Be A Criminal
by Bennett Holzworth, (3 comments)
After a long wait (and a brush with the law), we have finally updated the BA photos at the top of the page. If some of the newer visitors are not aware of our ever changing identity, here are a few posts that explain it a little more in depth (Feedback on our BA collection, Our updated photos, Photo pool on Flickr) and here is the entire collection. .
Fellow BADG author Drew Davies took most of these new BA photos on a trip to the Cayman Islands, but we also have some submissions from Adrian, Kyle Heinemann, Clint Carlson, John Sanders, Gregory Golem and I. As always, feel free to upload your own BA photos to our Flickr pool and we will eventually add them to the collection.
And now, on with the story of my run in with “the law” for this very blog.
With Adrian’s post about photographers rights, I thought the story of the above ebay photo might compliment his post. As someone who is constantly taking photos of “found typography” and signage it is good to know that I have the right to take a photo of whatever I see. While leaving Omaha one evening I passed the familiar PayPal building and remembered that I wanted to get a photo of the ebay “BA” for our photo collection. Technically it already exists in the collection, but I am trying to rid the collection of screen captures and focus on scanned and photographed typography. After pulling off to an access road to get to the PayPal center I realized there was no good way to drive to the ebay backlit sign. I found a sidewalk that ran alongside the little pond that I assume was built to add to the PayPal “campus”. In these dark evening hours in the middle of the winter, I left my wife in the car, with the flashers on and proceeded to traverse the quarter mile trek to my new BA mecca. When I finally arrived at the glowing BA there were a few employees on the other side of the fence that I am sure noticed me with my camera pointed at their workplace. While no one complained while I shot away, I imagine they were a bit curious as to what I was doing.
While rounding the corner around the ebay/PayPal pond to get back to my patient wife, I saw what struck fear in my heart. Flashing red and blue lights behind my car. While thinking of what to tell the officer when I reached the vehicle, I hurried the pace to my impending arrest. Did the ebay people call me in for trespassing? Was this an ebay security thug that would throw me in some sort of interrogation room? Would the blog be the cause for my first night in jail? Would I survive the night with my cell mates, since of course they would have no respect for my measly little crime? These were the thoughts running through my head. As I drew near, the spotlight was pointed directly at my face. How was I going to explain this? I’m sure the police officer was not aware of my blog and found typography or adaptable identities for that matter. As I approached the officer he took a quick glance at my camera and without much of a need for explanation he was back in his car and on his way. Apparently my wife had been completely truthful about what I was doing and he didn’t question a thing. Back on the road to blog another day.
Comments (3)
dburney said:
Wow - great story. Interesting that you bring this up a week after I listen to a story on NPR about corporate espionage. Not that they could do anything about you taking a picture of their signage, but it’s interesting the amount of leeway a corporation is given to protect its intellectual property. You can be kicked out of a store for taking pictures - just FYI. So be careful out there.
Posted on July 20, 2006
Chad Treadway said:
I had a similar situation happen to me, but I didn’t not fair as well. Long story short a buddy of mine and I were taking photos across the street of a food processing plant here in town. We were taking photos of the pipes and how the light was playing of them. Well the security guard cam and said we couldn’t take photos of the plant, I explained to him it was for a class project, which it was, and that we meant no harm. WE then had to speak to the plant manager and she “confiscated my film” and I was to delete the digital images, which I lied and said I did. I know now that I was in every legal right to take photo of the facility because it was in “plain site.” I wish there was a good site that told exactly what you could and couldn’t do with examples, and in plain English! So there is my little side story of a similar nature.
Posted on July 20, 2006
Michael said:
there is a guide to your rights, if you are in the USA.
http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm
There is a PDF wallet card of the photographer’s rights on that page as well.
Posted on July 25, 2006