Picture NY (City photography ban.... )

[Tom_Turner]

This is a link to something very important to all of us.
New York City is about to pass a law requireing all photographers to have a
permit to photograph in the city. You will be required to have it if you are standing in one place for more than a half hour, or ten minutes with a tripod. You will also be
required to have $10 million dollar liability insurance polocy. This law is
being fast tracked and would take effect 30 days after passing. The city held public hearings on it and of cours no one showed up as no one knew about it.
THIS IS FOR REAL, NO JOKE...There is an article in todays NY Times about it
also.
This applies to all, Professional, amatuer, tourists, anyone with a camera.

http://www.pictureny.org/petition/

[hiss srq]

This is the biggest load of bull**** I have ever heard. Liability insurance? WTF. Bloomberg is turning this city into the most terribly over controlled place I have ever seen. Is that even possible. What are they going to do if they catch me with my DSLR? Come on now.

[Idlewild]

Are you sure this isn't for "motion picture" cameras or professional photographers who do model shoots? This sounds like the City is trying to stem the tide of guerilla film makers who block off certain sections of a sidewalk for hours on end. They make pedestrians walk between the parked cars and the street and can be a tad disruptive. If this law is indeed for all photographers then I will sign it. If it applies to motion pictures, pro photogs and the like who disrupt the flow, welp..................

[nwafan20]

ANYONE, taking photos or video for more than 30 minutes or with a tripod for more than 10 minutes is restricted by this law.

[moose135]

http://www.nycaviation.com/forum/vie...hp?f=14&t=7172

[cancidas]

just means move 5 feet every 10 minutes... lol

[nwafan20]

just means move 5 feet every 10 minutes... lol

Nope:

The rules define a “single site” as any area within 100 feet of where filming begins. Under the rules, the two or more people would not actually have to be filming, but could simply be holding an ordinary camera and talking to each other.

[lijk604]

I'd like to see the "photo police" pull over a busload of tourist taking pictures on the Greyline, or the tourboats that go up and down the Hudson PROMOTING bring your cameras, take pictures of the skyline.
Yes, this bill may cover all photography, but lets get serious, the police have much more important things to be worried about.

[nwafan20]

But thats not quite the point...

What do some NYC police LOVE to do when they see a spotter??? Harass them and tell them it is illegal. This bill could do just that, Unless you want to move 100 feet every half an hour, your breaking a law, and therefore can be charged under this bill!

[stuart schechter]

So you can no longer to the empire state building observation tower for more than 30 minutes. Well this is crap.

[Tom_Turner]

I spoke with the "Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting"
today and indeed this law is "for real".

It will theoretically impact just about anyone.

The story the Mayor's office tells is that there was a dispute
between the NYPD and a guy taking pictures of the Chrysler Building a
year (or more) ago. Cops arrested the guy and later turned out the
photographer was shown to be legit guy on an assignment (pro, semi-
pro, whatever - I have no idea.)

Anyway, the NYCLU sued the city for not having rule(s) in place of
who can or can't do what under what circumstances etc. In other words
insufficient guidelines to be harrassing the guy in question.

The City has now complied with this "law" we see, in a capricious fashion, and so clearly everyone is now caught in a pissing war between The ACLU and the City
of New York.

I tried calling the NYCLU to see what their official line is on
this, especially since the City is giving the blame to them, but
sadly the NYCLU is not as easily reachable as the City..not that the
City was in any way helpful. They certainly were not. Phoney sympathy
and a disengenous "we agree with you" and thats it.

Clearly Bloomberg has gone about as far as he should in political
office. Its quite ironic considering how loosely Guiliani was
referred to as an athoritarian or "fascist".

Guess I'll be getting arrested in the future because I am sure not
going to stop what I am doing.

Tom

[AirtrafficController]

This is outrageous. I am calling my lawyer. :) This is not right for the city to limit our hobby. My dad works in city hall so he would get the news first on the law. I don't think the city council will pass it and if we could, the nycaviation gang could protest outside the steps of city hall!

[PHL Approach]

I'm sorry... but your city is pretty ridiculous.

[hiss srq]

I'm sorry... but your city is pretty ridiculous.

Bloomberg is pretty rediculous. What in the heck did the buildings and real estate ever do to you? :twisted:

[Bellucciman]

I can't believe what I'm reading about this photgraphy ban bull ****! Mr. Bloomberg is turning NYC into a police state, and I don't think anyone can do anything about it either. If this thing goes through watch out for other major cities to do the same thing. It's bad enough that whenever I'm at LGA or JFK I'm paranoid about people calling the cops on me for walking around with a camera. I believe that this is the beginning of the end of spotting in the USA. Does anyone remember the movie "The Running Man"? We're almost there.

Just my opinion.......