Affiliated to the Photographic Alliance
of Great Britain through the Welsh Photographic Federation.
Thanks to BJP
Rail staffers continue to use "anti-terrorism" powers they don't have
Posted by Olivier Laurent on 26 Jul 2010
A blogger, who contacted BJP today, was detained last weekend by two Rail Enforcement Officers after taking photos, despite the fact that REO don't have the power to do so "Last night I had the “pleasure” of being detained against my will not by the police but by Rail Enforcement Officers who operate on the South Eastern rail services. What did I do wrong? I took a picture of these Rail Enforcement Officers and when they asked me to see and then remove the pictures from my phone I refused."
With these words, Olly, a blogger for the You've Been Cromwelled blog, starts the account of another abuse of power by rail staffers, who questionned Olly's motives for taking photos of them. "While he was asking me these questions his colleague came to join him and he too was asking me similar questions. Each time I told them they had no authority over me, and that I hadn’t committed any crime, nor was I unruly, and I had a perfectly legitimate ticket which entitled me to be on the train. The younger of the two officers explained he had seen me taking pictures of them on the platform and they had the right to see those pictures because of their safety. I refused. The older one then said they did have the authority to do so because of the terrorism act. I asked which terrorism act and why were they enforcing that act if they were not police officers? They informed us they did have those powers."
After being detaine for 30 minutes, British Police officers showed up, confirming that Olly had done anything wrong and should not have been detained. Read Olly's full account here.
But Olly isn't the victim of a unusual incident. In fact, a week never passes without us hearing about rail staffers preventing photographers - whether amateurs or professionals - from taking pictures in their stations.
Technically, rail companies have a right to deny a photographer the right to take pictures in their stations and trains, as these are private properties. But, major companies have a tolerant policy towards photographers, as they have found it counter-productive to stop photographers from taking pictures, especially in the case of rail enthusiats. In fact, in October 2009, Virgin Trains started a campaign to inform photographers about their rights, and duties, when taking pictures in its stations.
The poster read: 'Virgin Trains welcomes rail enthusiasts and passengers who wish to take still or video images at our stations. We ask that you do not interfere with the flow of passengers and respect the wishes of both passengers and staff not to be photographed.'
It added that 'if you are filming for extended periods and/or using bulky equipment you should make yourself known to our station staff. Flash photography is not permitted at any time and the use of tripods should be avoided wherever possible. If you wish to use a tripod you should speak with the Station Team Leader to ensure that you are in a safe area'.
First Capital Connect has also started displaying similar signs in its rail stations in and around London. However, staff at rail stations and in trains, including Rail Enforcement Officers, have no right to detain passengers, invoke anti-terrorism powers, look at and delete images taken. Only police officers can perfom any of these actions (with a court order to delete images), as British Transport Police members confirmed to Olly in this particular case.
At a time when police officers are being told to ease off on the use of anti-terrorism powers, it would be wise for rail companies and the British Transport Police to inform security guards and rail staff that they don't hold these powers and cannot invoke them. But in an increasingly paranoid society, will they listen?
PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG - 17.06.10
Sigma Acknowledges AF Issue with Certain Telezoom Lenses
Sigma UK has issued a service notice to owners of certain Sigma telezoom lenses. Some of its APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM, APO 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM (pictured) and APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lenses, produced recently, may suffer from this autofocus defect, the company says. Sigma has listed the serial numbers of the potentially affected lenses, which you can find in the press release below. If you own one of these lenses, you should contact Sigma on 01707 376 795, and they will arrange to collect your lens at no cost for inspection and modification where necessary. Your lens will be returned to you free of charge. Sigma Press Release Auto focusing issue affects limited number of Sigma telezoom lenses
After thorough investigation, we have ascertained that some APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM, APO 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM and APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lenses, produced recently, may have a potential autofocus defect.
This issue could possibly occur in some lenses within the following range of serial numbers:
APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM: Serial Numbers between 10633051 and 10972000
APO 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM: Serial Numbers between 10574001 and 10972000
APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM: Serial Numbers between 10674301 and 10972000
This is a limited problem that will not occur in any lenses other than those specifically listed above.
To overcome this issue, we will be offering our customers an inspection and where applicable, a modification service, free of charge. In the case of any autofocus problem becoming apparent on inspection, we will rectify the situation and make every effort to minimise delay and inconvenience.
If you are the owner of one of the above three focal lengths but your serial number is different to those specified above, then you need take no further action. If however you are in possession of one of the lenses with a serial number mentioned above, please contact us on our special helpline 01707 376 795 and we will arrange to collect your lens at no cost to yourself. In the unlikely event that the inspection uncovers a potential problem, your lens will be modified and returned to you absolutely free of charge with the minimum of delay.
We deeply apologise if any inconvenience has been caused to our customers.
For further information, please visit http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/returns, call our helpline on 01707 376 795 or email us at support@sigma-imaging-uk.com
US legal action seeks public photography rights
The New York Civil Liberties Union is suing the United States Department of Homeland Security in a bid to legalise photography in public places surrounding federal buildings such as courthouses
“This is a civil rights action to vindicate the constitutional right of New Yorkers and other to take photographs or video in outdoor areas that are open to the public and that are near federal courthouses, office buildings, and other federal property.”
On 22 March, as first revealed by the New York Times, Antonio Musumeci, backed by the New York Civil Liberties Union, sued the United States Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Protective Service, which is part of the DHS, Clifford Barnes, an inspector with the Federal Protective Service, as well as an unidentified federal agent “who participated in Musumeci’s arrest.”
Musumeci was arrested in November 2009 while videotaping a political protest in a public plaza outside of the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan. He was charged with violating a “vague federal regulation that restricts photography and that appears to be inconsistently enforced,” court papers read.
The plaintiff argues that federal law-enforcement officials improperly use the regulation to arrest and harass law-abiding photographers.
Musumeci, a 29-year-old member of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, was filming Julian Heicklen, a libertarian activist who was distributing pamphlets outside of a federal courthouse, when he was arrested alongside Heicklen. The two arresting officers, Barnes and the unidentified federal agent, confiscated Musumeci’s memory card for evidence, the court papers read.
“Musumeci asked why he had been arrested. Inspector Barnes showed him a copy of a federal regulation, stating that it governed photography on federal property,” according to the plaintiff, who was released 20 minutes later with a ticket for violating the photography regulation. The photography charge against Musumeci was laterdismissed.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. On 16 November 2009, Musumeci returned to the plaza to witness Heicklen’s continued actions. “This time, however, Musumeci stood outside the plaza, on an adjacent sidewalk, in an attempt to avoid arrest.” When federal enforcement officers arrived to arrest Heicklen, Musumeci, as well as another photographer, were threaten with arrest if they didn’t stop filming and taking images. In another incident, a federal agent photographed Musumeci.
The New York Civil Liberties Union argues that the regulation is not being enforced similarly across the country, citing the examples of a Philadelphia courthouse and of the United States Supreme Court in Washington DC, both of which allow photography on its grounds. It also argues that the regulation specifies that it must be posted for the public to see on federal property. In Musumeci’s case, the regulation was not displayed.
The New York Civil Liberties Union says that, consequently, the “defendants’ actions violated Musumeci’s rights under the First and Fourth Amendments to the United States Constitution.” It asks the court to issue a judgment that the regulation “cannot constitutionally be enforced to restrict non-commercial photography in outdoor public areas where pedestrians have an unrestricted right of access, such as plazas, sidewalks and parks.”
In the UK, photographers have been the victims of similar restrictions with police officers and security guards claiming that photography in public places of federal and private buildings can be curtailed.
From - ePHOTOzine
Yesterday, policing and crime minister David Hanson MP met with the parliamentary all party photography group and others to discuss the issue of counter terrorism powers and offences in relation to photography. Mr Hanson said that anti-terrorism legislation should not be used to stop photojournalists and members of the public from taking photographs and as a result, the police have been given guidance to that effect.
Following the meeting, Mr Hanson said:
"I recently met with Austin Mitchell MP, members of the Parliamentary All Party Photography Group and representatives of the photographic press and the Royal Photographic Society to discuss the issue of counter terrorism powers and offences in relation to photography. I welcomed the opportunity to reassure all those concerned with this issue that we have no intention of Section 44 or Section 58A being used to stop ordinary people taking photos or to curtail legitimate journalistic activity. Guidance has been provided to all police forces advising that these powers and offences should not be used to stop innocent member of the public, tourists or responsible journalists from taking photographs. These powers and offences are intended to help protect the public and those on the front line of our counter terrorism operations from terrorist attack. For the 58A offence to be committed, the information is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. I have committed to writing to Austin Mitchell MP to reinforce this message and to follow-up on the representations made."
Prepare to be amazed. A media company in Dresden, Germany, has created a 26 gigapixel image. It is made up of 1665 images (each 21.4 megapixels) shot with an EOS 5D Mark II and 400mm lens. A photo-robot moved the camera between each exposure. Converting the 102GB of RAW data on a computer took 92 hours. If you go to: http://www.dresden-26-gigapixels.com/dresden26GP
you will be able to see the final image and zoom in to reveal detail not visible when the full image is shown. Wow!
Award-winning photographer stopped after photographing a bank's building [third update - 3.30pm]
Grant Smith, a photographer and former chairman of the Association of Photographers, has been briefly detained by Police after photographing the Bank of America-Merrill Lynch building, BJP has learnt For an official statement from the City of London Police, scroll down.
This morning, Smith, an award-winning architectural and construction photographer, was taking photos of a church in the City of London. Next to the church was the Bank of America - Merrill Lynch building, from which a security guard emerged, Smith tells BJP.
'He asked what I was doing, and I just told him that I was taking pictures and didn't have to tell him anything at all,' says Smith. At that point, a second security officer came up to Smith and asked for his personal details, which the photographer refused to provide, at which point the guards called the police
Three police cars and one vans arrived on the scene with up to six armed police officers detaining the photographer. 'They were responding to an incident involving a male at reception who refused to leave, which was not true,' Smith tells BJP.
'I failed the [police] attitude test,' he says. 'I thought the pressure was off after last week's events. I even showed one police officer the front page of The Independent, and he told that he had seen it but that "we can still stop you under Section 44".'
To prevent being searched by the police officer, the photographer was forced to give his personal details. He received a stop and account form and was let go.
Smith is an Australian-born photographer, but he has been living in London since 1983 and 'has an extensive knowledge of London's architecture,' his personal website says.
The incident comes days after the Association of Chief Police Officers sent a memo to all police forces around the country informing them that they 'should not be stopping an searching people for taking photos.' The memo continues: 'There are no powers prohibiting the taking of photographs, film or digital images in a public place.'
The memo was sent after an Independent journalist was stopped for taking a picture of the House of Parliament. The incident caused a media blitz, with newspapers such as The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and Daily Mail, as well as the BBC publishing articles on the issue of public photography.
UPDATE 1.00pm: A spokeswoman for the City of London Police is expected to get back to BJP with an official comment. Check back for more updates.
UPDATE 2.45pm: A security official at Merrill Lynch, talking to Smith's wife Leanne Tritton of ING Media, has said that Smith was not considered to be a terrorism threat. However, it declined to comment further claiming that he wasn't 'at liberty to discuss our security policy'.
A spokeswoman for Merrill Lynch has yet to come back to BJP with an official statement.
UPDATE 3.30pm: A spokesman for the City of London Police has told BJP that the police intervened after 'security staff at a City bank reported concerns over the apparently hostile behaviour of a man taking photos of their staff. When questioned by officers, the man declined to give any explanation. He was therefore informed that, in light of the concerns of security staff, and in the absence of an explanation, he would be searched under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.'
The police add: 'After the man’s bag was searched, he gave his details and explained he was a freelance photographer taking photos of buildings. Once this explanation was received, there was no further action.'
However, Smith has denied he took photographs of staff. He tells BJP: I wasn't photographying staff, and my hostile behavior was simply that I refused to give my ID to the security guard.'
He continues: 'I thought this was over, but it isn't. And I'm sure tomorrow someone else will face the same situation. Of course the police are going to take the side of security guards. The guards are briefed to look out for suspicious people.'
BJP understands that The Guardian will be publishing a report of Smith's incident tomorrow.
As a leader in speed and resolution the EOS-1D Mark IV, captures the extraordinary. Freeze action at 16.1 Megapixels and at 10fps or with Full HD video, the EOS-1D Mark IV is ready for everything.
Features
16.1 MP APS-H CMOS sensor
10fps at up to 121 JPEG burst
45-point AF system with 39 cross type sensors
Full HD (1080p) movies with manual control
High ISO up to 102400
3.0” Clear View II LCD with Live View mode
Dual “DIGIC 4”
EOS Integrated Cleaning System
More than a number
16.1 MP CMOS sensor
A Canon designed and manufactured 16.1MP APS-H sized CMOS sensor produces incredibly low noise images in the lowest of light. The sensor captures outstanding detail ideal for A3 prints or larger, even after cropping.
10fps with upto 121 JPEG frame burst
Capture every moment of action with the EOS-1D Mark IV’s 10fps shooting speed, and continuous bursts of up to 121 large JPEG images (28 RAW).
45-point AF system
A high-precision 45 point AF system featuring 39 cross type sensors debuts in the EOS-1D Mark IV. Ensuring accurate focusing with fast aperture lenses, 39 high sensitivity cross-type sensors are employed, suitable for lenses with an aperture of f/2.8 or faster.
Full HD movie recording
Combining exceptional still shooting with the ability to shoot Full HD (1080p) video with user selectable frame rates, EOS-1D Mark IV offers huge versatility. For more control users can manually set exposure or choose to shoot at 720p or VGA resolution. An HDMI output allows High Definition playback of footage and images.
Low light shooting
Thanks to the EOS-1D Mark IV’s exceptionally wide ISO range of 100 to 12800 – expandable up to an incredible ISO 102400 - shooting need never stop even in the darkest of conditions.
3.0” Clear View II LCD with Live View mode
With its high resolution 920,000 dot 3.0” Clear View II LCD screen, detailed checks on images and video are easy. Using a solid structure construction, reflections are minimised, allowing Live View to be used under any conditions.
Dual “DIGIC 4”
Canon’s Dual “DIGIC 4” processors enable high speed processing of the high resolution images from EOS-1D Mark IV’s CMOS sensor, delivering 14-bit image processing with smooth gradations and natural looking colours. The Dual “DIGIC 4” provides advanced Noise Reduction when shooting at higher ISO speeds and instant startup times.
EOS Integrated Cleaning System
Canon’s built-in dust prevention system offers a professional and comprehensive solution in protecting images against the effects of dust: reduction of internal dust generation; an in-camera sensor cleaning mechanism; automatic removal of dust spots with the included Digital Photo Professional software.
Full EF and EX Speedlite compatibility
Canon’s full range of EF lenses and EX-series Speedlites is available to the EOS-1D Mark IV user. Create a system tailor-made to your photographic needs.
Sigma has added its Optical Stabilization system to its popular 17-70mm fast standard zoom lens. The 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM will be available in Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Sigma mounts. The latest version offers a slightly wider aperture at the long end of the zoom though gains weight and length and has a slightly reduced maximum magnification ratio. Adding image stabilization to a lens that already combines a comparatively fast maximum aperture range is likely to make it an even more tempting replacement for the kit lenses supplied with most DSLRs.
Sigma has added its Optical Stabilization system to its popular 17-70mm fast standard zoom lens. The 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM will be available in Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Sigma mounts. The latest version offers a slightly wider aperture at the long end of the zoom though gains weight and length and has a slightly reduced maximum magnification ratio. Adding image stabilization to a lens that already combines a comparatively fast maximum aperture range is likely to make it an even more tempting replacement for the kit lenses supplied with most DSLRs.
