My excuse, whether it is true or not, is that the pictures being taken "aren't for commercial purposes as stated in your policy is allowed." That usually stumps them.
I remember being asked not to by station staff in the past, even though the company policy on their website allows photograph, within reasonable limits. It’s such a tiny thing that most probably wouldn’t be bothered by, but you’re so right, anti-photography policies are often aimed at your most enthusiastic supporters, and for no good reason most of the time.
This is a new thing since 9/11. In the '90s, I took tons of photos in public, including around public transit,, and never got any trouble from anyone at all. This was walking around with a Pentax K1000 film camera that was not stealth. It is sad and frustrating how western societies have become so much more closed and paranoid since then. (There's more "No Trespassing" signs too )
My son is a bus spotter, and constantly taking photos of buses out in the wild. Only time he had a problem was a bus driver who really did not want to be in the back ground of the photos.
- do not cause an obstruction, particularly for the transit staff.
- do not go anywhere you shouldn’t be
- be careful/considerate and leave the environment no worse than you found it
- try to minimise the number of people you capture in your footage (particularly faces where they could be easily identifiable).
Do all of that and there is no reasonable person that should have any issues. For dealing with the unreasonable people out there, maybe just be polite and move on, even if you are sure you are okay to shoot photos/videos a lot of the time it’s just not worth the aggravation in standing your ground. If the problem is with transit staff there are probably other ways to deal with it.
I thought this was only a Chinese issue. As a Chinese rail fan resides in Canada, I know lots of cases where trainspotters were harassed by station workers back in China, for no clear reason and no policy or by-law to support the restrictions. In Canada, I only had one experience of being shouted by a GO train conductor, when I was taking a video of the train departure very far away from that employee. Other than that, I have been filming trains in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary, and never encountered such issue. If this happens next time, I will use law and my right to argue for protect myself.
Yesterday I took a photo inside a grocery store with a "no photography!" sign in front. Rebel!
Also, once a crazy vigilante enforcer (aka "neighbourhood watchman") literally threatened to stab me for merely photographing a fox squirrel in a tree.
I live in Australia, and here I have never been told off for filming or taking pictures. I even do it inside of train stations (the paid areas) and I have never been bothered by staff. At one interchange station there is a viewing platform just down the street, and there's a place at both main terminals where you can do this as well.
Well, being from a Montreal suburb, I can apologize on behalf of the STM for giving you a hard time. I have taken numerous transit photos in the metro and in, on and from buses and trains and I have not once been accosted.
Anyone can cast the scenario of innocent pictures, fine ... but what about "activists" aggressively filming people who they feel are on an opposing side or even just passing thru a property that the activists have decided is evil (maybe its those bookstore owners, or mall landlords whom activists imagine are aligned with the other side of the activists cause ...) . That filming is aggressive, and other folks wont want to be in the background of those pic either. Now you are imposing on the guard the value judgement as to what is innocent photography vs unacceptable. And what happens if one of those activists or subjects of the photography is of a particular ethnic or political group that likes to call out that they are persecuted? Easier for the bureaucrats to just ban it all ! Not that any of this makes me happy, and I still take pic in transit facilities and public spaces but I am much more aware of ensuring few people are in the pic, and certainly no children or street people, so pic of transit facilities are usually eerily empty.
My excuse, whether it is true or not, is that the pictures being taken "aren't for commercial purposes as stated in your policy is allowed." That usually stumps them.
I remember being asked not to by station staff in the past, even though the company policy on their website allows photograph, within reasonable limits. It’s such a tiny thing that most probably wouldn’t be bothered by, but you’re so right, anti-photography policies are often aimed at your most enthusiastic supporters, and for no good reason most of the time.
In most cases there is no policy preventing photos being taken, it is something made up by the security guards or transport company staff.
So true!
Good article.
This is a new thing since 9/11. In the '90s, I took tons of photos in public, including around public transit,, and never got any trouble from anyone at all. This was walking around with a Pentax K1000 film camera that was not stealth. It is sad and frustrating how western societies have become so much more closed and paranoid since then. (There's more "No Trespassing" signs too )
My son is a bus spotter, and constantly taking photos of buses out in the wild. Only time he had a problem was a bus driver who really did not want to be in the back ground of the photos.
For me the keys are:
- do not cause an obstruction, particularly for the transit staff.
- do not go anywhere you shouldn’t be
- be careful/considerate and leave the environment no worse than you found it
- try to minimise the number of people you capture in your footage (particularly faces where they could be easily identifiable).
Do all of that and there is no reasonable person that should have any issues. For dealing with the unreasonable people out there, maybe just be polite and move on, even if you are sure you are okay to shoot photos/videos a lot of the time it’s just not worth the aggravation in standing your ground. If the problem is with transit staff there are probably other ways to deal with it.
I thought this was only a Chinese issue. As a Chinese rail fan resides in Canada, I know lots of cases where trainspotters were harassed by station workers back in China, for no clear reason and no policy or by-law to support the restrictions. In Canada, I only had one experience of being shouted by a GO train conductor, when I was taking a video of the train departure very far away from that employee. Other than that, I have been filming trains in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary, and never encountered such issue. If this happens next time, I will use law and my right to argue for protect myself.
Yesterday I took a photo inside a grocery store with a "no photography!" sign in front. Rebel!
Also, once a crazy vigilante enforcer (aka "neighbourhood watchman") literally threatened to stab me for merely photographing a fox squirrel in a tree.
I live in Australia, and here I have never been told off for filming or taking pictures. I even do it inside of train stations (the paid areas) and I have never been bothered by staff. At one interchange station there is a viewing platform just down the street, and there's a place at both main terminals where you can do this as well.
I don't see the big deal...
Well, being from a Montreal suburb, I can apologize on behalf of the STM for giving you a hard time. I have taken numerous transit photos in the metro and in, on and from buses and trains and I have not once been accosted.
Anyone can cast the scenario of innocent pictures, fine ... but what about "activists" aggressively filming people who they feel are on an opposing side or even just passing thru a property that the activists have decided is evil (maybe its those bookstore owners, or mall landlords whom activists imagine are aligned with the other side of the activists cause ...) . That filming is aggressive, and other folks wont want to be in the background of those pic either. Now you are imposing on the guard the value judgement as to what is innocent photography vs unacceptable. And what happens if one of those activists or subjects of the photography is of a particular ethnic or political group that likes to call out that they are persecuted? Easier for the bureaucrats to just ban it all ! Not that any of this makes me happy, and I still take pic in transit facilities and public spaces but I am much more aware of ensuring few people are in the pic, and certainly no children or street people, so pic of transit facilities are usually eerily empty.