Security Guard Paranoia

[radedward]

The next step in being paranoid has just been reached.

I just got out of the MRT station at bugis holding my dSLR in my hand, reviewing some pictures. I was walking through Seiyuu to get to Liang Seah Street, decided to go to the toilet on the 2nd floor and stowed my camera into my waistpouch.

After exiting the toilet, I have a security guard standing infront of me telling me "Don't take picture in the store."
I ask him very puzzled," What picture?"
He replies," I saw you on the 1st floor with your camera."

At about this point, I'm thinking "WTF!?" and just told him I did not take any photos at all.

I didn't have time to argue with him and just went past him after that.

At no point in time did the camera viewfinder go up to my eye level. At the most it was at waist level. I don't know how badly I would have reacted if he has asked to see the 'pictures', I had supposedly taken or worse, told me to delete them.

I know he's trying to do his job but this just crosses the border. You need a little just cause before approaching anybody to accuse them of something. It's like taking an item of clothing and walking around trying to find the changing room and having someone accuse you of shoplifting.

I wonder if he's going to stop everyone with a PnS or worse, everyone with a camera phone.

I didn't think an SLR made someone that convenient a target ;(

 

[TMC]

Join the club, we all get questioned by security personnel once in a while. Let it be, they are doing their job, do too little, its their job on the line, do too much, people complain.

 

[wind30]

err... I think he thought your DSLR is a P&S and you are using the LCD to frame pictures. Most cameras nowadays uses the LCD to frame... You can't blame him if he thought you were taking pictures as I think he probably did not play with DSLR b4

 

[Ironman]

don't u feel that its kinda stupid... if someone wants to take pics of the store silently, he/she would hv probably use a compact camera... y would he/she use a DSLR to take pics of a store silently?

hmm... hv we ever wonder if our tourist took shots of them posing at those shops? did the security guard stop them? anyone see b4?

 

[fWord]

Irritates the flesh out of me as well. Certainly, they're trying to do their job, but when I receive a hard tap on my shoulder, a harsh look and the following sentence, 'No photo taking here', I can't help but sarcastically fire back, 'Are you worried that I'm a terrorist??!'

 

[radedward]

Join the club, we all get questioned by security personnel once in a while. Let it be, they are doing their job, do too little, its their job on the line, do too much, people complain.

I have no problem getting questioned by security if they have just cause.
If I was actually taking photos or made some action that indicated I was taking a photo then I would apologise to the guard and be on my way amicably.

Imagine getting stopped just because you have a camera in your hand.
This just crosses the line for me. At this point, I will not let it be.

 

[radedward]

err... I think he thought your DSLR is a P&S and you are using the LCD to frame pictures. Most cameras nowadays uses the LCD to frame... You can't blame him if he thought you were taking pictures as I think he probably did not play with DSLR b4

Then he better stop anyone who raises their camera phone above a certain level.
I'd already stopped looking at my camera when I was in the store. I was just holding it in my hand, that's all, not looking at LCD or viewfinder or anything.

I was stopped just because the camera was in my hand.
That's just ludicrous.

 

[eikin]

I have no problem getting questioned by security if they have just cause.
If I was actually taking photos or made some action that indicated I was taking a photo then I would apologise to the guard and be on my way amicably.

Imagine getting stopped just because you have a camera in your hand.
This just crosses the line for me. At this point, I will not let it be.

you may want to consider writing a public letter (i.e. send to news media) addressing to Bugis Junction management regarding security guards' misconception of associating SLR/DSLR cameras with suspicious acts.

 

[radedward]

you may want to consider writing a public letter (i.e. send to news media) addressing to Bugis Junction management regarding security guards' misconception of associating SLR/DSLR cameras with suspicious acts.

sadly, I'm in a job where I'm not allowed to write to the media and I suspect this is one of those things that any shopping centre management will just pay lip service to and it will be business as usual the next day.

 

[eikin]

sadly, I'm in a job where I'm not allowed to write to the media and I suspect this is one of those things that any shopping centre management will just pay lip service to and it will be business as usual the next day.

i see. i use to get checked for carrying tripod/carrying deuter bag with rain coat on (rainy day mah) at MRT stations, quite lame to associate those to suspicious acts also, merely stuff that people see less often. haven't kena anything from the shopping centre group of security personnels yet, prolly will demand to see their supervisor

 

[zaxh81]

no problem,i have even set up tripod outside shops in bugis junction and taking my own sweet time to take photos without anyone approaching me.

 

[ngbhwee]

The guards are just doing their job.:sweat: Many also have difficulty to look for a normal job leh. For the amount pay they draw the amount of feedbacks is a lot lah.

 

[blive]

Funny, I just had an encounter with the security guard at sun plaza too.
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=167173

I don't mind security guard doing their job, but do they need to be so rude to people with cameras. Terrorist use DSLR for what? The security guard need not treat everyone with a DSLR/Digital P&S as suspect, if they are not behaving suspiciously.

 

[zaxh81]

need to start a thread where no photography allows.:bsmilie:

1) outside of raffles hotel
2) outside marriot hotel

 

[Look4Yest]

ACtually if you start taking photos anywhere, all those people out there will look at you as if you are going to level down the area in a few days time. Everyone is just too sensitive nowadays...

Hey guys, at least think of one thing...those security guards are working...never eat snake...thats good at least... butt....i do agree they ought to be nice, even if the person is really taking photos...

 

[blive]

ACtually if you start taking photos anywhere, all those people out there will look at you as if you are going to level down the area in a few days time. Everyone is just too sensitive nowadays...

Hey guys, at least think of one thing...those security guards are working...never eat snake...thats good at least... butt....i do agree they ought to be nice, even if the person is really taking photos...

Yeah, but holding a camera inside the store also kenna questioned is abit too sensitive. They should be experienced enough to question people who are behaving suspiciously. Seems like it's wrong for people to bring a camera when they are out. I guess it should be ok to carry a camera only at tourist attraction.

 

[sym18]

I am sure in department stores such as seiyu, they have signs at their enterances prohibiting camras, food and cigarettes.

It is understood in any departmental stores that no cameras/photography is allowed, you only have yourself to blame for walking around in the store with your camera.

The reason for banning cameras in the store is to guard against commercial spies, something which the management places high emphasis on. The guard is merely doing what he is supposed to do.

Do you walk into a non-smoking area with an unlitted cigarette? Chances are, the security would have stop you immediately, do you think he will wait till you light your cigarette before he stops you?

Its the same as your camera issue, its a natural instint of the security to warn you before any thing happens. He wont know, for some other day, the real commercial spy might be in the store.

 

[UandMe]

Then he better stop anyone who raises their camera phone above a certain level.
I'd already stopped looking at my camera when I was in the store. I was just holding it in my hand, that's all, not looking at LCD or viewfinder or anything.

I was stopped just because the camera was in my hand.
That's just ludicrous.

the thing is that with a camera in ur hand, it indicates that u could be and can take pics anytime. so the guard might be probably informing u before hand that it's not allowed to take pics. in such times, i guess it would be better to have overly-sensitive guards than guards who pretend not to see anything they found suspicious.

and it really might just be his job to stop u or inform u and he might be questioned by his superior if he nv approached u at all. of course, he could be more polite though.

 

[blive]

then security guard will be busy checking on everyone, cause camera phones are so common nowadays in Singapore. Commercial spies also make use of technologies too. They not stupid.

Who would walk around with a DSLR on the boyd/hand except for photographers and tourists? Guess they must also be telling the tourists to keep their cameras too.

 

[radedward]

I am sure in department stores such as seiyu, they have signs at their enterances prohibiting camras, food and cigarettes.

It is understood in any departmental stores that no cameras/photography is allowed, you only have yourself to blame for walking around in the store with your camera.

The reason for banning cameras in the store is to guard against commercial spies, something which the management places high emphasis on. The guard is merely doing what he is supposed to do.

Do you walk into a non-smoking area with an unlitted cigarette? Chances are, the security would have stop you immediately, do you think he will wait till you light your cigarette before he stops you?

Its the same as your camera issue, its a natural instint of the security to warn you before any thing happens. He wont know, for some other day, the real commercial spy might be in the store.

First, I don't smoke.
Second, Having an item and using it are two very different issues.
Third, a pre-emptive strike is a very dangerous position to take especially when it comes to accusing people of an act that violates any sort of policy.

Let me just relate a joke that was told to me and it sort of applies to what happened.

A woman was walking through a park when she passed by a lake and saw a row boat. She decided it would be a nice day to row the boat across the lake to the other side. In the boat, was a fishing rod left there by someone else. She thought nothing of it and made her way across the lake.

On the other side of the lake, a park warden was doing his patrol and he saw the woman in the boat with the fishing rod and promptly went up to her and told her that he was giving a fine for fishing in the lake.

The woman protested that she didn't fish in the lake at all, but the warden said,
"You have the equipment with you so obviously you did it!"

The woman then told him, "Fine! But I'm accusing you of rape!"

The warden immediately protested to which the woman said
"You have the equipment with you so obviously you did it!"