We are all aware of the increasingly familiar scene...

The photographer happily snapping away at the architecture in the middle of a shopping centre, or stood with tripod erected on a travelator in the airport (), when along comes a security guard asking "'scuse me sir, but we don't allow photography here without written permission". etc etc.

I was wondering has anyone ever actually written to any venues to ask for permission. Things like airports, shopping centres etc etc.?

Or am I being a bit
I suppose it would be nice to say "Well, actually, I do...." /whips out a letter of proof.
I suppose if one was to write to a venue, expressing an amateur interest in photography and asking for permission to take photographs within their venue...obviously with the usual provisions, permission doesn't guarantee a right of entry, and as long as you don't get in anyone's way or inconvenience, and that the images are for personal use only, are places likely to object?

Or, shall I ask again...am I a bit ?

[Steve]

I have never written to any venues yet but always respect notices that may be displayed at locations that I may want to photograph, that and know my rights. If there are no notices and I am not breaking any laws I will argue the point with any "jobs worths" depending on the situation, how important the shot is to me and what mood I am in at the time. If they think its that important I would let them call the police..mostly they will back down long before I would as long as I was very sure I am in the right. If in any doubt at all I just walk away.

Sometimes though it is simply easier to walk away and fight another day by changing the time of the shoot or doing as you suggest and seek written permission prior to the shoot.

I don't know what the situation is here in Germany yet, so far I have not been approahed by anyone but I have mainly been doing my photography outside. I do get the feeling (in Munich anyway) that they are a little more relaxed as just about everyone seem to be carrying a camera. Then there is the slight issue of me not speaking or understanding any German...that could be fun when it does happen that I am told off

[Bachs]

I once emailed the project director of the Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian (the chapel is part of the plot of Dan Browns' DaVinci Code and has beautiful architecture)

I got a lovely email back saying I was most welcome but requested I didn't use a tripod as it is a busy little chapel.

I also asked the security staff at Aberdeen Airport who directed me to the Airport Manager for information on where I was allowed to take shots of aircraft...they were also very helpful.

I got a full gallery of shots of Fort George near Inverness, a working military barracks and again they were very helpful. ( I was there fixing a printer and they let me have a wander for a couple of hours after work)

Ask first and you will often get results

[SammyC]

As a slight off topicing of this I got told (politely) that I couldn't use my tripod on Bristol suspension bridge because it was a busy tourist attraction and they take up too much space.

Fair point you might say, and so would I except that it was 9am on a Saturday and there was no other ****er around (literally) and I was well away from the path tucked away in the corner of the viewing platform. What are other people's experiences of this and what response did you give?

Myself I said sorry and moved on, and then kicked myself because I should have said:

"... this is a busy tourist attraction and ..."
"Are you serious!! I'm the only one here!"

... but I didn't.

[Steep]

Depends on who stopped you using it I think. If it's a jobsworth and you're in a public place, tell him/her to go forth and multiply.

[SammyC]

He obviously was a jobsworth as I was the only person on foot using the bridge but I don't know if it can be considered a public place or not.

[fingerz]

Tell them to call the police, take the shots you want and move on.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by SammyC

He obviously was a jobsworth as I was the only person on foot using the bridge but I don't know if it can be considered a public place or not.

I would have thought that Bristol Suspention Bridge is a public place even if it is maybe privately owned. Also the Jobsworth didn't say that you couldn't take pictures, just that you couldn't use a tripod due to it being busy Since it wasn't busy I would have challenged him on that basis and carried on taking the photos during the discussion, politely pointing out that him being there as well was increasing the obstruction risk

[Matty]

I found that with the Germans i have to deal with they need permission for the bloody sun to rise before thats allowed to do it.....

Originally Posted by EosD

I found that with the Germans i have to deal with they need permission for the bloody sun to rise before thats allowed to do it.....

Yeah but once permission is granted, it rises so efficiently and organised

[Steve]

Originally Posted by EosD

I found that with the Germans i have to deal with they need permission for the bloody sun to rise before thats allowed to do it.....

I’ll tell you something that happened to us yesterday..this 100% true BTW. Our flat that we rent comes with a reserved underground parking space, as we don’t own a car we let a friend use that spot to park his vintage Mercedes car. As it is a vintage car he keeps it covered under a protective car cover. Yesterday we received a phone call from the housekeeper to inform us that the cover does not comply to the required fire safety regulations and so it needs to be replaced. The car has been parked in the same place with the same cover on for a few months, so I was wondering if that is efficient in recognising the cover to be outside the regulations or inefficient in that it has taken several months before being noticed it and been brought to our attention.

Incidentally we did not know of the regulations or that the cover did not comply but what did the owner of the Mercedes say when we told him?
“Fair enough, I buy a new one”

The Germans definitely have a different mentality.

[SammyC]

Alles Klar

[Matty]

hmmmmm!

ive been waiting for a company in germany to send me a quote for a product, but as yet ive had no reply, ive even sent 6 emails (7 if you count the one i'm about to send)
Highly inefficient

[Steve]

You are using the correct email address?

[Sonsey]

Originally Posted by EosD

hmmmmm!

ive been waiting for a company in germany to send me a quote for a product, but as yet ive had no reply, ive even sent 6 emails (7 if you count the one i'm about to send)
Highly inefficient

That sort of thing happened to me once, I was so

...until I happened to check my junk mail folder and found five emails from them

[Matty]

definately the right address and definately not in the junk folder.