d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

I was asked to take photos at Pimlico, at a promotional event the day before the Preakness, years ago. There were four models in the promotion and I snapped a couple of shots of them walking down the main corridor, when suddenly a guy that seemed to come right out of a "Godfather" movie grabbed me, threw me against a wall and almost lifted me up by my jacket. He demanded to know if, "...I am in dat thing?!?" nodding to my camera. I told him he was not and he dropped me, saying that he better not! I did not know whether to laugh or throw up! But I took the models to another area of the racetrack.

jrm21

I was in Italy back in 2003. All of the rules must have changed since then.

At the statue of David in Florence, there was NO photography permitted. They want you to buy their photos at the gift shop. Everyone was trying to sneak a photo with everything from a cell phone to a full size dslr. I was impressed at how good security was at spotting and stopping them. Anyone who tried was admonished, but no one was thrown out.

On the other side of the coin is the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Several here have posted that photography is no longer allowed. In 2003, photos were permitted throughout the Vatican, including the chapel. I'm pretty sure there was no flash allowed. I only had a point and shoot digital with me at the time and the light wasn't very good, but I did get off several photos.

I have had some issues at sporting events. Sometimes they let me take a long lens into a ballgame - other times it was a trip back to the car because they consider it a 'pro' camera. I don't bother anymore because "interchangeable lens" seems to be the new criteria.

Same with concerts. In the 1970s I would bring my SLR with a telephoto lens to concerts. Never received a second glance. At the same time, anyone caught recording audio was given a hard time. These days, anything that looks like a DSLR/SLR isn't allowed, but bootleg video with audio on a cell phone is not an issue. While that audio and video may not be very good, it is better than we could get in the 70s. The rules seem to lag behind available technology.

kjfishman Loc: Fulton MO

I was taking pictures of a bank near my house that is an example of Googie architecture when a guard came out and said I can't take photos of the bank. I ask why and he said photos could be used to plan a robbery. I already had the photo I wanted so I moved on and didn't take him to task on the subject. The police station is across the street so I should have told him call the police and we will discuss this.

Look at Google Maps street view they take photos of every building with out recourse.

BebuLamar

I have the problems mostly in shoping mall. In the USA, in France and even in a supermarket in Vietnam. At a museum where no flash is allowed the guy came and told me that the flash is not allowed. I had to tell him that my camera has no flash built in or attached. He didn't believe me.

Sunnely Loc: Wisconsin

Were you wearing a long black trench coat? (Just kidding)

Bykewrydr Loc: Alberta

Michael Angelo museum in Florence taking a photo of DAVID

OleMe Loc: Montgomery Co., MD

Ouglich, Russia.

In a museum. This lovely young lass was frowning on me for taking a picture. In many Russian museums, there is a up-charge for photography; it escalates from still to video. I showed the young lady that I'd been taking her picture, whereupon the frown turned into a smile.

/Roger

(Download)

BebuLamar

No! My wife bought me one but I never wear it.

d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

How the hell did you get thrown out of there?!? I was there in September and EVERYONE was taking photos! I took about 40 of them, with no problem at all!

(Download)

Bykewrydr Loc: Alberta

Didn't get thrown out ... told to put the camera away or leave

d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

I don't get that, at all! It was not like I was hiding the D7100 with the battery pack attached to it. Sorry you had a difficult time.

Maik723

Not interested in your unthoughtful considerations. Stay on topic and comment accordingly,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, STUPID.

rbmitch123

In a Chinese cemetery in Hawaii. The groundskeeper said, after I’d already taken a dozen shots, the souls of the dead would be In my camera. A few days later I missed my flight home. I think it was somehow related.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

You’ve no idea how much more than delighted I am to finally have an excuse to relate this story !

My experience of the sort requested occurred in April of 1984 in the airport at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where, I later learned, that every airport in S.A. is a highly secure military airbase. The instant I raised my camera I was, almost immediately, accosted and grabbed by both arms by two uniformed guys bigger than I (and I was 6’4”) who “assisted” me to a small room just off the main esplanade of the magnificent air terminal.
One was addressing me in what I took to be distinctly abusive Arabic, while the, other, in not-too-broken English, made sure they had all my “papers”.

However, it all soon turned amusing to observe the lightning-like change in their demeanor when they found my official “Guest of the Royal Family” pass.
As a faculty member at Cornell who had been invited to do some teaching at the Veterinary School at the King Faisal University in Huffuf, that official pass, in Arabic and English, ordered anyone reading it to “...extend every possible assistance to the bearer” as well as entitling me to a seat in the Saud Royal Family Seating Section of any Saudi Air flight. Turned out everything...absolutely EVERYTHING there is wholly owned by the Saud Royal Family. They were horror-struck to find that the guy they had been man-handling was, in fact, the personal guest of Prince Mugrin bin Abdul Azzis ibn Saud (the 44th or 45th son of Abdul Azzis ibn Saud...His Highness himself was a bit unsure ...)

And that’s my account of being given the “bum’s rush” for having tried to do some photography where I ought not have tried to. Thanks; time for such an opportunity was growing short !

I thought I’d never actually be asked to tell that story - which I would otherwise never think of dropping into an ordinary conversation, having a personal antipathy to name-droppers!

Dave

d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA