JS

I took the E train to Jamaica to take the JFK AirTrain. On the second floor of the station, I took this photograph of the street as seen through the two-story glass wall:

JFK AirTrain 1

Then I took this photograph facing the other direction:

JFK AirTrain 2

I used to have respect for authority until the NYPD pissed me off last year. Add the Port Authority to the list of pigs. Goddamn do I hate New York more than ever.

In the middle of the above picture is a Port Authority Security Pig walking towards me. Zooming in on the above picture (poor quality, but the pig was pretty far away):

Port Authority NY/NJ security pig

So, this pig tells me that taking pictures is not allowed. I replied, "Why?" Pig said, "For security reasons." (of course!)

I said, "I don't see a sign anywhere that says photography is forbidden." The pig repeated that taking pictures was not allowed. I said, "What law allows you to forbid photography without even posting a sign?" The pig hesistated before responding, probably because he was surprised that anyone would question him. All he could do is repeat that he was told by his supervisor to tell people that taking pictures is forbidden.

I started explaining that the Constitution limits the powers of the police to laws actually passed by the legislature, and that there is no law that allows the police to ban all photography in a public train station.

The pig interrupted me before the civics lesson was over and said, "Do you want me to call the police?" If I had time to kill I would have said yes, but my flight was departing in an hour or so, so I passed on the opportunity.

Should I bother writing a letter to the Port Authority?

FWAAA

Well, you were taking pictures of a public building in a public place, so of course you were up to no good.

Think of the children. Anything to make us safer. If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear.

pynchonesque

The last US terrorist attack involved airplanes. Airplanes land at airports. The subway goes to the airport. The subway parks at the subway station. You took a picture of the subway station. You are a terrorist.

divaof travel

Well, it is kind of like TSA at the airport. It doesn't all make sense, but you are wreckless to argue with them, and could end up spending a night in jail or worse by doing so.

You can thank your government, all the way up to your President for this type of reduction in civil liberties. And it will only be getting worse and more widepread.

whirledtraveler

This is one thing that hasn't received the press it should. Why is it that everyone has a right to take a picture of you but you don't seem to have the right to take a picture of anything else?

I think it was Microsoft that came out with something a while ago at some tradeshow.. a little necklace that you can put around your neck and it snaps pictures whenever it notices movement. You could literally record your life in pictures, except it appears that liberty has been silently squashed over the years.

Big Brother has eyes, but you're not allowed to.

There is hope, I guess. Cameras keep getting smaller. And I suspect someday someone will come up with prosthetic vision devices that are to record. We'll have to see how that one turns out... "sir, I'll need you to turn your eye off!"

JS

I took pictures from public areas of several other airports, including LAX, and was never hassled. This is strictly a NYC problem, not President Bush.

myefre

Just follow our Masters orders and all will be ok.

FWAAA

Count yourself fortunate that Justice Scalia wasn't there - then an armed US Marshal might have grabbed your camera right out of your hands.

Looks like you got to keep the pictures.

divaof travel

Perhaps they didn't "catch" you at LAX.

Anyway, I find it amusing that you are concerned about the police enforcing "non-laws" and disconnecting this from the current administration.

whirledtraveler

Fun would be camera cellphone that sends as you snap. "We'd like you to turn over the film please."

"Sorry, its all out there" :-)

JS

Nope. Here is a photo of an ambulance, three police cars AND a cop!

LAX

Spiff

You should have snapped a few photos of Nazi-boy while he was harassing you and asked him to speak into an invisible microphone...

JS

Spiff, that gives me an idea. Next time I might try this -- hang the camera around my neck, start recording a movie, and then walk up to the prick and ask him if I can take a picture.

HeHateY

Your Rights When Stopped or Confronted for Photography

http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm

Download the flyer and keep it in your photo-bag.

http://www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf

Better yet buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...11028?v=glance

pdhenry

As to your statement that there wasn't a sign prohibiting taking pictures:

The Search function seems to be broken for pre-conversion messages, but I think the "other" JFK Airtrain thread around here somewhere mentioned that there was a sign prohibiting photography somewhere in the vicinity of the Subway station entrance...

I wanted to take some pictures of planes coming in low over the parking garage at SAN, but didn't bother because I figured I'd have to explain my presence on a public street to some law enforcement officer...