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rally for photographers rights in Melbourne........

http://www.vaps.org.au/Html/Announcements.htm

Interesting....

Join hundreds of camera club members in a show of strength against stupid rules prohibiting photography in public places

I didn't realise that there were laws prohibiting photography in public spaces, mainly bigotted stupid ass shopping centres...

Raskill
Shopping centers are not public places. You can be asked not to take pics...but if you really want to then use a small P&S camera and they will ignore you.

Shopping centers are private property but public space and you can take a camera into a public space. they can ask you to leave but cannot force you to only the police can force anyone to leave an area.

Shopping centres are private property but are also public spaces.
The policy of most shopping centres, according to an article in yesterdays Age newspaper, is firstly to ask people with cameras to stop taking photos. If the person continues then security will ask them to leave. They are not allowed to force you to leave, nor can they ask you to delete your photos or confiscate your equipment.
It's a bloody joke. I think the next photo meet should be at one of these shopping centres. The security guards won't know what hit them

Raskill wrote:Interesting....

Join hundreds of camera club members in a show of strength against stupid rules prohibiting photography in public places

I didn't realise that there were laws prohibiting photography in public spaces, mainly bigotted stupid ass shopping centres...

There aren't. Notice the difference between "stupid rules" and "laws". The VAPS "event" is one where photographers are being encouraged to show up and do their "normal thing" of taking photos from public land. It is apparently NOT intended for people to confront security staff/etc, and if confronted, people should not say that they're making a protest but rather that they're doing normal things that they are allowed to do.

But it has been cleared with the police (and I'm told their Special Events people have clarified that the paved area along the river is public land) and I'm told that quite a few newspaper photographers will be there also...


As to the issue of shopping centres being private property but public space, the shopping centre owners would take issue with that and say that they have signage at the entries saying that a condition of entry is that cameras/bicycles/skateboards/etc are banned. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the legal aspects of this issue will be explored soon!

I have seen notices at shopping centres prohibiting cameras/photography (along with skateboards etc etc). I think the position becomes difficult - the centre management would have considerable discretion in what was allowed on the premises, which are privately owned.

We go into many privately owned places which have public access and generally comply with whatever rules are in place. It is just that this photography thing strikes at our very being.

Don't get me wrong, I am not defending prohibitions at all, merely trying to be realistic

DaveB wrote:

Raskill wrote:Interesting....

Join hundreds of camera club members in a show of strength against stupid rules prohibiting photography in public places

I didn't realise that there were laws prohibiting photography in public spaces, mainly bigotted stupid ass shopping centres...

There aren't. Notice the difference between "stupid rules" and "laws". The VAPS "event" is one where photographers are being encouraged to show up and do their "normal thing" of taking photos from public land. It is apparently NOT intended for people to confront security staff/etc, and if confronted, people should not say that they're making a protest but rather that they're doing normal things that they are allowed to do.

But it has been cleared with the police (and I'm told their Special Events people have clarified that the paved area along the river is public land) and I'm told that quite a few newspaper photographers will be there also...


As to the issue of shopping centres being private property but public space, the shopping centre owners would take issue with that and say that they have signage at the entries saying that a condition of entry is that cameras/bicycles/skateboards/etc are banned. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the legal aspects of this issue will be explored soon!

Bikes/skateboards/etc are prohibited on the grounds of public safety. It will be interesting to see what the legal profession makes of the danger of photography to the public.

The law applying to bans have to be fair and equally enforced you cannot say we will allow one kind of bike but not another, so if they ban cameras they must ban ALL cameras including mobile phone cameras.

Can you imagine any shopping center asking customers to leave mobile phone outside before entering?

If asked by security to remove my cameras I would ask that everyone in the area be searched for mobile phones and also removed.
For security reasons of course

Whoever is going, can we see some photo's of the mob in action? This stuff should be posted worldwide.
Col

Dug wrote:If asked by security to remove my cameras I would ask that everyone in the area be searched for mobile phones and also removed.
For security reasons of course

Exactly

I still can't understand why a camera could be considered a threat to PUBLIC security in a shopping centre.

I would like them to define SECURITY to me. I will ask when i get back to Aust.

Last year at Roseland Shoping center , they only ask me with the DSLR to stop , but not stop hundreds of P&S cameras even video cameras is not stopped, the reason Security, I don't understand why

In 1997 I had it explained to me (by a security guard) that it was to do with protecting the intellectual property of the centre and the tenants (I was photographing an interesting shopfront at the time). Note that the bloke in uniform used shorter words than that though... FWIW this was in California.

In recent years people fall back on the "security" security blanket, but I suspect that's only part of the story.

Colcam wrote:Whoever is going, can we see some photo's of the mob in action? This stuff should be posted worldwide.
Col

Something tells me this will be one of the most photographed rallies ever .

I have tried all day to think of something of interest within a shopping centre that I would like to photograph - zilch

Chris, a while back I tried to take 10-second photos in an empty food court (interesting patterns in the seats and tables). This was after 6pm on my walk home from work and there was hardly anyone around. Unfortunately a security guard wandered past and told me off.

sirhc55 wrote:I have tried all day to think of something of interest within a shopping centre that I would like to photograph - zilch

Tables elevators escalators decorations displays people movement signs patterns lights space lots of stuff.

For someone who shoots stock photography concept photos of generic shopping locations are an important part of any folio.

drifter wrote:

Colcam wrote:Whoever is going, can we see some photo's of the mob in action? This stuff should be posted worldwide.
Col

Something tells me this will be one of the most photographed rallies ever .

Nah, strictly no cameras during the rally, for security reasons...

Cheers
Steffen.

Dug wrote:

sirhc55 wrote:I have tried all day to think of something of interest within a shopping centre that I would like to photograph - zilch

Tables elevators escalators decorations displays people movement signs patterns lights space lots of stuff.

enraged security guards...

Cheers
Steffen.

I'm not sure of the exact details, but apparently there are three separate rallies at Southgate planned for tomorrow. The VAPS one at 9, one at 11:30, and another starting at 1pm. Not sure who's behind the later ones.

It seems a "few" people have been riled up by this...

Dug wrote:

sirhc55 wrote:I have tried all day to think of something of interest within a shopping centre that I would like to photograph - zilch

Tables elevators escalators decorations displays people movement signs patterns lights space lots of stuff.

For someone who shoots stock photography concept photos of generic shopping locations are an important part of any folio.

Ah yes! I have shot in shopping precincts before in a professional situation, with and without permission but that was for payment - not enjoyment

http://www.flickr.com/groups/melbourne/ ... 211274616/

another group attending

I'm really pleased to see the number of photoghraphers and groups that have picked up on this issue and are keen to go down to the shopping centre to protest.

Sure, apathy is a growing illness among many Australians these days, particularly when it comes to politics. But I suppose it shows that the important things, like photography , manage to stir up some emotion.

As someone on the Melb flickr group said, civil disobediance has a long history of changing stupid laws. I'm hoping this will be the case this weekend.

Rally? What Rally??

I have re organised my Saturday morning, so the family can enjoy a nice stroll along the picturesque Yarra River in the city. Might even have a bite to eat! Mmmm, might be a good excuse to take my camera along and grab some abstract architectual shots

I'll let you know what happens....and hopefully have some 'interesting' images!

I have just been for a stroll around Southgate with my camera.

I couldn't see any signs prohibiting photography. Nor could I see any security guards. There were lots of people, tourists taking photos (they don't know there's an issue nor would they care), the usual assortment of people doing the usual assortment of stuff.

My feeling is that you could get a thousand people in there taking photos and no-one would say anything. I might be wrong, but really, given the negative spin from so many groups and politicians, they just want the whole thing to be forgotten, and I greatly doubt they would want to do anything to prolong the pain. They would have to be even more stupid than they already look to start harrassing people tomorrow.

stormygirl wrote:Rally? What Rally??

I have re organised my Saturday morning, so the family can enjoy a nice stroll along the picturesque Yarra River in the city. Might even have a bite to eat! Mmmm, might be a good excuse to take my camera along and grab some abstract architectual shots

I'll let you know what happens....and hopefully have some 'interesting' images!

Enjoy the stroll and maybe all of the other strollers could synchronise their flashes to go off at the same time at the "Rent A Cops"...... or maybe even centre managers although I'm sure the latter never work weekends...

Let us know how you get on!

Well, for one I'm looking forward to the posts in 'image reviews and critiques' coming from this photography meet. Sorry I can;t be there to join you!

The pollys are even having a say........

http://www.abc.net.au/southwestvic/stories/s1698706.htm

big pix wrote:The pollys are even having a say........

http://www.abc.net.au/southwestvic/stories/s1698706.htm

Interesting article, but what are they going to do about it except state the obvious.

so did anybody go?

These were from the 9am gathering...





Starting them young (one's got a digital ixus, one has a film ixy). Their mother has a 20D just visible over the back...

The other gatherings later in the day were more dribs-n-drabs affairs.

Well done every one who attended.

Perhaps the message will get heard now!

looks like a reasonable gathering.... did it make the news at all?

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/ ... 26869.html

The signs are now down, but the anti-photography policy hasn't changed.

Good place for the next Melbourne outing, I'd say...

--Chuan

Love those images, brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.

TonyH wrote:looks like a reasonable gathering.... did it make the news at all?

Yep it made the news . It was on Seven and i presume it would have been on nine as well . They showed the centre handing out a new leaflet , not sure what it was about as i had a couple of screaming kids in my ear at the time .

A boost for the event as far as media coverage is concerned was Bryan Dawe leading the charge .