Re: [Leica] Private property and buildings

["Mārtiņš Zelmenis" <martin@lrpv.lv>]

WOW, what a story!

I encountered smth similar back in the old USSR days in my native Riga -
once a plainclothes KGB man became interested why was I shooting an
unfinished and abandoned building, and for the second time a policeman made
inquiries why was I photographing some soviet navy buildings burning. The
Press Pass made it for me; the worst thing about it all: I didn't like the
pictures I got - maybe on both occasions I felt too nervous.

Martin


>Dear Luggers,
>
>Here is one for the Nazi property owners file.  I was
>photographing at the Century City Plaza towers in Los
>Angeles.  When out of no where this lady comes up to
>me and starts barking at me asking why I'm I taking
>photographs of the buildings, she demanded to know if
>I was going to publish the picture, what was my
>purpose for taking the photographs.  I was completely
>shocked at her behavior.
>
>First off these buildings are going to be torn down
>and new ones put in their place, so I thought whats
>the big deal.  Second, It was lunch time and I was
>walking around with a camera in my hand no strap no
>camera bag to photo vest just dress like one of the
>crowd.  So I thought I was keeping a low profile. And
>I was really not taking to many pictures of the
>buildings just using the elevation of plaza to get
>pictures of the surrounding buildings.
>
>I had just finished the roll of film and was putting
>the lens cap back on, when so appeared out of no
>where.  She promtly said "We don't allow pictures of
>the building, it's private property!"  I said, I was
>photographing the vista.  She kind of looked at me
>funny.  And she continued the barrage, she said I
>better stop it or else.
>
>I had enough of her and took the roll of film from the
>camera and put it in my pocket.  I wasn't going to
>give it up but she looked at me like if I was going to
>turn it in to her.  I continued to sit there and she
>stood there like she was protecting a million dollar
>view.
>
>This place might be private property but its filled
>with stores that encourage the public to walk thru,
>office workers, tourist.  I said to her, if im across
>the street and taking a picture of the building thats
>ok right?  She again gave me a dirty face and said i
>was not allowed to photograph the building period.  I
>couldn't believe what she had just said.  Since now I
>was getting pissed I told her I was walking across the
>street and taking the picture.
>
>She must of run back to call security because next
>thing I know i saw a couple of suits coming my way.
>We'll I gave them the slip thru one of the many stairs
>in this building complex, lucky for me this is not the
>middle east.  I can't believe, I had become such a
>criminal for taking a photo.  With all the lunatics
>out there, I had become one of them.
>
>Has other luggers been harrased in this way before or
>this building just going over the top. I think I might
>post some of the photographs on the web,  I'm getting
>scared.
>
>Mike Gil
>
>
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