re. emailing and asking for 'permission' to shoot their building
imagine the satisfaction this fella would have got if he'd been in possession of an email saying he could shoot their building whenever he felt like it!
costs nothing to ask, and if they refuse you can ignore them anyway, if you're on public land.
This throws up a potential problem though. Imagine this:
"Hello, Golden Wonder? I write for The Only Way Is Scunthorpe website, and was planning on taking some photo's of your factory and the surrounding area next week"
"Well, we'd prefer it it you didn't".
Do you say to them, "Sorry you feel that way, but as I need it for my article, I'll be taking them anyway, but will only do so from the public highway"? Do you just say, "Okay, bye" and then go do it anyway?
Either way, you're now doing it knowing that they don't want you there. They can argue now that you're knowingly causing a nuisance.
Of course, the alternative is to lie down and let them decide what you can and can't do.
What if you get put through to frontline staff, and it's Mrs Security that answers the phone?
"Hello, Golden Wonder? I'll be in the area next week and intend taking some photo's of your factory"
"You can't do that, it's not allowed"
"It'll only be from the public highway, I won't be coming onto the premises."
"Doesn't matter. You can't go around taking photo's willy nilly of whatever you feel like. It's against the law to take photo's of a private company"
Now they're expecting you, and they're hostile before you even get there.
As I appreciate a bit of the old deco, I take the odd photo of buildings myself. Generally, I expect those around me to not give two hoots why I'm taking a picture of a big block of brick and tile, and almost every time, nobody does. I'm certainly not going to go drawing attention to myself by announcing it if I'm only taking pictures of what's on public view.
"Hey! Look at me! Look at me everyone! I'm doing something unexceptional and perfectly legal! I'm doing the same as lots of other people do!"
That said, I've never had someone announce that I can't take a photo of a building due to law or because they've spoke to someone. On the few occassions anyone's approached me, they usually go "You alright there, mate?" or something similar.