Comments on: No Cameras In Tim’s

By: Justin Kozuch

Justin Kozuch — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:33:50 +0000

I had a similar incident happen to me last night. Deets at
http://www.pxleight.com/journal/rants/freedom-of-photographic-expression/

By: Chris Nolan.ca

Chris Nolan.ca — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 04:34:58 +0000

I came across this, http://krages.com/phoright.htm, earlier today actually – although it’s US based it might still be a good read.

I was talking to a guy a couple of weeks ago who actually got hauled into the police station after he was asked by mall security to stop taking video with his cell phone a few times. He had to go through and show them all the shots to make sure he wasn’t doing the whole downblouse, upskirt thing This is his output – http://www.motofilmproject.com/archives/mguez/index.html

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 11:25:36 +0000

Glad to see its not just us Londoners who are dealing with this crap!
I finally had enough and developed a laminated card which explains the rights of photographers in the UK.

This was handed out yesterday at the European Photobloggers Meetup and it was in use a couple of hours ago.

Best thing is to know your rights and show the people who think differently that they are in the wrong

By: potty

potty — Sat, 24 Sep 2005 20:38:04 +0000

thanks for posting all the information on this topic. i love street photography immensely but the thought of being assailed by police, security guards and other aggressive people have, sadly, dampened my enthusiasm for this topic.

By: James Bow

James Bow — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 22:34:05 +0000

TTC security and railfans have butted heads more than once about the issue of photography on the system. The people at the top have been very clear: ONLY COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY REQUIRES A LICENSE. Non-commercial photography on the system is perfectly legal, and should not offend any TTC supervisor. Despite this, incidents of railfans being harrassed by TTC supervisors continue.

By: Dead Robot

Dead Robot — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 21:56:41 +0000

I worked in a store that created plaster mouldings and my boss instructed me to not let people take pictures of, in and around the store. He was worried of product theft obviously.

Maybe they thought you were Plankton, come to steal the secret of their Crabby Patty timbits?

By: Abbas Halai

Abbas Halai — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 14:12:06 +0000

i tried shooting the grazing bulls in the financial courtyard (i think in between rbc plaza and td courtyard and scotia plaza) on a public holiday a few years back. being a public holiday, the streets in the financial district were deserted and not a soul roaming around in the area. so my friend and i, whip out our camera’s and are about to shoot when a security guard comes out of nowhere, threatens to confiscate our film if we don’t vacate and/or arrest us and we just stood there flabberghasted. all i wanted to do was shoot some bulls!

By: Ron

Ron — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 17:52:22 +0000

Maybe you look like a terrorist to them Rannie

I had a confrontation with a Cop in Boston last year as I was adjusting the settings on my digital camera while walking out of Mass General Hospital after visiting my father. Of course it was around the time of the Democratic Convention and security was tight. But still, what did they think I was going to do. It’s nuts. If they want to be afraid, there are plenty of real fears to worry about.

By: lynn

lynn — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 10:00:50 +0000

a couple of years ago – september 2003 to be exact – i needed a photo of lacy underwear to accompany a particular post, and was shooting a lingerie shop’s sidewalk display when i was very rudely shooed away (i ended up finding suitable graffiti to use)..and recently, at a sunday open-air junk market in amsterdam, a stallholder also shooed rachel and i away in a very unpleasant manner. i have serious doubts about their right to discourage photography when their wares are in a public place, but, after voicing my take on the situation, i usually just shrug my shoulders and avoid confrontation..

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 00:21:26 +0000

Two and a half years ago, I won a mountain bike in Tim Horton’s “Roll Up The Rim To Win” campaign. The day the store (in Woodbridge, ON) phoned me to tell me that my bike was in, I was on the way to a wedding, so I decided to stop by and pick up my bike on my way back between wedding and reception.

I showed up, digital camera in hand, in a wedding suit and a bike helmet (just to be a nut). I took pictures of me riding it in the store, and some of the staff even posed for photos with me inside the Tim’s. I think I took them by surprise, but I must have taken a dozen shots in there without anyone saying anything.

By: Eva

Eva — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 19:03:04 +0000

What the hell? I take pictures at Tim Horton’s all the time! Well, not all the time, but I have several pictures taken there. And I’m really obvious about it too. I also have a picture of me with a smiley cookie somewhere.

By: Chris Loudermilk

Chris Loudermilk — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 12:40:40 +0000

I was stopped outside the new Federal Reserve on the street in Houston by a guard. I was 100 yards away in the public right of way!

By: Sean Galbraith

Sean Galbraith — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 11:11:08 +0000

I had a similar experience photographing the Scotia tower. The security guard asked me to stop taking pictures of the building, on the sidewalk, and I politely told her to call whoever it is she needed to call and that I’d happily explain to them why I would in fact not be stopping taking pictures.
Know your rights and assert your rights. Its the only way to keep them.

By: John

John — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 05:04:47 +0000

A few years ago in New York I took a picture of a building near Federal Plaza because it said “City of New York” – what I didn’t know was DUbya was in town that day. Let’s just say that if I wasn’t a Polite Canadian White Guy I probably would have ended up in some little room somewhere. Scary. And it wasn’t even a good pic.

By: Ryan Waddell

Ryan Waddell — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 21:43:49 +0000

I had a pimply faced security child tell me that I wasn’t allowed to take pictures of the Exchange Tower (the smaller tower next to the BMO building downtown). I was standing on the public sidewalk, taking pictures of the building. He said I wasn’t allowed, for “Security Reasons”. I said “Oh, ok” and continued shooting. He went back inside without another word, which I felt was kind of… odd.

By: payam

payam — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 19:50:20 +0000

hehe… If I had a dime for every time I’ve gotten kicked out of a place for taking pictures…
I’ve been hassled in many public places for taking photos of buildings. I think that as long as you’ve got a tiny p&s camera or cameraphone, and you’re taking photos of people (your friends/family) they’re okay with it… but as soon as you bring a larger camera (like an slr) and you’re photographing buildings, shops, etc, they get really suspicious. This is the result of post sept. 11 paranoia… which really sucks because they treat me like a criminal, while all I’m trying to do is appreciate the architectural beauty in my city.
Anyway, great article Rannie, and here’s a related blog:http://blog.photoblogs.org/2005/07/assault_on_phot.html

By: Ron

Ron — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 18:39:34 +0000

I am fairly sure I was told quite some time ago that Tim Horton’s was purchased by a US outfit. I have not drunk a coffee at a Tim Horton’s since, but that is primarily because the coffee I make myself is so much better.
At the same time, this hassle and “similar experiences”, to which you linked, have introduced some great work on sites that are new to me. Thanks for sharing your own good work, and for the links as well. If you get a chance, Rannie, stop in Burlington for a cup of real coffee.