Proposed NYC Photography ordinance

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AmtrakWPK

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Just ran across this on SlashDot, a computer-related news blog -

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/...201&tid=158

some text:

"New rules being considered by the Mayor's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance. The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment. Julianne Cho, assistant commissioner of the film office, said the rules were not intended to apply to families on vacation or amateur filmmakers or photographers. Nevertheless, the New York Civil Liberties Union says the proposed rules, as strictly interpreted, could have that effect. The group also warns that the rules set the stage for selective and perhaps discriminatory enforcement by police."

This could potentially be a problem for railfan photogs, especially in any kind of group settings.
 
This is crazy!!! A photo ban not only in a transit system, but in an entire city?? Aside from the effects on railfans, tourists could be affected. If you spend a half hour on the Empire state building taking pictures, as many people might do, you would need to get a permit and supposedly pay for insurance. This also opens up MANY possibilities for on-the-spot interpretation of photography laws by policemen as happens on transit systems. There is absolutely no reason to implement this policy, and, frankly, I hope that if it comes to pass, the ACLU or someone else will sue and have that ridiculous policy removed.

Sorry for the rant!
 
Aloha

Just think of the interpretation's of

camera in a single public location for more than a half hour

whether a still or motion camera I never stay in one location for 30 minutes. Seems to me they are trying to get at the commercial photographers that evade the permit process by being small.
 
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Seems to me they are trying to get at the commercial photographers that evade the permit process by being small.
Well that is precisely what they claim is the point of this proposed law, to target small commercial photographers and movie makers.

However, the debate is due to the fact that some of the law is a bit vague and many fear that it could be used to go after anyone should they decide to do so, or should some police officer misinterpret the law.
 
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