[SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Mr OC Benz »

That is plain stupidity and there are people I know who are stupid enough to do that. Now I must admit, I do tend to wander onto the road to get a shot if its better, but its normally a vehicle that is parked and I need to get closer or better angle to get the shot, as for running in front of it to get a photo, or crazily crossing the road without looking just to get a photo of a bus, that is unacceptable and I can see why some people complain.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by MAN_LOVER »

why would you be using a tripod in such circumstances to start with ???
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Newcastle Flyer »

While it's not transport related, I just heard on the news that some two teenagers were charged for filming two other teenagers fighting - on a beach. Seems as though the police demanded they see what's on their mobile phone.

Edit: Here is the link
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Frances »

So we could be in trouble if we take photos of two bus drivers fighting?
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by busdriverdave »

I am a bus driver in Melb and I always have people taking pics of my bus! I have a mate who even takes videos of me! Check them out on my facebook fan page.....Driver Dave The Friendly Bus Driver :)

I love it when peolpe take pics of me and my bus. Who cares if other bus drivers dont like it hahaha :p
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UK: This is not transport related but it come to that

Post by Newcastle Flyer »

While this here isn't really transport related, it does mention further down say the following:
The judge concluded that it was "necessary and proportionate to grant the injunction sought".

The order was granted against the "person or persons responsible for taking photographs outside their home and in the street during November 2011", and issued to Tinglan and the child, identified only as KLM.
Um excuse me, Hugh Grant, you DO NOT on own the WHOLE street.

So if that is the case, is it possible that a transport company can succeed in getting a ban of photography in the street/s they run down? ( I read on Wikipedia (we know not really a good source) that Greece has now banned taking photographs of railways)
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by 1whoknows »

I think the case relates more to paparazzi style stalking than to casual photography though.

There should be no problem with taking one photo of any given bus with or without driver. However if a gunzel was to (say) follow one particular bus or driver round all day or on succeeding days and repeatedly photograph them then it might be a similar issue.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Newcastle Flyer »

Partly related: Although a cloudy day, quite a few people/passengers were using flashes to take pictures (including a flash for a video) of moving trains &/or other transport. Thought that was a "no-no" for obvious reasons!
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Frances »

Newcastle Flyer wrote:Partly related: Although a cloudy day, quite a few people/passengers were using flashes to take pictures (including a flash for a video) of moving trains &/or other transport. Thought that was a "no-no" for obvious reasons!
I did take a few night photos of trams using the flash when I was in Melbourne last time, but I made a point of only taking a photo of the trailing end of the tram and not the driving end (after all, both ends look pretty much the same).
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by BestFriendHasLeprosy »

I only ever use flash if the bus isn't moving, and isn't going to be moving in the next 10 seconds or so, and there isn't any other moving/soon to be moving traffic around.
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Lifeguard overstepping the mark & deleting his photos

Post by Newcastle Flyer »

Not rail related, but;

A few weeks ago, their was a TV show, which showed some lifeguards. These lifeguards were acting like police officers and claiming they had the power to delete his photos. The lifeguard claimed he was taking inappropriate photos at Bondi Beach. The lifeguard demand, and forcibly took this guy's camera, operated the buttons, and the lifeguard deleted his photos.

If I remember two girls asked him to stop taking photos who were on Bondi Beach, but they were willing to appear on this TV show.

The lifeguard claimed he had the power legally to take this person's camera, and for him [the lifeguard] to delete photos.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Swift »

Unless the laws have been amended recently, that is bullsugar what the LG has done. It is good manners to ask but you have the legal right to take photos on the beach as long as you don't attempt to conceal your actions.
It is up to the chicks to cover up if they don't like it.
So many in the vaguest authority are willing to try it on these days.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Newcastle Flyer »

Swift, see the first post here: http://www.redbubble.com/groups/redbubb ... s-it-wrong

And take note of the last sentence.

Notice what the "lifeguard' did, stole his camera & in the end cut up his memory card.
The lifeguards (as shown by show anyway) think they have the power to act like police.

Episode on TEN's website here (You'll be hit with about 4 ads that you can't skip after a few seconds before the video starts!)
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ABC NEWS: Council ordered to turn CCTV off due to a court ca

Post by Newcastle Flyer »

This is not a transport-related incident, but is transport related because of the CCTV's

I have just heard on the ABC news that a person has taken Shellharbour Council to court for the use of CCTV cameras IN PUBLIC.

He took the council to court for "invading his privacy". The court upheld the ruling, and the council was ordered to turn off the CCTV cameras.

Bary O'Farrell's reaction to summarise is that he is concerned about this.

See ABC News: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-03/c ... ection=nsw
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

Hate to bump an old thread but I guess since I've been a member for a while now and have been doing transport photography and video work I should share my happenings and opinions on the matter.

I'm in the NSW Hunter Valley region (Includes places like Singleton, Maitland, Newcastle, maybe even as far down as Morisset or Toronto) and I haven't had much trouble except and no one around here (focusing on transit drivers at the moment) these days seems to give a damn if your taking photos around here. I've not really had a driver approach me and tell me to take my business elsewhere or turn the camera off or delete the photos. I've been at places where Rail replacement was happening and drivers were more than happy to allow me to take photos of their fleet at the station. I recall last year being at Maitland and I was taking photos of HVB's Scania K270IB with a SB400 body and a driver saw I was interested and told me another bus was about to pull up and it'll make a great photo opportunity. It turned out to be a MAN on a CB30 but being the happy little guy I am with Transport I snapped away with the camera. A few months later there was a bus fire not far from the Thornton depot... What bus was involved? The exact same bus I took photos of on rail replacement a couple of months back. As much as I'm in it for taking any photos of public transport I also take it for preservation reasons.

If I hadn't taken a photo of that MAN bus then there'd be no photos of it operating at Hunter Valley Buses during it's "happier" days. I also take the photos because even the most healthiest bus could be withdrawn, transferred, sold or involved in an accident or fire at any moment and I'd like to have photos of these buses to look back on even after their long gone. All tho some of the photos are crap quality wise as I didn't have the long lens back then, I have photos of some STA Newcastle buses operating in Newcastle before the Newcastle operations were sold off to K/D and some of the buses were transferred to Sydney.

Unfortunately not all Transport enthusiasts get to have happy moments or experiences including myself

I've refrained from telling anyone about this story because usually when I do people like to flip the story and put me in the "blame" spotlight despite minding my own business. Anyway I was at one of the small and less populated stations on the CCN train line and some ditzy cow came onto the platform sat on the platform cement for a couple of minuets and I was at the far end filming trains going past the station. Must've seen what I was up too and she asked "Why are you filming the trains?" I sorta don't reply much but as long as it isn't someone being a smartass or smart alec I'm happy to tell them. I just tell her because I can and it's in an interest of mine. Then she starts having a go at me because "I'm not suppose to film here and I can get into trouble". Lady it's a damn train station that's accessible to the public and as long as I'm out of the way there's no problem and I can film at the station as I please.

Eventually she smokes on the platform and I give her a good ol blessing of the "Smoke environmental free act" and tell her the section of the act and that's she's not allowed to smoke here. Doesn't stop her and seems to think she's above the law with the smoke free act and can enact imaginary laws upon myself. No that's not how it works.

Eventually I move close to the emergency help point ready to get police or security here because I'm feeling a little threatened. She had a buddy of her's come and he joins in for a smoke too. Luckily my buddy I was with who was waiting in the car came down and I told him about the people and on the way up he tells them "You know you can't smoke here right?" and he and the guy + the ditzy cow start going off at both me and my friend. Eventually It erupts into an argument with me and my buddy yelling from the top of a platform and them from the bottom of it. Eventually we just walk off because these are very low class (I hate to use the term but these people are truly it) people and no matter how much you try to drill it into their heads their in the wrong and are breaking various acts & laws they just won't accept it. I've refrained from returning to that station too in case I bump into them again. I don't need to go through a V2 match with them if I come across them again.

I have another story but this time of me and a bus driver but I'm running out of time this morning to talk about it so I might post it later if there's any interest. Might also add a little more to this post too eventually.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Swift »

One driver I asked said why would you wanna take a picture of this? in a smartarse tone.(As if it was any of his business). Now I just snap away. You don't need their permission.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by TA3001 »

Swift wrote:One driver I asked said why would you wanna take a picture of this? in a smartarse tone.(As if it was any of his business). Now I just snap away. You don't need their permission.
The blanket rule is to NEVER ask a driver if you can photograph a bus, Exceptions can apply if you know the driver.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by BroadGauge »

ScaniaGrenda wrote:Eventually she smokes on the platform and I give her a good ol blessing of the "Smoke environmental free act" and tell her the section of the act and that's she's not allowed to smoke here. Doesn't stop her and seems to think she's above the law with the smoke free act and can enact imaginary laws upon myself. No that's not how it works.

Eventually I move close to the emergency help point ready to get police or security here because I'm feeling a little threatened. She had a buddy of her's come and he joins in for a smoke too. Luckily my buddy I was with who was waiting in the car came down and I told him about the people and on the way up he tells them "You know you can't smoke here right?"
You need to learn some more street smarts, as it sounds like the attitude is coming from both sides here.

The best way to handle any conflict with a member of the public is to defuse the situation, and remove yourself from the situation if you need to or can, not make it worse by trying to get a one-up on them by telling them off for something they're doing. Why care about winning an argument with an uneducated random stranger? :twisted:

As to the smoking, whilst yes they are breaking the law, like many others do every day, it is best to keep your mouth closed about it as you're never going to get a positive response. It sounds like that you significantly escalated the situation yourself based on your reactions to their provocation.

Also, the emergency help point is not going to save your arse if something is imminently about to happen to you. Even if you request police attendance, it will probably take 30 minutes until they turn up. Don't expect station staff to save you either as it's not their job to be your security guard.
ScaniaGrenda wrote:I have another story but this time of me and a bus driver but I'm running out of time this morning to talk about it so I might post it later if there's any interest. Might also add a little more to this post too eventually.
If a bus driver doesn't like you taking pictures, then just ignore them and move on, though it might be smart to avoid pointing your camera at their bus again if you're not looking for an argument. Like I said before, there is no point in trying to win an argument with someone you don't know.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by boronia »

ScaniaGrenda wrote:
Eventually she smokes on the platform and I give her a good ol blessing of the "Smoke environmental free act" and tell her the section of the act and that's she's not allowed to smoke here. Doesn't stop her and seems to think she's above the law with the smoke free act and can enact imaginary laws upon myself. No that's not how it works.
And you think she is going to take notice of your "lecture"? You are just asking for trouble.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Bus 400 »

In recent times, I've had a member of the public thinking I was part of extra security at Windor Station. To which I responded "maybe".

Then over hearing what I suspect was some old lady complaining about me photographing trams at St Kilda to a group of Victorian Police Officers. To which their response was it's a public space, to which she said to her male partner, the Police aren't doing their job.

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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Newcastle Flyer »

I filmed tapping off yesterday, & some driver WHO WAS PARKED in the bus stip didn't like it & got his mobile phone out!
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by ScaniaGrenda »

All I can say is the "girl" brought this on herself when she decided to be "smart" about me filming trains. Had she not acted that way and just asked a simple question and in a nice way and left it at that, I don't think the events that happened that day would've happened at all. But because she decided to be snarky to me I was snarky back to her. Only treat others how you want to be treated remember?

she's not the very smart one to be making up laws while breaking an actual one herself. And in NSW at least on the Hunter Line and Central cost / Newcastle line there's no rules about or against it on photography at stations or platforms as far as I'm concerned. Tho I did later speak to NSW Trainlink to double check it was okay and as long as they said I was out of the way (Which I was since I was at the far end of the platform at the end of the platform fence) and not using flash photography they said I could go for it as much as I like.

Some people just don't tend to understand these interests even tho there's a big community involved in it. I told her to look it up if she's so interested in me filming trains and that there's a big community worldwide involved in it. She probably didn't but eh that's her problem.

I'll say I've filmed / photographed at Maitland station, none of the staff cared I was filming and even after exiting had nothing said to me about it. Same for Newcastle Interchange, Hamilton and I've filmed at Cardiff station where Transit officers happened to be one day, they didn't care either or say anything to me. We actually get it quite friendly down here compared to old posts in here I've been reading of people getting turned away at Sydney stations for photography or filming. Heck I even took photos of Circular Quay on a rainy day last year when I was in Sydney for the day and I still didn't get approached. It seems like in the more bigger cities people are use to this kind of stuff but even tho staff in the smaller areas are used to it, the general public down here aren't.

The golden tip here is to keep your business to the far end of the platform out of the way of people and you'll be 95% fine. That way when a train comes you aren't in the way of people boarding or interfering with the train service(s).
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by J_Busworth »

I have found that the reaction you get really depends on the bus driver. Some drivers wave and smile whilst I've had other cover there faces are look away. Even had one or two come and chat with me about the photos I was taking. Once in Canberra I had a driver tell me it was against the law to take a photo of his bus, so didn't take a picture of his bus, just the other buses in the area.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by Swift »

J_Busworth wrote: Once in Canberra I had a driver tell me it was against the law to take a photo of his bus, so didn't take a picture of his bus, just the other buses in the area.
Well he doesn't know what he is talking about. Should have just done it.
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Re: [SMH] Photography Is Not A Crime

Post by TA3001 »

J_Busworth wrote:I have found that the reaction you get really depends on the bus driver. Some drivers wave and smile whilst I've had other cover there faces are look away. Even had one or two come and chat with me about the photos I was taking. Once in Canberra I had a driver tell me it was against the law to take a photo of his bus, so didn't take a picture of his bus, just the other buses in the area.
As mentioned, I never ask a driver if I can take a photo unless I know them. If only more folks abided by this. You're most likely going to get a no anyway, so just take it nonetheless.

I have never heard of a single person being arrested for photographing a bus on Australian soil.
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