There’s a story behind this picture. I was walking to the office yesterday and because it was an amazing, clear, sunny, warm day with beautiful blue skies, I put the long telephoto lens on the camera, threw the rest of my stuff into the backpack and decided to see what pictures were waiting for me on the way.
I started with a purple tree. Actually, it wasn’t a purple tree, but it was one of many trees with purple flowers. It’s an okay image — the problem with shooting trees here is that you can’t just get the tree. You get parked cars, patio umbrellas, freeway traffic, and all sorts of other distractions. Even the zoom won’t cure it.
I took a shortcut through the strip mall behind my house. It’s a really nice little mall with some great fast food places, coffee places, and other assorted strip-mallish businesses. At any rate, as I was walking through it I spotted a tree with some of the most fabulous purple orchid-like flowers I’ve seen. The light was streaming through the tree making the flowers transparent and popping the color, particularly the deep purples.
As I tried to find the right angle to shoot one of these amazing flowers, I noticed a police car out of the corner of my eye. As I lifted the camera and waited for the light to fall at the right moment, it pulled alongside me, paused, then drove away.
The thing about a shot like this is that you really do have to be patient. Because the flowers are attached to a tree branch, even the slightest breeze will change the focus and lighting. That’s okay, but it means that waiting for that one perfect movement into the light is something that can take a few minutes.
So I’m waiting, poised to shoot, when the cop car drives by and pulls up, and sits. And the cop just watches me. And watches me. And watches.
It so unnerved me (given my past experience with our “Finest”) that I ended up squeezing off whatever I could get and then shutting down the zoom and shoving it in my bag, to which the cop nodded and drove away. Creepy.
That day the most current issue of Popular Photography landed in my mailbox, and I came across a feature article (it’s not online yet) entitled “The War on Photographers”.
The gist: Ever since 911 cops are hassling people who use long zoom lenses in the wrong places. I live near an active Naval base (Pt. Mugu), and so by carrying a camera with what appears to be a long lens and aiming it in the direction of the flight path to the base (who knew???? I was lookin’ for the sun!), I was under suspicion.
Here’s something scarier: If I had been stopped and questioned and had resisted, I could have been added to the “list of suspected aiders and abettors”. This dance mom geeky person who happens to like taking photos of flowers could actually be put on a list of potential terrorists?
When the article comes online at PopPhoto.com go read it. It centers around a 60-year old retired software developer who wanted to take pictures of a Redondo Beach refinery for his photography class. At night. The refinery has a HUGE American flag in front, lit up brightly. It’s an awesome subject for a photo.
According to the article, if you’re told that it’s illegal to photograph airports, bridges and refineries, beg to differ. No such laws exist. The authors also point out that you may also have your film and/or memory card confiscated for alleged trademark stealing. (oh yes, the RIAA is in all of our family photos, too, I guess).
Spots to expect trouble:
- Sears Tower (Chicago) terrorism
- New York Subways
- The Flatiron Building (New York)
- The Hollywood Sign (it’s trademarked and they will take away your photos)
- The “Lightening Field” Artwork (Albuquerque, NM) – copyright violation
- The San Diego Zoo (no photography intended to be used for commercial purposes)
Big Brother IS watching you, and their photographs will survive long after they’ve destroyed yours.
This photographer thinks it’s time for a better perspective.
technorati tags:terrorism, harassment, 911
