I was taking pictures on boxing day on the platform of a local British rail station around dusk. In fact I was taking a series of shots to use later with a time lapse programme.

I'm not a train buff but I enjoy night photography and trains provide a good subject. There were no trains that day I recall and the place was deserted apart from myself and after about an hour I'd had enough and was just about to pack up when I was joined by two police officers; that's real police officers not PCSOs, one male one female.

They were relaxed and friendly with the female doing the talking. In return I was friendly also. The female officer asked why I kept taking shots of apparently nothing while we were talking, I explained the time lapse thing and they were happy with that and went on their way telling me not to stay out too long as it was freezing. There was no asking who I was, my address, nothing. I've no idea how they got to know I was there, I can't recall any station staff being around to report some potential terrorist/weirdo taking photos.

Two days later I'm back, trains running normally with a few people on the platforms. Again after an hour I've had enough and fold up the legs of my tripod and with camera still attached sling it over my shoulder and walk down the stairs to the exit tunnel which connects the various platforms. I think I'm the only person on any of the platforms at this point.

I'm near the bottom of the stairs when a policeman (again a real policeman not a PCSO) very briskly makes his way up the stairs past me. Immediately I think this is for me but he doesn't give me a second glance not spotting (I assume) the tripod/camera slung over my shoulder. I almost stopped and asked if by any chance he was looking for me but just walked on. I pass the next set of stairs which leads to the adjacent platforms and a policewoman rushes down the stairs in the direction of the male officer I just passed. Again I almost stooped to enquire but instead walked towards the exit.

A minute later from the car park adjacent the station entrance I see the officers leave in their car. They obviously were looking for a photographer but he (me) had gone. I get the impression from the demeanour of these two officers that had I still been on the platform the conversation would not have been so friendly as with the previous officers; they both looked real serious as they passed me.

Is this how it's going to be from now on?

You were lucky they let you shot the first time and amazingly the second, with a tripod on a railway station, really incredible. Here in Spain, I have to shot these kind of images for textbooks assignments mainly and it´s a matter of seconds that someone comes to ask about my permissions and so... It´s simply not allowed, even if you say the images are not for comercial purpouses, they say it´s not permitted. I cannot imagine to shot with a tripod during an hour without permissions and sometimes even with someone from the security staff beside me.
Sad, but yes, this is how its gonna be.

PD: At early December ´09 no problem shooting in and out at Narita airport, during minutes, maybe I just looked as turist, but I was expected kind japanese police at any moment.

Sounds like pure paranoia to me!

Only if we let it Mike.

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/Photographer_confusion_over_police_stop_policy_news_293068.html

Check out the 'antiterrorist' on Youtube (Dealing with the Police videos)

Regards
Bob

Off we go again with the conspiracy theories!
BTW - did anything really happen, except in your mind?

Who mentioned any theories?

That's a cheap trick used by 'sheeple' wanting to discredit others who don't think the way they do.

B

Did anything really happen?

What's real?

I've been shooting on British rail staions on and off for 20 years and never ever been asked once what I'm doing there. I've since checked with British rail and it's their policy to welcome photographers (within reason) on any station but suggest you introduce yourself to the station master first and buy a platform ticket.




I've since checked with the station attendant and yes it was me the police were looking for. He reported me (both times) mainly because he thought it was a very strange time to be taking pictures. He says it's ok from now on if I just say hello if I turn up again.

By the look of it no.

The paranoid ones are those who think there are terrorists lurking everywhere.

Even where there are the situation is very suspect.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAtK7FFDukQ

Well yeah! Maybe you missed the first few paragraphs but the police turned up and asked (very nicely) what I was doing there when I was merely taking pictures like a sad trainspotter (I'm not a train buff at all). I wasn't spirited away and tortured but this has not been a normal response from the police until recently.

Maybe it's different in Denmark but in the UK until recently most amateur photgraphers could more or less photograph anything without it arousing any suspicion from anyone.

I've been actively taking photos for almost a year, in cities, of buildings, of people, in trainstations, and often in the international airport next to my house. I have never, ever ever been asked to stop, nor been called a terrorist. I spent a week in London taking photos and was never asked to stop. This talk of terrorism is an unnecesary concern and fear, and is unquestionably boring.

Perhaps your age and/or appearance has something to do with that Alex.

If it's boring there's no compulsion to read or post.

Still love ya tho.

B

And I you.

I've been doing that for '30' years and also never ever been stopped but the chances are that in the present climate you will be sooner later even if only by some sad jobsworth.

Not strange, but normal IMO.
I shoot mainly at night and I shoot at railway stations, cemetery's, harbours, ...
I've been asked many times what I'm doing out there in the middle of the night.
As I said IMO that's normal. I could be someone who's vandalising the graves, I could be a train jumper, destroying stuff, ...
They don't always know at first sight, in the dark, what someone's doing.

If someone would vandalise the graves of your beloved ones, would you be happy?
Or will you be mad at the police just because they didn't stop to check out what someone was doing at the cemetery in the middle of the night?

You have good intentions, but there are others who don't.

Why is it so diffucult for you, Lars, to say: "Sorry mikelear, I was wrong with my meaning." ???

The police are here to protect us all, and it's only a question of answering their ligitimate questions in a polite way, like mikelear did. To write about such a peaceful experience under the Headline 'It had to happen sooner or later' is making a fuss out of nothing IMO.
Lars :-)

You called what mikelear told us paranoia and mikelear explained that it was not, but reality.
So why do you ignore that and give an answer to my question that has nothing to do with what I asked you?

Lars.

The title 'it had to happen sooner or later' refers to the fact that over the last year or so photographers in the UK have been asked to explain themselves to police or PCSOs when doing nothing but enjoying their hobby whereas previously this was not something that generally happened. Maybe it's different in Denmark.

As I said previously I've never been asked to explain myself when photographing anything in 30 years but there is now an atmosphere where the taking of photographs is now seen by some as being worthy of attention. There are many examples of police and other officials of one sort or another being ridiculously over officious with amateur and professional photographers and even tourists taking innocent snapshots, especially in central London.

I didn't make a big thing at all of my little experience and know that most amateur photographers will carry on not being bothered most of the time but until the present paranoia (their paranoia not mine) about terrorists and paedophiles subside then the chances are 'sooner or later' if you take pictures often enough especially in urban/city locations and don't obviously look like a tourist then you stand a more than even chance of being asked to explain yourself, hence the title.

This is like an episode of staged reality TV... fer cryin out loud you people GET A LIFE

Maybe you can explain what you're getting all worked up about? Some of you guys are making more of this than I am.

Yeah, that's why when I see one in my rear view mirror I always think 'Phew! I feel really safe now'. ;^)

B