middle of fields. :p
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Didn't stop the local jobsworths here from coming over asking what i was doing at 10 o'clock at night taking pictures of a river and star trails asking what i was taking pics of, showed them a few pictures, did some checks on me, found out where i worked and lived, they then said we've got to do these checks now because of terrorism, she then says 'you're not a terrorist are you' ah rats, you've caught me!
 
I totally agree, I was taking some photography shots of my girlfriend in town a while back and someone shouted out pervert amongst the busy area and the look everyone gave me it was horrid. I went home that night losing all faith and threw my camera onto my bed feel like giving up. Like you said its as though what we enjoy doing is a crime.
 
Perhaps we should all start printing out that logo as a sticker and stick it on any public photo we can find, maybe then the thickos will realise that photography is everywhere, and they would severely miss it if it was gone?

Having said that I get almost as bad from my GF (in jest), she calls my 300 f/4 a pedo lens, I know she's joking but it still rubs a bit. :( If other halfs have that sort of thought and they know you it just shows what other people think...
 
slothmeister said:
'you're not a terrorist are you' ah rats, you've caught me!
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Should have said yeh I am, I'm taking pictures of the stars so I know which one is best to blow up. :rolleyes:

This clamping down on photography is putting me off using my camera as much as I probably would do without.
Do people without SLRs / taking pics on their phones get as much hassle?
 
Amnesia said:
what can photographers capture that isnt pretty much covered by google maps street view.
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Your soooouuuul....

Ahem...

If someone challenged me specifically with 'Why are you taking photographs?', I would probably reply with 'I'm a terrorist'. Just to upset them.

I hold my hands up to going into places that I shouldn't be in to take photos. If security present a challenge, or ask you to leave then fine, I'll go, nothing more can be done. If you refuse to leave, then you can have problems. Nothing can be done under the law if you cooperate, don't cause any reason for anyone to feel threatened and didn't break in to get in. Always use pre-existing entry points ;)

In public, if challenged by a member of the public, I would essentially tell them to go forth and multiply. If the police challenged me, my reaction wouldn't be too different tbh, though of course, I would reserve them some courtesy.
 
Amp34 said:
she calls my 300 f/4 a pedo lens, I know she's joking but it still rubs a bit.
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One of my mates asked me what my neighbours looked like when i whipped out my 70 - 300 mm lens at the football. I laughed and went along with it so wasn't bothered.
 
So, anybody added a photo?

Amp34 said:
If other halfs have that sort of thought and they know you it just shows what other people think...
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Yeah, I was taking pictures with my 400D/24-60 f2.8 and someone with a compact said something like that (perv, not paedo :p) to me...

So I replied "Your compact has a longer focal length, does that make you a rapist?"
 
Derek W said:
One of my mates asked me what my neighbours looked like when i whipped out my 70 - 300 mm lens at the football. I laughed and went along with it so wasn't bothered.
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Yeah, I generally do as well, doesn't mean it doesn't destroy a little piece of me inside each time!;)

Raikiri said:
So, anybody added a photo?



Yeah, I was taking pictures with my 400D/24-60 f2.8 and someone with a compact said something like that (perv, not paedo :p) to me...

So I replied "Your compact has a longer focal length, does that make you a rapist?"
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:D
 
Having witnessed someone get pounced upon for taking photographs in Liverpool Street station, it's time to act. Narks me that they brand everyone a potential terrorist because they enjoy photography!
 
Terrorists must really be upping they game if their using DSLR's with a range of lens to take pics of potential targets.

I mean come on Britain!!!

I think we photographers need to invest in one of those tops that says PRESS on it
 
Apopcalyptic said:
If someone challenged me specifically with 'Why are you taking photographs?', I would probably reply with 'I'm a terrorist'. Just to upset them.
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Some idiot yelled that at me once as he walked through my shot, my response was "its for mingers.com". He shut up and his mates laughed at him.

Another response I gave was, "Why, what do YOU do with a camera?!"

I find it highly amusing how the police are worried about people taking photos for terrorist plots, when its much easier for a terrorist to just go on streetview!
 
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greedy123 said:
I find it highly amusing how the police are worried about people taking photos for terrorist plots, when its much easier for a terrorist to just go on streetview!
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Or use a little inconspicuous compact rather than a hulking great SLR, tripod etc.

May as well add the picture I took here:

3729959431_8c36a383fa_o.jpg
 
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