One day not so long ago I was in the Paddock Mall and spotted this huge banner hanging from the ceiling. I thought, "Aha, that would make an interesting picture." Actually, it's not all that interesting but I was desperate. So, I stood in front of the banner and snapped off a couple of shots. Then I noticed a rent-a-copy hobbling as fast as he could in my direction. (You can see him in the 2nd photo.) As I started to take another shot, he held up his hand and said, "Stop!"
"What?" I asked, incredulously. "Stop?" I asked, again incredulously.
"You can't take pictures in the mall. No pictures and no video. It's not allowed!"
Then he showed me a shiny brochure which he pulled from his shirt pocket and which looked to be from the Department of Homeland Security explaining why, since 9/11, photos and videos have not been allowed in the mall. A photographer or videographer might be a terrorist, planning a panty raid at Victoria's Secret or trying to bribe an employee at Charlie's Subs to get the secret as to why Charlie's Subs are so darn good!
He didn't say that stuff about Victoria's Secret or Charlie's; I just made that up. I must say I was very proud of myself as I did not call him names or insult him in any way, although I was mightily tempted to do so. But he was just doing his job. He always wanted a job with a little authority and he had found it - a job with very little authority!. But it would have done no good to remind him of that fact.
So, I smiled and said, "Okay." Then I walked away. I must admit before I left the mall, I had taken several other pictures in such highly sensitive places like J. C. Penney's and Macy's and even Sear's! Hah!
18 comments:
That's why I usually take pictures with iPhone inside the mall. I think pictures were disallowed even before 9-11. When I was in high school, I was hassled by a security worker for taking yearbook photos near the mall fountains. :S
Will you be showing your illegal shots of Sear's and Macy's soon? :)
même problème ici, interdiction de prendre des photos dans le centre commercial, alors je fais ca tôt le matin, les gardes ne sont pas encore bien réveillés ;o))
yes Catch is Wrestling.
What a world this is!
You have a right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
When people tell me that especially in a business I always tell them. Awe that's too bad, my blog has readers from all over the world and they might have been customers." And when they say oh then it's ok. I tell them I changed my mind.
:-)
Great !
It's difficult in France too,
;-)
Best regards from Paris...
Pierre
How sad we are reduced to having to steal the photo shoots, I always complain the police in Prague after 11/9 a soldier ran after me after I had photographed the American Embassy!!
Not only in Ocala, I think people are getting crazy indeed. At least I imagine the police man was not so rude with you.
I confess that I have fear sometimes walking here in Luxembourg and taking pictures because I had some experiences with weird crazy ( mainly old ) people ,yelling at me,because I was taking pictures for my blog.And all those pictures were about gardens, trees, landscapes, the perspective of the street,and so on...
Once, I was in a little cit in Germany,border with Luxembourg, and a crazy old lady threatened us. She noted the board of our car and said she was going to call the police because I was taking pictures of a tree.
Sad isn't it?
ahhh thanks so much for your kind words and support! Yesssss I got my diploma! ;)
hugs
Léia
I wonder if they harass the teenagers taking pictures with their cell phones? Nice to know "what's up".
Fear. I fear there's way too much fear. And what are we afraid of? FEAR!
I likely would have become afraid to take more photos but I'm sooo glad you weren't. :))
Lowell, you are living dangerously.
This is a sad, sad world we live in... I was once told that I couldn't take pictures at the mall next to the office for privacy reasons. What? I was taking photos of the CEILING, there were no people walking heads down or dangling from it... They made me delete the photo, despite the fact that I gave them my lawyer talk of: no you can't forbid my taking photos...
What was that about Bob? :-)
Very cool post, Lowell! Next time use one of those tiny cameras placed in a button or a in pen or in spectacles and no one will notice it. Then you can show us what Victoria's Secret is advertising! :-) This is so stupid, a bad guy would never point a common camera in front of everyone, especially knowing he is being taped as it happens everywhere now!
You're obviously a threat to national security!
Oh, you bad boy! Kind of sad though isn't it?
I am so proud of you for showing such restraint while the man with little authority was just doing his job. I think I saw a pic of him hanging in the post office. Ya gotta be careful, man.
I was told not to take photos in a mall here, too. But I didn't delete the one I took, nor was I asked to, oddly enough.
Photography can be a dangerous business. Of course, lots of things can be dangerous. Going to the 7-11 can be a trip out of this world. I have had a similar experience to yours taking photos in a mall. But the store guard actually got up in my face. I hate it when they do that. He never explained WHY it was a problem so I appreciate your summary of the situation. At least there's a reason. Maybe not a great one but some semblance of sanity in our world. Always a plus. Carry on...and if you see a guy from JC Penny at your door. . .hide the camera!
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