Re: [Leica] photography in stores, malls, etc.

["Ted Grant" <tedgrant@home.com>]

Mark E Davison wrote:
>>>In the United States (especially in the cold Northern parts) the malls
have become the defacto public gathering space. There is virtually no street
life left. Prohibiting photography in malls virtually wipes out the
possibility of capturing modern community life. In addition, many of the
malls have been partially subsidized with public funds. <<<<<

Hi Mark,
I feel when the mall is assisted with public funds it should become "an open
space" and should be an "open space" for picture taking. What probably needs
to happen here is,  a professional photography association discuss the
situation with management and try to have the place hassle free... without
telling the world it's "open season picture taking country."

And in this fashion, not telling the world, you don't all of a sudden have
every weirdo with a camera running through the mall snapping like some nut
case gone mad. However, if someone is quietly snapping away ala "Leica
style" they can do their thing without causing a disturbance and they do so
without being hassled.

By the same token, folks do have a right not to have their pictures taken if
they do not wish to have it happen, open mall or no open mall.  Like, just
don't try to take my picture .... "with out me knowing what you are taking
the pictures for!" you could have a bad headache for sometime to come. ;-)

If one is going into the mall happy snapping, maybe a different approach is
necessary and that is ..... go see management first, explain what you are
doing and why, also with reasonable identification, certainly with the
sicko's in the world today using photography to make contact for nefarious
activities. :-( A solid identification can help.

Nope that approach isn't going to work all the time, sometimes never.
That's when you do an end run, visit city hall the next day and ask about
the mall being a closed area when it's partially funded with tax payers
money. It might bring some changes and then again?

>>One of the rent-a-cops at the Seattle Public Market decided to stop a
photographer from taking pictures in the Public Market (which is most
definitely not private property). The rent-a-cop was eventually informed of
the error of his ways, but it just goes to show that the mentality of
prohibiting photography is well-established and needs to be fought
politically. In this particular case the photographer was sufficiently
well-informed of his rights that he demanded to see management. And I
believe the photographer performed a service for the rest of us who want to
photograph this cliched but charming Seattle landmark. So sometimes it does
make sense to "get all huffy."

That's true! Then there are times when ...peace and tranquillity will have
doors opened you never imagined would be.  Even in the case above with the
rent -a- cop, asking to see the management with the security guy in tow was
the smart way to handle this situation, as getting into a "fuss with him"
isn't going to resolve anything, simply because you put yourself down to his
un-informed level.

ted

Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant