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Michael Martin
Joined: 25 Oct 2005
Posts: 96
Location: RYY PDK MGE FTY ATL
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Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:46 pm Post subject: Photography "Harassment" at airports |
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Anyone ever been harassed by local Law Enforcement while shooting at their favorite airport? Here is my little story:
Several weeks ago, a friend and I were shooting from the parking deck at ATL when a APD (Atlanta Police Department) officer shows up. Didn't ask what we were doing, but demanded to know. Told us to give him our ID's and to put our camera's down. After he TOLD us that what we were doing was against the law (?), we said that we would gladly leave and go somewhere off the property to shoot. Immediately he told us that he would make sure that we were put on the FBI's most watched list if we ever got caught again taking pictures of airplanes! We politely left the area. One does have to understand something about the APD officers at ATL. Quite a few of them are sent there because they are about 1 step away from being dismissed due to poor performance, public complaints or just a bad officer.
Part II - but on a better note:
Today, I was not on ATL property taking pictures, but on a public roadway. Within 5 minutes, a yellow ATL operations truck pulls up along side of my truck and ask what am I doing. I told them I was shooting pictures of the planes. They asked if it was for business or pleasure. I told them pleasure and the two guys in the truck exchanged glances and they said "OK. Have a great day" and drove off. No problem. Another 5 minutes pass and here comes APD! The officer walks up to me and asks me, very politely, what I was doing and if I would show him my ID. I told him the same thing and he just smiled and asked if I had any weapons on myself or in my truck. I told him "no" and he asked if he could look in my truck. I gave him permission and told him that I was probably the most "boring" person he was going to have. He laughed and said that he wished all his contacts were boring. After figuring out I wasn't a radical terrorist, he told me why he stopped by and that I did have the lawful right to take pictures, but that another officer may stop by and ask me to leave. I told him no problem and he told me to have a nice day and left. Day get's better! About 15 minutes later a big black Ford Excursion pulls up behind me and this guy gets out and goes "Hey man! Hows it going! Great day to take pictures!" I looked at him and said "You are #3 so far". He asked who else has been by and I told him, and he just smiled! He pulled his ID out from his back pocket and showed me that he was a US Marshal and he was just stopping by to make sure I wasn't a "table cloth and fan belt dude"! We laughed about that and then he really surprised me by telling me where some even better places were to take pictures from! I was a bit taken back by that!!! He shook my hand and told me to enjoy the day and left!
I learned my lesson! Don't shoot from the airport, but off the property where they really can't bother you. And, if a US Marshal tells you where better places to shoot from are, you definitely tell him THANK YOU and take him up on the tips! _________________ /\/\|K.E
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Doug Robertson
Joined: 01 Nov 2005
Posts: 1751
Location: Southern California
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:30 am Post subject: |
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The CAF Southern California Wing, Camarillo, California CMA Airport has charged entry fees since they built their two new hangars, Museum admission: $5 adults, $2 (12 & under), under 3-free. They also charge separate admission to their C-46 and C-131 guided tours. I am warned no commercial photo use and do not join the CAF's guided tour. Yet, pictures of their aircraft at Airshows seem to be all over the Web. After payment, the CAF gives you a VISITOR sticker to slap on your clothing in the museum and on their ramp for access.
If you do not have an aircraft based at CMA, through an FBO office, the CAF or the Waypoint Cafe and its outdoor patio dining area are the only pedestrian entries to CMA. Transient pilots who stay a while in the area joke about it while schlepping their flight bags, luggage etc. through the cafe back to their planes.
Last edited by Doug Robertson on Tue Jan 02, 2007 6:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Michael Martin
Joined: 25 Oct 2005
Posts: 96
Location: RYY PDK MGE FTY ATL
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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Well, another off day for me (from work), so I decided to go down towards ATL to shoot pictures of airliners. Find a great abandoned warehouse with a large parking area, so what do I do? I park and start shooting. Time until Forest Park Police Department shows up? About 30 minutes! Not one, not two, but THREE cars come to investigate me! Two officers and a sergeant! Pretty thorough check on me! Complete NCIC check (full background history), check out the truck, take my photograph and a fingerprint! Good thing was that they let me continue to take photo’s. One funny part of it all was that every time they keyed up their radio’s, the Close Call technology in the Uniden 996 would kick in! They would all turn and look at it! All in all, it was very professional, and they got a kick out of me when I told them that I was going to become College Park’s problem because ATL turned the airport around and I would have to go to the west side of the airport to shoot! _________________ /\/\|K.E
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John Little
Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 65
Location: Centennial, Colorado
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject: Airports |
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I have never been hassled or even had anyone from any official agency make contact with me, as long as I was not on airport property.
I did have issues at Centennial when I was taking pictures from their parking lot at the ariport, especially towards the FBO's, but that was resolved a long ago (with the help of some great folks at the field).
DIA does allow pictures but you have to jump some hoops and pay money to get to them, also they have the 6'-0" Fence rule....you cannot get within 6 feet of the fenceline anywere near the field.
The one thing is that every airport that I have visited does have is a special photography rule, that states in essence, if your are taking pictures for commercial use (money changing hands), then you do have to pay the airport authority for the privilege.
You will see this on every website for every "Commercial" Airport, or in their Rules and Regulations materials available from the Airport Administrative Offices.
You will see these same clauses as well for taking pictures in State and US Parks, Federal Lands, Marinas, Beaches, and other similar locations.
My only argument is that I pay both city taxes, and airline ticket taxes for the "privilege" to have and use the airport, why should it be such a problem to enjoy my hobby at the same place.
The real point they are missing and as I have posted before. We are enthusiast of taking pictures of airplanes, we are not going to idly sit by and watch some idiot do something that would ever endanger a plane, it's crew, or passengers, plus with all of us with cameras hanging around our necks, what better "un-official" security service could they ever want. |
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Michael Martin
Joined: 25 Oct 2005
Posts: 96
Location: RYY PDK MGE FTY ATL
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Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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The saga continues!
Today, my wife calls to "congratulate" me on having the FBI come to our house to interview me! About 30 minutes later, I get a call from one of the agents requesting to interview me about my pictures. I won't go into detail, but I guess they figured out that I'm not the bad guy they thought I was!
So, my tally includes: Atlanta Police, Forest Park Police, ATL Operations, Fulton County Police, US Air Marshal, Marietta Police, DoD Police and now the FBI. Who else will "investigate" me?
To my Law Enforcement friends - I'm here to stay! Planespotting is not a crime! _________________ /\/\|K.E
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