Got Arrested For Voyeurism

[Exotica]

This was Eastbourne by the way.

Either way i still feel peeed off that this can go on. Maybe i should have shown my photos but if am not doing anything wrong then why should i. Given that the Police were acting on info i can see thier grounds but surely you cant go round making up stories and using the Police as a tool.

 

[Gromit]

The more you explain the story the more blameless I find the police.

Its the club people who have done you wrong. The police have acted in the best interests of the information they have been given. Checked it out, found it wanting and let you go on your merry way. I don't quite see why the gripe towards the police.

 

[Exotica]

Its just crazy that door staff can make stuff up and get away with it.

 

[weltweit]

they aren't "sufferers", they're just people with a condition is all. i've had a laugh about the photo but its worth trying to frame your points of reference from a progressive stance maybe?

No, sure, I mean my first thoughts were what a picture, they must be brothers, then they looked quite angry and I felt the photographer was taking a bit of a risk photographing them like that but they do look like two of a pair, then I thought the one on the right looked like he might have been fighting as it could be blood on his shirt, they do look kinda tough, rugby players perhaps. That was the extent of my first thoughts. As I mentioned I have never seen people with faces like that really.

 

[weltweit]

I wont tell you the details but I have had a couple of run ins with the police and each time I was amazed at what they did, and that they could have the right to do that, but they did.

 

[Exotica]

The more you explain the story the more blameless I find the police.

Its the club people who have done you wrong. The police have acted in the best interests of the information they have been given. Checked it out, found it wanting and let you go on your merry way. I don't quite see why the gripe towards the police.

Maybe i should tell the story to my local press and hopefully the nightclub will reply with their actions to why they made false allegations.

Or should i let it lie

 

[weltweit]

I think taking photos of jobsworths like doormen is always likely to cause some ructions.

Not sure what you could realisticaly achieve by pushing on with it.

I mean doormen are a little like private security guards, they are never going to learn, and are always going to do just what they can get away with.

 

[big eejit]

Maybe i should tell the story to my local press and hopefully the nightclub will reply with their actions to why they made false allegations.

Or should i let it lie

I'd let it lie. Or take them out in a drive-by.

 

[Exotica]

I think taking photos of jobsworths like doormen is always likely to cause some ructions.

Not sure what you could realisticaly achieve by pushing on with it.

I mean doormen are a little like private security guards, they are never going to learn, and are always going to do just what they can get away with.

I can see your point but being arrested on information that was false and being labelled a Pervert when i wasnt even in a club is hard to swallow.

 

[Exotica]

I'd let it lie. Or take them out in a drive-by.

Drive by with the D90?

 

[weltweit]

I can see your point but being arrested on information that was false and being labelled a Pervert when i wasnt even in a club is hard to swallow.

Well, it is of course up to you if you want to take it further or not. You could perhaps get some apology from the owners of the nightclub but you might have quite a lot of hassle to get that. Perhaps involving your local paper might help, they might be interested in a human interest story, "amateur photographer detained under false information from bouncers" etc ..that might be a way forward.

As to arrest, did the police actually arrest you. I know they detained you and looked through your photographs but I thought to arrest you they would have to take you down to the station and get all your details etc do a dna swab etc etc ... Am I wrong in thinking you were simply detained?

 

[big eejit]

Drive by with the D90?

Multiple exposure mode.

If you're in touch with the Inspector, just thank him for his update and say what a shame it is that these doormen think it's ok to use his officers to settle a private score. But you don't want to take it any further cos you;re not a low-life turd like what they are.

 

[Exotica]

Well, it is of course up to you if you want to take it further or not. You could perhaps get some apology from the owners of the nightclub but you might have quite a lot of hassle to get that. Perhaps involving your local paper might help, they might be interested in a human interest story, "amateur photographer detained under false information from bouncers" etc ..that might be a way forward.

As to arrest, did the police actually arrest you. I know they detained you and looked through your photographs but I thought to arrest you they would have to take you down to the station and get all your details etc do a dna swab etc etc ... Am I wrong in thinking you were simply detained?

I was arrested and cuffed and then sent on my way after about 15 mins.

 

[Exotica]

Multiple exposure mode.

If you're in touch with the Inspector, just thank him for his update and say what a shame it is that these doormen think it's ok to use his officers to settle a private score. But you don't want to take it any further cos you;re not a low-life turd like what they are.

Already done

 

[GoneCoastal]

The absurdity of this is that Brighton town centre is bursting with CCTV cameras taking images and constantly snooping.

I've been wondering what would happen if one wandered around West Street at 2AM taking photos (similar to what that photographer's been doing in Cardiff)

Given the Police presence in West Street on a Friday and Saturday at club chucking out time, it would be "interesting"

BTW, There were some folks doing video filming in the town over the last few weekends near Churchill Square (The first time I saw them they were just filming and getting someone to walk from a to b - so I assume they were film students or the like)

Upshot is that they got pestered by officialdom as to what they were doing (according to someone I was talking with) and the weekend before last, when I saw them again, they were wearing what looked like some kind of ID cards with the town logo on 'em - almost like a temporary permit of some kind - I didn't stop to ask them what it was though - and when I went back they'd gone

 

[weltweit]

Well there is the newspaper route.

Do you want a higher profile in your locality ?

 

[weltweit]

Upshot is that they got pestered by officialdom as to what they were doing (according to someone I was talking with) and the weekend before last, when I saw them again, they were wearing what looked like some kind of ID cards with the town logo on 'em - almost like a temporary permit of some kind - I didn't stop to ask them what it was though - and when I went back they'd gone

I have long wanted my photoclub to issue me with a photo ID. I am sure it would add to the impression that I 1) know what I am doing and 2) am not doig anything that I don't have the right to do.

 

[Exotica]

Well there is the newspaper route.

Do you want a higher profile in your locality ?

Would that be a bad thing?

 

[GoneCoastal]

I have long wanted my photoclub to issue me with a photo ID. I am sure it would add to the impression that I 1) know what I am doing and 2) am not doig anything that I don't have the right to do.

Trouble is that from what I can understand - the only ID that anyone is going take any notice of is a proper UK Press Card

Even then, it can be ignored - there are items on the BJP website and elsewhere to show that

Though no ID of any kind should be necessary, of course, to take pics in public

 

[weltweit]

Would that be a bad thing?

It all depends

Do you want to become known more as a local photographer? if so this could help you.

Do you perhaps want to submit pics to your local newspaper? this could help you possibly..

I am not sure.

 

[weltweit]

Trouble is that from what I can understand - the only ID that anyone is going take any notice of is a proper UK Press Card

Even then, it can be ignored - there are items on the BJP website and elsewhere to show that

Though no ID of any kind should be necessary, of course, to take pics in public

I agree a press card trumps my idea.

But I do think a photo id with a photographic club details on it and contact details of you etc could put some busybodies minds at rest. At least you could not be blamed for hiding your identity which does I think put the willies up people, especially if you are photographing around children, and even if they are your own children !!

What a strange concept "your own children" as if children can be owned like some posession

 

[GoneCoastal]

I agree a press card trumps my idea.

But I do think a photo id with a photographic club details on it and contact details of you etc could put some busybodies minds at rest. At least you could not be blamed for hiding your identity which does I think put the willies up people, especially if you are photographing around children, and even if they are your own children !!

What a strange concept "your own children" as if children can be owned like some posession

Mmm - I do get where you're coming from in terms of "putting minds at rest" but, what about people who aren't in any photographic clubs and just like wandering about taking pictures ? (Like me who is just returning to photography as a serious hobby after a long break)

But having said that, I may be taking pictures in the summer for a fundraising event for a small charity and I have already asked for an ID I can hang 'round my neck for that - but to have to have something for just walking 'round town taking pics - that's the bit I don't like at all

Photographing children started to become an issue iirc quite a while back as well - iirc there was the newsreader/newsreaders husband who got investigated by the Police after sending films to be developed by Boots

 

[weltweit]

...Photographing children started to become an issue iirc quite a while back as well - iirc there was the newsreader/newsreaders husband who got investigated by the Police after sending films to be developed by Boots

Re the club ID idea, they could also provide members with business cards to hand out as often you meet other photogs who are interested to chat and it can be an opportunity to recruit. I take it from your post that you are not in a club, are you at all interested in them or not?

Re photographing children, yes if you are male especially and are around other peoples children with a camera you are an object of suspicion these days. I normally don't have issues when I am with my own child but I have had busybodies even then.

 

[GoneCoastal]

Re the club ID idea, they could also provide members with business cards to hand out as often you meet other photogs who are interested to chat and it can be an opportunity to recruit. I take it from your post that you are not in a club, are you at all interested in them or not?

Tbh - I haven't really given a lot of thought to joining a club - although I might have a hunt around - there's definitely a Brighton one...

I can't make the Urban Elephant & Castle walkabout, but I did vote and say I'd go to another one - so maybe I'll join the Urbanites on a future wander

 

[weltweit]

Iv'e never been on an Urban meet, too far away, but that, and clubs are just a good way to meet other photographers I think and we all have that interest in common.

 

[GoneCoastal]

Iv'e never been on an Urban meet, too far away, but that, and clubs are just a good way to meet other photographers I think and we all have that interest in common.

Yup... I shall definitely have a look around and see what's about... Good thought

 

[weltweit]

Yup... I shall definitely have a look around and see what's about... Good thought

It is why I joined my local club, just to get to know other photographers in the area. I don't do any of their competitions or anything though I might dabble later perhaps but now I know a few photographers in the area which is great.

 

[MarbleMad]

Tbh - I haven't really given a lot of thought to joining a club - although I might have a hunt around - there's definitely a Brighton one...

Why not just start a club of one. 5 minutes on photoshop'll give you an id. You could star a national association of unaffiliated photographers.

 

[Paul Russell]

When I read your initial post my first reaction was that you should have tried to defuse the situation with the police straight away. Along the lines of "I'm doing a project on blah blah" and offering to let them see the images as you scroll through them on screen. If they insist on taking your camera to look themselves (not sure exactly what the legality of that is), remind them it is illegal for them to delete any.

OK, that's the theory -- I may well just have shat myself in real life.

Of course, photographing people at night is very tricky. I read somewhere about Stephen Griffin's experiences shooting in Leeds, for example

http://www.flickr.com/photos/griffleriff/sets/72157601991948909/

including people threatening to stab him, etc. and it made me glad other people are doing that stuff.

 

[Exotica]

I found it enjoyable as all of the people i encountered wanted their photo taken but do agree it can be risky . All you need is a group of drunk thugs to turn on you and your night is over and probably your camera too.