[csa]

The way to fix that is to tell him that everyone would rather have family pics than hear him perform. Just tell him never to bring his guitar to family gatherings again...and problem solved!

+1 I'd rather have photos that last a lifetime of family members, than hearing someone "entertain"; that is forgotten in moments!

As far as private property; people are very lax in taking care in not leaving their cans, food, etc., around for the landowner to have to pick up and dispose of. Not to mention the vandalism that happens frequently. Also in most places in the US, if someone is hurt on your property, the landowner can be held responsible. Very sad that the disrespect shown by a few for other's property, spoils it for those of us that wish to leave nothing but footprints, and some beautiful photos.

[sherrvonne]

The way to fix that is to tell him that everyone would rather have family pics than hear him perform. Just tell him never to bring his guitar to family gatherings again...and problem solved!

Lol, and most of the time he is without the guitar, he is in fear that just an image of him might make us some type of profit. He fails to realize that even though we are creative the being able making money with it has eluded us and neither do we care. I do have a nice impromtu shot Willie Nelson jumping out of a convertible when he was shooting a video! It is still in the PC. That was fun!

[jcdoss]

Gee,sherrvonne, I wish I had such a great reason to stop visiting the in-laws. :-)

[Murfy]

Also in most places in the US, if someone is hurt on your property, the landowner can be held responsible. Very sad that the disrespect shown by a few for other's property, spoils it for those of us that wish to leave nothing but footprints, and some beautiful photos.

Yes that is a big issue I forgot about, liability, and...don't know about anywhere else, but a lot of people hunt during the winter on private property. (and some park lands that allow it) Seriously I have seen people walking, hiking, letting dogs run leash free, taking photos on private property during hunting season. Not a good idea! The hunters will get mad you scare off the animals, or they may um...accidentally shot you. I am really aware of where I take photos during the winter. And I live about 30 minutes from a very large metro area!

[magkelly]

Sorry dudes that when you pull your car up to my jeep it's not a 21 yr old. Please don't have nightmares later when you sleep. I get followed aisle to aisle in grocery stores, walmart, parking lots, second passes by vehicles when I am in my yard, and horn honks, stared at in starbucks, Home Depot. I actually thought that no makeup and 'cleaning lady hair in clippy' would deter this but it does not. I wonder sometimes after they get a good look those young guys are saying to themselves...." Oh crap... She's old!" Lol, anyone put on a long wig of any hair color. Camera or no it will be interesting. But as far as odd remarks when I have the camera, those people are probably the same ones that roll down the window and holler moo when they pass by a herd of cows.

This made me laugh. I drive a Ford Focus SES in screaming red and I have red hair. I cannot tell you how many times I've had some group of young guys pull up to me at a stop light obviously thinking I am some cute young thing only to realize that the "hot redhead" who's snazzy sports car they are stalking is old enough to be their Mom. The looks I get, it's just priceless. :P

[sherrvonne]

This made me laugh. I drive a Ford Focus SES in screaming red and I have red hair. I cannot tell you how many times I've had some group of young guys pull up to me at a stop light obviously thinking I am some cute young thing only to realize that the "hot redhead" who's snazzy sports car they are stalking is old enough to be their Mom. The looks I get, it's just priceless. :P

Exactly!

[Na Horuk]

Interesting thread! I get weird looks, but I sometimes get those even without camera. A yellow K-01 and camera bag don't help. Also, it depends on what lens is on there. The DA 40mm XS is innocent, but something bigger and people think I might be a spy or something..

One time I got justifiably weird looks, as a tourist, accidentally stumbled into a red light district, with Samyang 14mm (big lens) on the K-01, in my hand. You see, I made a plan on which streets to take to get from my hotel to the city centre, but the red light district was not mentioned. We don't have those kind of districts in my country, so I didn't even think about it. When I first realized it was "whoa, the waitresses there have a pretty revealing dress code.." when I fully knew what the place was, it was too late to stop, turn back, or start fumbling with the camera bag. And no, I did not take any photos. I might have actually gotten into trouble if I would, it was a shady place

As usual, noone actually said a word to me. Generally people get a "shut up" kind of vibe from me (even when I want to be friendly)

[csa]

Now, that's a "whoops" moment!

[jawsy]

I had a 'lady' come up and start shouting and abusing me for taking this photo. Ruined my composition, as it put me off.
She claimed I was taking a photo of her and her kids. The kids were about 20m away and behind me. I just calmly showed her the photo and the previous photos in my camera. Then I explained that I would need an extremely wide angle lens to fit her in the photo whilst facing the complete other direction - and if I had such a wide angle lens, as her and the kids were in the shade and behind me, they wouldn't have very much detail in that photo.
She huffed off. Weirdest part was that I had just got up from the cafe behind me and offered her the table, because she had a pram and two kids with her, so I was being considerate. There were no other tables available, so if I hadn't offered her the table, she would have had to stand. Takes all sorts to make the world go round.

And yet I bet if you were using an i-phone instead of a DSLR, she wouldn't have said a word.

[MadMathMind]

Also in most places in the US, if someone is hurt on your property, the landowner can be held responsible.

I am not a lawyer, but if that person is trespassing, then you're not responsible. Stores and properties open the public inherently don't involve trespassing. Your sidewalk (and driveway, as far as delivery agents are concerned) for instance, are areas open to the public, so if someone injures himself on your poorly maintained sidewalk, then he's got you. But if he jumps your fence and falls into a hole in the backyard...that's on him. Well, there is an exception: you need your property to be reasonable. For instance, if there's an open hole in the ground, that's not unreasonable. But if you dig a hole and cover it with leaves to act as a booby trap...that's not.

Standing invitations are also where you run into trouble. My parents have had trouble with the kids next door; my father has had to yell at the kids to get off their property. If he sees them there and permits them to stay on multiple occasions, he may end up liable for injury because his lack of request that they leave may constitute implied permission to enter the property at will. But if he's made it clear they are not welcome, then he's off the hook.

Same goes for dogs. Your dog bites someone on the street or an invited guest in your home, you're liable. But if someone breaks in and the dog chews him up...too bad for him. I once heard of a case where dog A got went onto dog B's (fenced) property and B mauled A. The owner of A sued for bills; it was ruled that since B was on its own property, B's owner was not responsible for the injuries.

Of course, liable or not, someone can still sue. You can only countersue for legal costs if the suit is frivolous or malicious. The case has to be dismissed during summary judgment for you to recover costs. If it goes to trial and you prevail on merits, then you have to pay your own bill. Other countries have laws that the loser gets stuck with the whole bill; makes people a lot less sue happy.

About the only thing you can do is file trespassing charges. You basically have them dead to rights on it: if they admit in a deposition they were on the property (which they must to be injured), then...well, they've legally admitted guilt. At that point, you just need the police to do something about it for you...

[csa]

The way it was explained to us, was unless your private property is clearly marked as such, and no trespassing signs up; wherever someone may come onto your property; you are liable for any injuries. I'm also not a lawyer, but that's what a lawyer told us many years ago; perhaps the laws have changed. I'm sure that it differs State to State, also.

[r0ckstarr]

I am not a lawyer, but if that person is trespassing, then you're not responsible.

I've also heard that you have to have a No Trespassing sign clearly displayed and readable from the street in order for them to be counted as trespassing.

[MadMathMind]

I've also heard that you have to have a No Trespassing sign clearly displayed and readable from the street in order for them to be counted as trespassing.

My understanding is that it depends on whether it should be clear from context. For instance, you don't need one inside your home to claim that someone has broken and entered (a more severe form of trespassing)--it is obvious. I don't think you need one on the fence around your yard; again, that is obviously private property. But you may need one near property that appears to be public, like a big field you own but have no buildings on. Even a fence may not be sufficient, so signs need to be posted.

If the law were that strict, then someone could hang out in your backyard and you'd have no recourse against them at all. Clearly, that's not right. The key to criminal trespassing is that the offender has to know that the property is private and intentionally enter. I don't think anyone could claim "I didn't know that land around the house with a big fence on it was private property!"

Signs are not always a good idea, as far as liability goes. I saw someone who put up a sign that said "Your kids are great and we love them when they play in our driveway, but if they get hurt, we are not liable." By putting up that sign, they actually may have removed any doubt of liability because it constitutes an open invitation for anyone to play there. (And the driveway is an area of liability anyway, since it's publicly accessible.)

[csa]

"Signs are not always a good idea, as far as liability goes."

In town and out in the country things differ; and as I mentioned laws in one state may not be applicable in another state. Here in the open country; if your land is not posted, hunters, etc., may legally access it. Again, here; if the land is posted, it prevents the owner from being liable for injuries for those that have not received permission to be on the land. In this state, you actually don't need signs to notify hunters that it's private property; you simply apply orange paint to trees, etc.; this serves the same purpose as a "no hunting" sign.

Where I live now, it's a private road (road across private property). It is clearly marked that it's private and no trespassing. Again, this protects the land owner, and trespassers can be arrested, if the landowner wanted to push it.

[sherrvonne]

I've also heard that you have to have a No Trespassing sign clearly displayed and readable from the street in order for them to be counted as trespassing.

That and if someone is really serious about no trespassing on their property they paint the fence posts purple and have multiple viewable signs posted. In a conversation with a police officer he stated that trespassing is defined as "Entering onto a property with the intent of doing harm". Then it would have to be proven in court that said person was on the property for that reason. Court would be unfun, so would being trampled by the giant Bull in the pasture. Lol, I stay out of those places but do travel the backroads for photos. LOL, The worst scenario for being by someone's property with a camera would be if they mistook you for the property tax appraiser person..