November 2: You Can’t Take Pictures Here Sir! photo

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31-OCT-2005	Robin Reid

November 2: You Can’t Take Pictures Here Sir!

Escondido, CA

I got verbally whacked while trying to take a few photos at my nearby shopping center. Security and terrorism and all that you know. I say BULL! Pouting, I went outside and shot a Pepe.

Canon EOS 20D ,Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
1/60s f/5.0 at 24.0mm iso800 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto

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Peter Kwok		21-Jan-2006 01:24
I have been told to stop taking pictures at the Newport Fashion Island & South Coast Plaza. Photographing of the architecture is OK as long as I do not include store signs, advertisement, price, merchandise, and customers. This is not just a phenomenon in the US. I have been stopped in Hong Kong also. I think the main concern is not terrorism but intellectual property. The best tactic is still hit-and-run. They cannot detain you and confiscate your flash card. That would be kidnapping for ransom. Ironically, I had no problem taking pictures at Horton Plaza in San Diegohttp://www.pbase.com/peterkwok/sd_horton, another Westfield mall, probably because it is a tourist destination.

Pedro Libório		11-Nov-2005 21:05
I have the same problem here my friend ....I can not take photos in shopping center and that is really bada because i do like the architecture and colors of that places...

Guest		04-Nov-2005 14:35
I think it's common. I can't take shots too inside the groceries and shopping malls here. It's forbidden.. :) But if nobody sees you, you can sneak a shot! :)

Gary Winters		04-Nov-2005 06:11
I HATE it when this stuff happens. Keep on taking pictures Robin, it's crucial that we keep our freedoms!

Argishti Khachik		03-Nov-2005 23:59
Crazy!!! Well but great captures, Robin!

Manfred Bachmann		03-Nov-2005 22:37
A well known comment also here in Vienna, just crazy! Now i took candids and still life, architecture and nature, birds in flight and portraits:)

Sheila		03-Nov-2005 22:33
Oh no, your Westfields store looks just like ours . The whole world is going to look the same only we won't know because we won't be allowed to take pics of it.

Brian McAllister		03-Nov-2005 05:09
Nerves of steel Robin. Good shot.

Pepe Zyman		03-Nov-2005 05:08
Excuse me sir, no pictures of my benches :^)

Karen Leaf		03-Nov-2005 04:37
Good for you Robin. Agree with all the comments. It is getting beyond reason.

Di		03-Nov-2005 04:24
Same thing happened to me this summer! (I took a pic anyway, though!) Good for you for 1)taking it, and 2)posting it. Great Pepe, too.

markvm		03-Nov-2005 02:15
And it looks as if the security/terrorism attitudes will prevail. Shame, really.

Elaine (etfitz)		03-Nov-2005 01:49
Nice shot! I've never been brave enough to take my camera out in a store.

laine82		03-Nov-2005 01:41
I thought you were back here at our very own look alike Westfield. The security thing is getting crazy...but we do yell if something happens & they don't have any....it's a dilema !! I like your Pepe.

Gayle P. Clement		03-Nov-2005 01:02
Excellent lighting and detail, Robin.

Bob Foisel		03-Nov-2005 00:03
I am glad to see your freedom of expression.

Bob Foisel		02-Nov-2005 23:57
thanks for publishing your freedom of expression.

don nieman		02-Nov-2005 23:57
Looks to me you did pretty well outside.

don nieman		02-Nov-2005 23:56
You know, Robin, it bothers me to pieces. I walk around my neighborhood taking pictures, not only do store managers actually leave their store and walk out on the sidewalk to ask me what I'm doing, but neighbors interrogate me. It is most discouraging at times. We are so mistrusting of one another. I wonder if that is an American thing? Excuse my verbosity, but you hit a nerve. An elderly man was working diligently in his yard, making it attractive and giving it a great "curb appeal". He literally interrogated me as my intentions for taking pictures of homes in the neighborhood. I replied, "You know it seems peculiar, you are working hard to make your yard and house look really beautiful and then are concerned that I would take a picture?" Wow, the country was never like this. City life is different.

royalld		02-Nov-2005 23:21
A society steeped in fear and litagation is grinding down our freedoms. Is it inconceivable that in the future only governments and criminals will have cameras?

Al Chesworth		02-Nov-2005 22:46
Same problems in the UK Robin, it is possible to have your film or flash card confiscated if security decide to call the police. The fear is more a retail security issue than a terrorist problem, we as honest photographers don't always think of the amount of theft the retail industry suffers and the lengths thieves go to in order to escape.

petesie		02-Nov-2005 22:04
I don't understand the reasoning at all....and one thing I noticed. Where are the shoppers? The "Pepe" is great.

Herb		02-Nov-2005 21:32
I knew there was a reason why I prefer nature shots :)

Cindy Flood		02-Nov-2005 21:30
That new lens does a fantastic job. I can't wait to get one when they start producing them again. I especially like the Pepe version. I wonder if Pepe has copyrights on this style? LOL

CJ Burianek		02-Nov-2005 20:49
How frustrating :( HUGE mall though!

Guest		02-Nov-2005 20:23
It`s still a great picture! That`s weird that they didn`t want you taking pictures!

JW		02-Nov-2005 19:50
In my experience, the managements of shopping centres are control-addicts and photographers are a big threat to their 'civilisation'. Nice pic from behind enemy lines, Robin

Lee Rudd		02-Nov-2005 19:46
it comes up all the time, malls and shopping centres are private property, as well as having lots of copyright infraction issues all around! thats what they are scared of, even if the security guys havent been told that.... now, if you had a camera phone, strangely that doesnt seem to apply! still, I did wonder if this was your store :)

Gary Blanchette		02-Nov-2005 19:35
And it continues to get worse and worse every day...

Cliff		02-Nov-2005 19:08
Isn't that a weird policy. A while back I was taking a photo of my daughter, browsing a book in 'Chapters', one of our mega-book stores and was informed rather brusquely that there were no photographs allowed in the store. When I asked why, the staff person replied : "Copyright". I said I wasn't taking pictures of the inside of books, just my daughter, she responded, "Doesn't matter, No pictures". Go figure.

Zak		02-Nov-2005 19:05
excuse me sir, you cant post this here! :-/ thats a big store!