Comments

Rights on a Lens Cloth

Good idea!

What about People?

I wish there was more advocacy against the diminishing rights of photographers, like this.

In a recent episode of This Week in Photography, there was discussion about the requirement "That all parties must agree to be documented", which some states have passed into law and are enforcing.

Any idea about weather this "Notice of Photography Rights" works with or contradict these state laws?

COPS do not care.

Many COPS do not care, They will bully you into what that want, or they will find a way to lock you up.
IT will cost you money to get out of the situation if you are arrested.
Its always good to have a witness.
Its a very SAD state of affairs.

ID

It is most important when venturing out with your camera to ensure that you have nothing at all on you with your name and address on. I am not the only one to notice that when PC Plod stops you, the only thing he/she is interested in is your name/address and date of birth. You are not obliged to provide this and I strongly advise against giving it. On an enhanced police records check, you do not want it to show: "stopped on suspicion of taking photographs of children or for terrorist purposes." Such would prevent you from even getting a voluntary job, i.e. a charity shop. If the officer tells you that you must tell him who you are, remind hime of PACE section 3 subsection 3.This is why I ensure that I have nothing on me. If you are arrested and locked in a cell, you will have grounds to sue - the going rate is £5,000. If a police officer approaches you and claims that a complaint has been made by "a concerned member of the public" and that he is bound to investigate, put this question to him: 'What criminl offence am I suspected of committing to warrant police involvement?' This always throws them. Remember, there is no offence known to law as 'acting suspiciously.

So why is BF ID

The lens cloth letter is a brilliant idea but so is the comment by Dave Murray.

The question I ask why is the BFP not more supportive and issue some kind of useful plausable ID card that show you are a serious photographer and only a photographer.

The blue cardboard with a sticky lable, looks so amateurish and could have been printed on a home printer.

It's time that the BFP steps up its image and its support for Freelancers

to wipe away all tears from your eyes

There are does and donts about this process. Don't photograph families when their kids are doing GCSEs. Don't even go out with a camera if the media are pressing the pedophile button. DONT imagine that people do not have a right to complain about their portrayal in published images. They do. So do you. But they can of course, simply turn their backs to you- works every time.
The police, bless 'em, unfortunately being members of the public, DUH, also are prone to equal levels of paranoia which they share with their fellows. Remember it was the mob who had Christ killed and Barabbas released. It was the mob who fought WW1 and WW2 and Vietnam and the Gulf Wars, not the politicians, or the lawyers. In the street you are another tourist, another member of the public, first, and a photographer a long way second, as, believe it or not, the vast majority of suffering humanity don't give a monkeys about photographs really, except as snaps of their families and their friends.
Only other photographers, and the odd editor and picture editor and museum curator care at all, so stop acting the martyr every time someone does take umbrage at your presence.