Positive experience with police.

norters

norters

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Nick
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Hi.

As there seems to be a lot of threads on this board with people telling of their bad experiences with the police while out taking photographs I thought I would share my experience from Thursday night while it is still fresh in my memory and before I forget it!

I had met my friends on Thursday night in the pub, encumbered with all my camera gear. After three orange juices I bid them farewell as I wanted to go to the Pier Head and take some photos after dark. I had never done any night photography before so I was itching to try it out.

So I get there and at first I am struggling with the Gorillapod, trying to get the camera straight when a lady comes out from the bar that is there and tells me I can't take photographs of the bar. Well! The bar was IN my picture but not the subject, I explain to her quite reasonably what I believe my rights to be, at no point being argumentative or confrontational (as I believe is the right way to go about these things). Anyway, at this moment as the lady is getting quite animated two police officers walk on by. One of them takes the lady back into the bar and the other comes to chat to me. First thing he said was that he hoped I was getting some good shots :D Also that he was a Nikon shooter as well :thumbs: He also explained to me that his daughter was a keen photographer and that he and his colleagues are well trained in the ins and outs of the laws of photography in public places.

I even asked him if he wanted to take my name. He said 'Sir, you are not obliged to tell me any personal information'! I told him anyway as I wanted him to go and look at the photos on Flickr :thumbs:
 
Yep, it is good to hear something positive. I guess there must be a number of police who have photography as a hobby, so you would hope that they would be on the side of the photographer in cases like this.
 
If you had said you were doing a promo picture shoot and her bar would be a free advert I wonder if her attitude would be the same?

Realspeed
 
It was that Matou place on top of the ferry terminal/beatles store. To be honest, there was about six people in there (it is very expensive) and they were all indoors. As I said though, I don't like to rise to arguments when I know I am not doing anything wrong :) The police were boss though, really.
 
Just to add a little context to the thread, this is the photo that I got. Quite pleased for my first attempt although I see where I need to improve :)



pier head by rednorters, on Flickr
 
I have to say, I've had quite a few positive experiences with police and even got to know a few from photographing demos. Some can be almost unbelievably reasonable, especially in situations where I know I would be nowhere near as understanding or happy to help. I've honestly yet to have a really bad experience with the police. I find them to be consistently polite, helpful, well trained, experienced, professional and friendly. And I get plenty of questions about my photography from them :)

Glad you had two nice coppers! And that you're pleased with all your shots :)
 
bigave said:
think of all the lovely lenses you can buy with the money though :lol:
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, there's no OT - only for the first couple of days. After that, they enforced a mandatory change of roster, and it's all just for normal salary.

God Timwin did write a nice letter to my wife, though, explaining why officers were being kept on indefinitely and thanking her for her understanding, so that's all right :nuts:
 
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