I hope that you appreciate this picture as I had to go through some aggravation to get it. There I was snapping away, trying out various exposures, considering whether I should merge them to an HDR. It then occurred to me that I had very little time to get to somewhere else I had to be, so I'd just do the silhouette shots. Hmm, juuust a couple more, changing one or two settings. So engrossed was I in my 40D that I fail to notice the security guard with his epauletted and badged "shirt-of-authority" until he's only about 5 metres away.

"You're not s'posed to be here, it's private property."

I'll post a picture of this area some time. It's a huge plaza running from the street to the water and which, I know, is managed by a statutory body called the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) on behalf of those annoying personages, the people of New South Wales.

"This is NOT private property."

"Yeah iddizz, that buildin' over there."

The building he points to is in fact part of the National Maritime Museum, ALSO a public body. However I elect not to argue that point since for obvious reasons they're entitled to keep people out of buildings outside of opening hours. But out of open, unfenced public parks and plazas? Not so much. I knew full well that my actual presence wasn't the problem; it was that unlike the early morning cyclists and joggers and strollers who were also in the area at the time, I had that Weapon of Mass Destruction, a Canon 40D. And a tripod!

"That's a building. This is an open space."

"Yeah, allthiz. {He gestures with a sweeping movement.} Idz private property."

"Listen, THIS is a public space. You show me a fence, or a sign, OR BETTER STILL YOU SHOW ME A TITLE DEED AND I'LL BELIEVE YOU. UNTIL THEN, NAFF OFF."

"Orroyt, I'm gonna talk to me supervisor."

"I don't care who you talk to."

Now, the SHFA does indeed have a policy of requiring COMMERCIAL photographers to get a permit. When I was doing a shot in Darling Harbour (PBase link) I had one politely ask me whether I was doing commercial or private shooting. Because he was just asking politely I told him. He replied "OK, that's fine" and went on his way. Similarly when I was shooting the rear shots in the Her Majesty's Final Visit gallery (PBase link) I was standing alongside a Canadian tourist who was taking similar shots, also with a DSLR and a tripod. An SHFA employee asked whether we were commercial photographers, we said we weren't, and he went on his way. Not a problem.

But for that day's guy to insult my intelligence (and doubtless that of any other person who's crossed his path with that ultimate Symbol Of Evil (TM), a DSLR) by pulling the "this is private property" horse hockey and expect that I'll just do what he tells me to do because he has a "Sekuritee-Iz-Us" badge on his shirt? No, I'm prepared to get juuuust a tad narky over that.

(Also, the guy was not "just doing his job"; the other two were just doing their jobs. This guy was using authority that he didn't have to "enforce" rules that do not, and should not, exist.)