| I had something like this happen to me, but it was here in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.
I was setting up to take some photos of a few ducks in the local marina that is city owned, when I was approached by marina security guard.
He asked me to kindly not take photos of the boats. I asked him why? He told me that there was a complaint of someone taking photos of registry numbers on boats. The story gets better though. Apparently this other photographer was hiding in a tree!
I asked him why I was not allowed to take photos of boat registry numbers and he could not answer me. I told him that they are on the boats for all to see..simply because they are public. I also told him that he came to me because I had a big camera on a big lens, all sitting atop a shiny aluminum tripod. He agreed, and told me his boss told him to be on the lookout for pro looking photographers.
I told him that if I wanted to take photos of public registration numbers on boats in a public location for nefarious purposes, I could have used one of those small super zoom cameras, and he would be non the wiser. His face fell when I also told him that if I really wanted to, I could bring a pair of binoculars, stay in my vehicle, and record allt he numbers I wanted. He would never notice this either.
I did pack my bags and leave though. All the pleasure of taking photos of wildlife at that location on that day, left me.
So, there are weird things happening to us photographers all over the place..not just in the US. |