Ever been thrown out and intimidated?

jiaqi · 16th August 2003

Has anybody ever been thrown out of any place trying to take photos, and had your film confiscated/other forms of damage threatened to your camera/equipment?

What are the limits to photography in public places? Anybody has any idea of the legal rights, like what/where it is legal to photograph, etc.

Comments? Any experiences to share?

Obzervr · 16th August 2003

One incident to share,

We went with Azure for the Anything Goes 4, and was taking shots of the older building adjacent to the Malaysian Embassy, sekali kena chase by unreasonable security guards claiming that we are trying to photograph the embassy (from just a few meters away !?#@$???)

togu · 16th August 2003

Originally Posted by Obzervr

One incident to share,

We went with Azure for the Anything Goes 4, and was taking shots of the older building adjacent to the Malaysian Embassy, sekali kena chase by unreasonable security guards claiming that we are trying to photograph the embassy (from just a few meters away !?#@$???)

Not a good time to point your camera at any gov or any sensitive sectors, buildings.

jiaqi · 16th August 2003

Originally Posted by togu

Not a good time to point your camera at any gov or any sensitive sectors, buildings.

True, but, an MRT station? I got thrown out of a NEL station. Unbelievable.

togu · 16th August 2003

Originally Posted by jiaqi

True, but, an MRT station? I got thrown out of a NEL station. Unbelievable.

Public facilities? That applies too.

jiaqi · 16th August 2003

hmm. then what can and what can't photographers shooot? hmm. *ponders*.

West_ray · 17th August 2003

Originally Posted by jiaqi

True, but, an MRT station? I got thrown out of a NEL station. Unbelievable.

waT??? hahah ... there's so many tourists ... and even Sporeans were taking photos during the 'hot' period when NEL opened to public ....

but i think unless if photography in the NEL disturbs the public ... then maybe the officer will chase u away bah ...

anyway MRT stations only got signs of No Eating and Drinking, No pets, No durians .... got No photography meh ?

Azure · 17th August 2003

In reference to Obserzr's point -

Want to point out that
1. We were passing BY the defunct M'sian High Comm
2. Our cams were pointed at the next-door building's carvings (or whatever you call those intricate thingies topping the structure)
3. We were standing on the kerb of the road (at least I was), as that was a good vantage point to shoot.

A thing to note is that I see NO reason for anyone to be unhappy (of course they are nutso characters IMVVVPO) about. Moreso since we were on the public road, there is no grounds for them to shoo us away.

To clarify the "incident" - the security guards from the MHC did stand around and glare at us. But I fail to see any grounds more than their personal paranoia. What can they do - call the police? I think not. It would have been an embarrassment to them (the M'sian HC).

Wai · 17th August 2003

Originally Posted by jiaqi

True, but, an MRT station? I got thrown out of a NEL station. Unbelievable.

wah....really thrown out?? the staff ask you to stop photograph or ask you to leave the station??

btw, which station is that? i go try try see what will happens

Azure · 17th August 2003

Originally Posted by togu

Public facilities? That applies too.

Don't think so, Togu.
I'd say that the poor NEL staff was probably following some lame instruction from some equally lame source to bar "suspicious-looking" characters from photographing. Thanks to Marriot bombing. So poor jiaqi got shoo'ed out. "Thrown out" would have been too major an incident, as that will give grounds for the you to call the newspapers and leave them another PR mess to sort out.

No, private security (particularly of MRT/NEL stations) do not have any legal jurisdiction to confiscate your film. And if they do threaten damage to your person or equipment, call the following :-
a. Police (you just got threatened with Assault)
b. New Paper, Today and Streats
c. Your lawyer(?)

I have gone on a shooting spree for a Community Project (sanctioned by the MPs of that GRC). With the exception of the Police Posts, no problems at all. FYI the list of buildings included HDB estates, 5 schools, 3 MRT stations (one from the platform), a regional centre, several regional shopping/makan centres, CD Fire Post, playgrounds, places of worship and the Community Centre itself. The Police Centre required my client to call ahead first, but that was it.

West_ray · 17th August 2003

Originally Posted by Wai

wah....really thrown out?? the staff ask you to stop photograph or ask you to leave the station??

btw, which station is that? i go try try see what will happens

i think he could be at DG station bah ...

hey anyway , do we need permission to photograph in the station/platform??? i mean let's say i will be remain in the station for 2 hrs and above ?

chriszzz · 17th August 2003

Originally Posted by jiaqi

Has anybody ever been thrown out of any place trying to take photos, and had your film confiscated/other forms of damage threatened to your camera/equipment?

What are the limits to photography in public places? Anybody has any idea of the legal rights, like what/where it is legal to photograph, etc.

Comments? Any experiences to share?

If I'm not mistaken, any goes in a public place as long as you are not outraging somebody's modesty. So you'll have to check if the station is a public place. It's public transport, but the NEL is run by SBS, which is a private company that is publicly listed. So it's quite a gray area.

In anycase, at most that they can do is to ask you to stop, and ask you to leave. They cannot, under any circumstances, confiscate your film. The film is your property, and taking it from you without your agreement constitutes robbery/theft. Keep that in mind.

jiaqi · 17th August 2003

Originally Posted by Wai

wah....really thrown out?? the staff ask you to stop photograph or ask you to leave the station??

btw, which station is that? i go try try see what will happens

hmm they didn't throw me out per se lah. i threw myself out after i got pissed with them hahaha. the idiot just asked me to stop photographing and told me to "erase" my shots. i didn't have the mind to tell him i was shooting film.

i think that's a good idea...i shall start dialing TNP or 999 the next time somebody gets hostile with me.

vince123123 · 17th August 2003

I think i wrote a writeup on such cases before...wonder where it went in the forum.

the short answer:

they cannot stop you from taking photos. they cannot confiscate ur film or camera either or force u delete the photos.

if its a private place (may or may not be accessible to the public), ie even shopping centres or MRT stations...its considered to be a private place but open to public access...then the thing is, you can take ur photos. but once they say you have to stop taking or leave, then you have to leave, but they cannot force u to hand over whatw as already taken. if u dont leave, then its trespass. if however, while trying to get you out, they manhandle you, then its criminal assault, battery and possibly wrongful restraint?

copyright:

it is not a infringemnt of copyright to take photos of buildings and other art stuff on permanent exhibition.

16th August 2003	#1
jiaqi Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 185	Ever been thrown out and intimidated? Has anybody ever been thrown out of any place trying to take photos, and had your film confiscated/other forms of damage threatened to your camera/equipment? What are the limits to photography in public places? Anybody has any idea of the legal rights, like what/where it is legal to photograph, etc. Comments? Any experiences to share?

16th August 2003	#2
Obzervr Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Khatib - Singapore Posts: 351	One incident to share, We went with Azure for the Anything Goes 4, and was taking shots of the older building adjacent to the Malaysian Embassy, sekali kena chase by unreasonable security guards claiming that we are trying to photograph the embassy (from just a few meters away !?#@$???)

17th August 2003	#8
Azure Deregistered Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: ClubSNAP community Posts: 2,783	In reference to Obserzr's point - Want to point out that 1. We were passing BY the defunct M'sian High Comm 2. Our cams were pointed at the next-door building's carvings (or whatever you call those intricate thingies topping the structure) 3. We were standing on the kerb of the road (at least I was), as that was a good vantage point to shoot. A thing to note is that I see NO reason for anyone to be unhappy (of course they are nutso characters IMVVVPO) about. Moreso since we were on the public road, there is no grounds for them to shoo us away. To clarify the "incident" - the security guards from the MHC did stand around and glare at us. But I fail to see any grounds more than their personal paranoia. What can they do - call the police? I think not. It would have been an embarrassment to them (the M'sian HC).

17th August 2003	#14
vince123123 Deregistered Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Posts: 6,689	I think i wrote a writeup on such cases before...wonder where it went in the forum. the short answer: they cannot stop you from taking photos. they cannot confiscate ur film or camera either or force u delete the photos. if its a private place (may or may not be accessible to the public), ie even shopping centres or MRT stations...its considered to be a private place but open to public access...then the thing is, you can take ur photos. but once they say you have to stop taking or leave, then you have to leave, but they cannot force u to hand over whatw as already taken. if u dont leave, then its trespass. if however, while trying to get you out, they manhandle you, then its criminal assault, battery and possibly wrongful restraint? copyright: it is not a infringemnt of copyright to take photos of buildings and other art stuff on permanent exhibition.