Oh, how we suffer for our art! These chairs caused me to be tapped on the shoulder by security and told to put my camera away.They are a very ordinary setting in the lobby of an office building in the city (The Gateway at Circular Quay). I thought they looked pretty snazzy and lined up a shot. Just as I was about to press the button some beefy bloke in a security uniform informed me that is is "forbidden" to take photos in the foyer of a building thousands of people pass through every day. "Why?". Silence. I don't think they were protecting the design from copyright, just more mad overkill in "these security conscious times".
I heard a bloke on radio yesterday sayign some goon had stopped him taking photos from the walkway of the Harbour Bridge - a perfectly legal activity, undertaken by thousands of tourists every day!
I pressed the button, said "See the bomb didn't go off" and went on my way.
You are right you know - if we allow them to boss us around, they will think they have a right to boss us around. Heaven forbid - what if you had wanted to sit in one of them!!
ReplyDeleteOh so true. we call it the white coat syndrome. Give a man a white coat and he becomes authoritarian. Try heathrow airport! Keep up the illegal photo shoots!
ReplyDeleteLOL, they look kinda retro. Glad you still took the picture. I am waiting to be told I cant take one.
ReplyDeletewe get told to put the camera away all the time here in athens. I wish I came up with witty retorts like yours though. it's always afterwards that i think of all the things i should have / could have said. your reply to him made me laugh out loud! :)
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience last year taking photos close to Wolli Creek railway station. While I was doing it, the station attendant called two policemen over who happened to be swappimg trains there and they asked me for i.d. and wrote down my details. It's crazy.
ReplyDeleteHad the same thing happen to me in Northbridge Shopping Plaza. "Someone" from "Center Management" came up to me and said
ReplyDelete"For security reasons, can I ask why you are taking photos?"
I looked at her deadpan and replied "You can ask."
She started to lose her nerve. They know it's bullsh*t, but they all love to be fascist for a day.
I said, "It's for my own use." and she scurried away back to the little dark place she crawled out from.
I mean, where do these people get off? It's not like I was taking pictures of Pine Gap, or Duntroon, it was just a stupid shopping center fer crying out loud.
Ah well, no free advertising for Northbridge Shopping Plaza. Their loss. Morons.
Sorry, I'll stop ranting now.
Ah Sally, everyone knows you were really trying to take pics of where the security cameras were located, and what type they were !
ReplyDeleteCamera is a very dangerous weapon! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThese jobsworth busy bodies drive me nuts. Of course they blame it all on stopping the terrorists!
ReplyDeleteYup, it's overkill, and I resent the lengths to which some institutions go to "protect us." I loved your parting comment; did he?!
ReplyDeletei really like this shot, and your post reminds me of a recent photo i was taking in our downtown are of a lamp-post.. the lawyer that occupied the building near the lamp came out to ask what i was doing and then played 20 questions.. he was afraid that i was taking photos to 'sell' the lamp on ebay or something!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!! You know, some security officer prevented me from photographic the flag hanging on the outside of the B of A building, one of the "high rises" of San Francisco. Clearly, you are supposed to be able to photograph anything you want outside of a public building, but you know, these days, they're just not kidding with security.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your hair is really getting long! :)
Hahahahahaha... that was to funny that you took the photo anyway and said "See, the bomb didn't go off!" - I wish I could have seen his face...
ReplyDeleteGood on you! I have also encountered a similar bad experience in a Taipei 101's shopping mall. Apparently these restrictions are common in many countries and it's a shame that it has filtered to here in Australia.
ReplyDelete