stan0301 Loc: Colorado

One thing i will always point out is that every picture is a free add for whatever it is you are taking pictures of.
Stan

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

We must remember that tripods can cause damage. Most tripod feet have spikes which can be extended or retracted which may harm the surface they are on. The photographer should always get permission to set up his tripod anywhere indoors or on private property, and any other time where it might appear it could do damage or be in anyone's way. In the case of oft photographed spaces, think in terms of thousands of photographers and their tripods. In many cases, because you were nice enough to ask, and you explained that the destructive spikes are retracted, they will allow you to use it. If not, put it away.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Not always, or at least not always in the way they would like. Years ago a historic site, now a state site, Olana, gave access of their grounds to a film crew to do a version of Alice In Wonderland. Turned out it was the porn version. Any number of "upstanding" citizens were upset. Probably because they weren't invited to watch!

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

It all went very well and I took as many pictures as I wanted from the observation tower and no one bothered me in the least, including the fact that I still had my tripod with me.

Ergo, being cooperative and compliant almost always is superior than belligerence or having an 'Attitude'.

Arca[/quote]

But you never got the shot from the sidewalk did you? I know, the point of the story is you got more than you would if you had been belligerent. You handled it well. Thanks for your story.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

LOL I guess the lesson here is that we might not always understand management or beaureaucratic reasoning but there may have been logical reasoning behind their rules. Typically though instead of going on a case by case basis, they throw down blanket rules that affect a lot of innocent people. I see that same thing from my employer all the time.

Arca

Whuff,

You are so right! But I had forgotten about it now that it is 13 years later. However, the light was no longer right for that day and I would have had to come back the next day and I did not want to go through that again.

Arca

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

Having worked retail for 40+ years I've learned, smile and be nice and most of the time everything turns out right, as you learned . Had you given the guy a hard time you may have found yourself out on your butt looking in.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

I'm not sure he could have thrown me out. It's sort of a gray area. The public has free access but is technically private property, that's why it's being patrolled by a private security guy.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

Someone added something to my posting. They posted "I took a couple photos inside Caesars Palace while I was there. Did I break any laws? I saw lots of others using cell phones to take pictures. No one stepped me so I assumed it was okay. Of course I didn't use my tripod either."

This was not part of my posting and should not have been added to my posting. I have never been to Caesar's Palace.

knowles_ra Loc: Gloucester, VA

Never had this happen to me - probably because only a Martian would confuse me with a professional photographer. But, in the unlikely event that I may be questioned in the future, I might try this - take a few real stinkers handheld to show the mall cop when he/she comes over (I.E. use my usual composition technique) then get the tripod out when they laugh and wander off, leaving me to take more pin-sharp howlers...

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

There's something about a tripod that indicates professionalism to even the general public - not only businesses. If I'm shooting the exterior front of a house for my real estate work using my Sony dSLR with or without a monopod, cars go ripping past without a second glance. Neighbors on riding mowers ignore me. If I use my small lightweight tripod with the legs not fully opened up with my tiny Olympus PEN for shooting HDR the cars slow up to look at what I'm doing and then accelerate away - I'm sure it's because of the tripod. One nosy neighbor may come over to make some fake friendly conversation and get around to asking me if the house is for sale, if I'm a realtor, etc.

If I am using the big dSLR on my heavy-duty videocam tripod with triple braced legs, cars crawl past and sometimes stop to look at what I'm doing until I turn toward them and they slowly drive away. I'm not standing in the street so they don't have to avoid me in any way. On occasion they'll even circle the block to come back past again for a second gawk. I'll see several neighbors looking out their front windows or from inside their garages, sometimes even with little opera binoculars. I've suddenly become a professional because of the equipment.

The bigger the tripod the more professional-owned and expensive it looks, I guess. Small camera, small tripod or monopod, I must be an amateur. Large camera, large tripod, I must be a professional. In reality my small tripod cost $89+tax numerous years ago and the big one cost $98 with no tax and no shipping from Adorama via eBay six months ago. My dSLR and Olympus PEN cost the same amount and I know the PEN has slightly better IQ, but in their view the big fat dSLR must be a pro unit while the PEN is a Point & Shoot.

You never know what goes through people's minds unless they outright tell you like the guard relayed to you, but it also reveals clearly that image is pertinent to being considered a professional if you work in portraiture or wedding photography.

Pro all-black clothing get up and soft quiet shoes, black pro-looking cameras, pro-looking huge flashes with huge pro-looking diffusers and L-brackets, two complete camera rigs that you switch back and forth with even if they're equipped the same, etc. Even a compartmentalized pro hard case for everything adds to the illusion.

But then someone finds out it's just Uncle Herb who has a large retirement pension and can afford to buy all the equipment someone told him to get. He has never shot a wedding before, nor learned to use anything but full-auto. He takes 500 shots but only 50 turn out usable. But he starts getting word of mouth referrals because he's really cheap and he builds a part time business out of it because he has "the image" down pat.