Wanna shoot photo? Don't look Pro.

[arampan]

Over these few years, I've come to realize tat our local "anti-terror" officers and chums look for obvious signs. These signs are usually closely associated with the way we dress, hold our cameras and wat camers we use.

I've realized the most effective way is to dress and look like a tourist. The most successful outfit is a bright "holiday-look" short sleeved shirt, bright cargo bermudas and wear a big "outback" hat. As long as you look bright and cheerful, they don't seem to bother you. Even if they do, they smile and talk to you clearly and slowly... just in case you no understands the engrish...

Why this is so amazes me and saddens me as I feel that their focus is all wrong...

1. Locals are probably suspect.
2. Happy looking tourists are not suspect.
3. Brightly coloured and gawdy looking dressing cannot be suspect.
4. Dull coloured of reasonable dressing is suspect.

If I were a terrorist, it wouldn't take me long to realize this way of spoofing the guards.

[soma]

Originally Posted by arampan Over these few years, I've come to realize tat our local "anti-terror" officers and chums look for obvious signs. These signs are usually closely associated with the way we dress, hold our cameras and wat camers we use. I've realized the most effective way is to dress and look like a tourist. The most successful outfit is a bright "holiday-look" short sleeved shirt, bright cargo bermudas and wear a big "outback" hat. As long as you look bright and cheerful, they don't seem to bother you. Even if they do, they smile and talk to you clearly and slowly... just in case you no understands the engrish... Why this is so amazes me and saddens me as I feel that their focus is all wrong... 1. Locals are probably suspect. 2. Happy looking tourists are not suspect. 3. Brightly coloured and gawdy looking dressing cannot be suspect. 4. Dull coloured of reasonable dressing is suspect. If I were a terrorist, it wouldn't take me long to realize this way of spoofing the guards.

Can't be bother with what they think of me. I dress what i want, i smile to whom i want. BTW why bother as long as you don't bring a bomb out.

[LazerLordz]

Originally Posted by arampan Over these few years, I've come to realize tat our local "anti-terror" officers and chums look for obvious signs. These signs are usually closely associated with the way we dress, hold our cameras and wat camers we use. I've realized the most effective way is to dress and look like a tourist. The most successful outfit is a bright "holiday-look" short sleeved shirt, bright cargo bermudas and wear a big "outback" hat. As long as you look bright and cheerful, they don't seem to bother you. Even if they do, they smile and talk to you clearly and slowly... just in case you no understands the engrish... Why this is so amazes me and saddens me as I feel that their focus is all wrong... 1. Locals are probably suspect. 2. Happy looking tourists are not suspect. 3. Brightly coloured and gawdy looking dressing cannot be suspect. 4. Dull coloured of reasonable dressing is suspect. If I were a terrorist, it wouldn't take me long to realize this way of spoofing the guards.

Right..wear your Gravis boardshorts, leather slip-ons and a collared tee will be the best

[DT_]

you could be right.. these security pple dont really bother tourists.. but tourists carry camera shooting scenery arent anything uncommon to be bother about, .. think again if a local goes around shooting public amenities, mrt station, schs, shoppins, etc... "blindly" (at least this could be how other look at it) point at a building and shoot from top to bottom left and right differ angle zoom in zoom out.. it could look very weird to pple as they dont know wat's the art we're seeing.. to them it's like "wat's this guy doing!?.. waste film?? ... nothing to take oso take and take" ... but after all i think a decent appearance could help, you dont want to dress like osama & gang with a camera then sneak around the american embassy..

[jsbn]

Hmm.... To be honest, I can't be bothered. I juz shoot what I wanna shoot and wear wad I wanna wear.

[sfhuang]

what/where are you shooting?

[Astin]

I usually bring a model along, and the security guard is more eager to let me shoot and he will watch out for me as well...

[+evenstar]

Originally Posted by Astin I usually bring a model along, and the security guard is more eager to let me shoot and he will watch out for me as well...

Won't they say..."do you have permission from our management to shoot here?"

[Drudkh]

I think we may have to get someone to design a t-shirt - "I am a photographer, not a terrorist!" and do a MO.

[michhy]

i think it has a lot to do with your look.
like cantonese word says, "yong sui"

[madmacs]

Originally Posted by Drudkh I think we may have to get someone to design a t-shirt - "I am a photographer, not a terrorist!" and do a MO.

100% sure kena nab

[sonix]

Originally Posted by Drudkh I think we may have to get someone to design a t-shirt - "I am a photographer, not a terrorist!" and do a MO.

Idea le!

[Drudkh]

Front of t-shirt: Open your eyes to see and use your brain to think.
Back of t-shirt: I am a photographer, not a terrorist.

[Snowcrash]

Originally Posted by michhy i think it has a lot to do with your look. like cantonese word says, "yong sui"

Sure brighten up my day!

[Astin]

Originally Posted by +evenstar Won't they say..."do you have permission from our management to shoot here?"

They would say this only if the model is not pretty enough...

[powerpuffmum]

muahahahahaha

once, me and my 3 photographer friends (including my husband) kena questioned by 4 police officers because we hang out in the bus shelter in front of police headquarter too long

2 of my friends happened to point their cameras to the hearquarter's building too often with their tele lens, when actually they just fooling around and took some candid photo of the passerby not the building.

we ended up showing our entire shots in the CF cards to the officers.

funny enough cause that day I bring along my 2 kids for street photography hunting, I guess they think it was a good disguise

[user111]

Originally Posted by arampan Over these few years, I've come to realize tat our local "anti-terror" officers and chums look for obvious signs. These signs are usually closely associated with the way we dress, hold our cameras and wat camers we use. I've realized the most effective way is to dress and look like a tourist. The most successful outfit is a bright "holiday-look" short sleeved shirt, bright cargo bermudas and wear a big "outback" hat. As long as you look bright and cheerful, they don't seem to bother you. Even if they do, they smile and talk to you clearly and slowly... just in case you no understands the engrish... Why this is so amazes me and saddens me as I feel that their focus is all wrong... 1. Locals are probably suspect. 2. Happy looking tourists are not suspect. 3. Brightly coloured and gawdy looking dressing cannot be suspect. 4. Dull coloured of reasonable dressing is suspect. If I were a terrorist, it wouldn't take me long to realize this way of spoofing the guards.

u might as well dont live here

[djork]

Originally Posted by user111 u might as well dont live here

arampan was just quoting his observations as a photog in sg... i don't see anything in his observations that your reply is relevant to.

[xtac]

C'mon. There could be a terrorist living amonst us. Local or tourist alike, it could be anyone. A terroist has no face.Just be glad that they are doing their job to safe keep our fragile society. Just one small bomb set off at anywhere need not be a police post or police headquaters or anything and you can see our economy crumble, forieign investors will run and so on. Yeah some of em is rude but maybe its coz they dun know PR. But in any case its better to be safe then sorry. I'd rather they approach me asking questions rather then they just sit there in the office and do nothing. If you've done nothing wrong then stand firmly and reason it out. Everyone has a part to play in keeping our country safe from within. Just be a little more tolerant that's all.

Cheers

[michhy]

Originally Posted by xtac C'mon. There could be a terrorist living amonst us. Local or tourist alike, it could be anyone. A terroist has no face.Just be glad that they are doing their job to safe keep our fragile society. Just one small bomb set off at anywhere need not be a police post or police headquaters or anything and you can see our economy crumble, forieign investors will run and so on. Yeah some of em is rude but maybe its coz they dun know PR. But in any case its better to be safe then sorry. I'd rather they approach me asking questions rather then they just sit there in the office and do nothing. If you've done nothing wrong then stand firmly and reason it out. Everyone has a part to play in keeping our country safe from within. Just be a little more tolerant that's all. Cheers

well said. but since this is a diverse society, we really cant eliminate those who like to whine and bitch