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Tag Archives: photography
Top Ten Things NOT Safe To Photograph
Wow did this guy have a stroke of bad luck. Fotolia CEO Detained by Police for Taking Pictures
Early afternoon in Paris today, Fotolia CEO Thibaud Elziere was out for a walk and testing the new Nikon D80 digital camera. However, one image would change the rest of his day.Walking down the Rue Vaneau in Paris, Thibaud captured an image of a CCTV camera [...] Within minutes, Thibaud was approached by the French Police and detained for the better part of the day.
Unknown to Thibaud he had captured the CCTV camera of the French Prime Minister’s personal residence and caused a great security concern. According to Thibaud, there were no signs or warnings about photography in the area. A simple click and his day was ruined.
The police questioned him about what he was doing in the area, if he had any terrorism connections, about his work, and why he would want to take a picture of a CCTV camera. Thibaud relates that his first answer of “taking pictures for fun” did not satisfy them. He soon outlined his connection with Fotolia and testing the camera. After 8 hours of questioning and background checks, they returned his camera and escorted him home.
It seems from what I read in the article this could have happened to any one of us. You take a picture of a building, for whatever reason, next thing you know you are being questioned by policemen about if you have any terrorist connections. What can you do, stop taking pictures of houses?
We are increasingly being warned not to take pictures of anything (or anyone) which might be construed by the paranoid as a terrorist threat but how was he supposed to know this was the home of someone important without any signs or notices. Just CCTV present does not necessarily imply that the resident is someone of national or defense importance, the guy might have an expensive car etc.
So now we have a new entry in the top ten things you can’t safely photograph
- Underground/Tube/Buses
- Refineries or other Industrial plant
- Police
- Government buildings
- Bridges
- Tunnels
- Shopping malls
- Airports
- Office Buildings
- Houses
Have I missed any?
Technorati Tags: photography, law, terrorism, police, rights, news, tips
Posted in News and Commentary, Press Freedom
Also tagged freedom, law, news, police, rights, terrorism, tips
5 Comments
10 Free Flickr MiniCards
Moo is offering Flickr Pro members 10x free “MiniCards”. What are they? Like a calling card with one of your Flickr photographs on one side and a personalised message or contact details on t’other. They measure 28mm x 70mm, about half the size of a regular business card. I just ordered a set to see what they are like.
Go try it, it’s free!
via:Thomas Hawk picture: richardmoross
Technorati Tags: photography, flickr, moo, minicards, printing, tips, news
Posted in News and Commentary, Online Photography Community, Photography Business
Also tagged flickr, minicards, moo, news, printing, tips
1 Comment
Henri Cartier-Bresson and the “Maker” Versus “Taker” Photographer
I spotted this quote over at Photodoto and had to share it again here.
“To take photographs means to recognize—simultaneously and within a fraction of a second—both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one’s head, one’s eye and one’s heart on the same axis.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson
It was used as an intro to a post on the discussion “making or taking” photographs. We have had this discussion here and also on Flickr. Each time I have discussed it my thoughts have evolved somewhat.
“Maker or taker”, it’s not an absolute thing in reality, and I agree to a degree that “intention” is probably what matters. The photographer always makes the picture by pointing the camera in a certain direction, with certain settings and pressing the shutter. Then after the picture is “taken” it changes in post. One person selects hyper saturation, another black and white. One crops here, the other there.
I have been doing a lot of reading about great photographers of the past and studying their photographs. Even photojournalists told a story with their pictures. Selecting what to show and what to remove from the frame is in effect “editing reality”. As is selecting a telephoto lens to flatten perspective or a wide angle to exaggerate.
But in the end it almost doesn’t matter what the photographer intended but what the viewer sees. Everyone observes the world through their own filters. What might have taken hours of planning might be dismissed as trash by one observer while your quick accidental snap of someones elbow as you dropped your point and shoot might be lauded as the best thing ever!
I guess the important thing is do you enjoy photography and whether you get a kick out of (or for the pro’s, financial return from) the results?
Exhibition of unseen Cartier-Bresson out-takes and famous works
Henri Cartier-Bresson, Behind the Gare St. Lazare
When I first read about this in PopPhoto I thought the news was a book of unseen Henri Cartier-Bressons work was being published but alas it is an exhibition it seems.
Another chapter is being written this fall, however, with the unveiling of an ornate leather photo album that has been culled from the archive of Cartier-Bresson, who died in 2004 at age 95. The album, housed at the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation in Paris, contains 345 images printed by HCB himself to prepare for the MoMA show. Some of the images are among his most famous. Others are “outtakes” of well-known images. Most of the images in the album have never been seen before.
Still, interesting stuff for those who can see it. Not only was he a really cool photographer, he had a fascinating life.
Technorati Tags: photography, news
My good news is Strobists Dilemma
What a coincidence. On the same day I give away a photograph for free to be used by British Airways inflight magazine I read this from Strobist
Try to resist the cheap thrill of being paid (very little) for a photo. The true expense of that action is that you ultimately deprive someone who has devoted their life to shooting professionally much of a chance of financial survival. If you are good enough to work for pay, you are good enough to work harder and raise the standards of the profession, not devalue them.
On the one hand I can totally get your point David, I really do. And you know, I do feel a little guilt for giving my photograph away (thanks for ruining a great moment in my photography career! heh).
Having pondered on it for a little while though here are my thoughts
- If I say “no” someone else will say “yes”.
- The only person I would be depriving is me and sorry but depriving me hurts a lot more than depriving you from where I am standing.
- How the heck am I supposed to build a portfolio if I have to charge what you consider fair rates to people who consider those rates anything but.
- The people who want cheap or free will not pay more than that.
- What makes the photography industry any different?
My last point needs some clarification. Consider web sites. A company comes to me and says “I want a web site to sell my widgets”. I say “That will be $£xx,xxx.99″. They say “Whoah, my neighbour’s nephew’s friend’s sister can do it for $£x”. I say “Go get them to do it then and come back to me when they make a hash of it”.
If an industry gets commoditised it is because that industry is doing a poor job of selling itself. What is the difference between me building a website and the 12 year old kid with a copy of Dreamweaver? Oh, probably more than a million pounds in profit on the clients bottom line, and I can prove it, but I am not going to do it at the kids rates. You have to decide what the difference is between your photograph and some kids $1 stock photo. If there is no difference who’s fault is that? Not the kid and not the customer, that’s for sure.
Technorati Tags: strobist, stock, photography, news
Posted in Legal Issues, Ethics, Model Releases, News and Commentary, Online Photography Community, Pricing
Also tagged cheap, news, payment, Pricing, stock, strobist
2 Comments
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BBC Ripping Off Flickr Photographers?
It seems the venerable bastion of public-funded media, “Auntie” BBC, is being a bit naughty when it comes to sourcing photography from Flickr users according to Editorial Photographers UK
.. it seems also they are not above just taking what they want either …
You can see how a photographer would be flattered and would be willing to offer up their work just for the portfolio/resume potential and bragging rights. The BBC though should be above this kind of thing, they should be leading the way in fair treatment of the public as they are supposed to be there to serve the public. They will get nowhere arguing they are under funded, they are certainly well funded in comparison to other media outlets who do pay and are not propped up by a television tax.
Personally I see nothing wrong with the BBC asking for free contributions. The pictures are submitted voluntarily after all. They just need to get their legal people to be a bit more fair with what they have people agreeing to.
See the full discussion at flickr here
Technorati Tags: bbc, photography, scandal, media, copyright, photographers, law, rights, news