Database of bridge photographers. Are you in it?

Interesting what newspapers people read and go to for information...

It's a link from today's Drudge.

This bridge is next to where the works was, defence stuff so I am on a database anyway.

The print looks square, scanner put on the tilt!

If you photograph a bridge, you're in a database:

I can't think how many times i've told you so,Vic.

He just won't listen now he's in a database. I don't know what his old mum would say about it.

Add this to my FBI file.

Just had a thought, if out patron saint Barnack had the large format lenses on film we have nowadays the Leica would be a 24 on 12x9(cm) camera.

You on the electric soup Huw?

The whole article is anonymous sources. Still, amusing:

"But one source noted that in general, if someone pops up twice filming a crossing, "You start to develop a case.

"Some may not go to a full-blown case that involves an arrest, but it develops into intelligence where you can establish a trail where you can tie individuals together that otherwise would have gone unknown," the source said.

In at least some cases, the film is kept, sources said, and in all cases the images are reviewed."

No Trevor, Hypam!

Worthless info sorry I wasted my time reading the article. I have lots of photo's of bridges and I can asure you know one has ever asked me who I am or what I'm doing so unless they can figure out who I am from looking at me I guess I'm not in a data base (well one having to do with bridge photography) Since I am a concealed handgun permit holder I know I'm in that database)

Well I AM on a database I guess ... Tuesday morning shooting a photo of the I-40 Memphis-Arkansas bridge on a public road and a service employee of the Mud Island park came out and asked me what I was doing ... and I was then told that they would have to take my car tag number and report it to the Dept. of Homeland Security ... 15 minutes later I was on my cell phone, I called the local director of the agency, we had a nice conversation. I told him that the name that would most likely appear on his desk was me. He told me that it was not going to be put in any type of file (who knows) ... but this BS is not a joke, and not just in NYC. The photo is still in the can, but here is a test shot taken from a distant bluff the photo in question was close up.

Just so long as you don't do the Bridges of Madison County :-)

One of three bridges in the world with shops and houses built on them: the Pulteny Bridge in Bath.

Vic,

When I was eleven years old, during WW2, I was arrested for photographing the George Washington Bridge in NYC. My Argus C2 was confiscated, as was the film in it. When the cops found out where my parents were born, they really thought they had cought a real spy!

Jerry

I'm in it too!

Charles Bridge, Prague

Armchair Bridge problem solver.:)

>Mark Wahlster , jul 27, 2005; 05:28 p.m.

>Worthless info sorry I wasted my time reading the article. I have lots of photo's of bridges and I can asure you know one has ever asked me who I am or what I'm doing so unless they can figure out who I am from looking at me I guess I'm not in a data base (well one having to do with bridge photography) Since I am a concealed handgun permit holder I know I'm in that database)

And the "Abusers of the English language" database also...

Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College, ca. 1915. I guess my grandfather must be in the database, too.

Andy's right, I got it from Drudge, a great source of (pro right-wing) breaking news. Here's my bridge contribution, taken at Boston Common two weeks ago.

Oh well, here's another. South Station Boston, July 15th. In full view of the finest all black clad, gun toting, SWAT team. They were very nice to me, even though I could easily be mistaken for an Islamic terrorist. Didn't even take names or anything, and let us play with the bomb-sniffing dog. Things are better in Boston.

Magnum photographer Peter Essick reported that he was taken to the police station in Maryland after photographing a bridge for for the June 2005 National Geographic article on Chesapeake Bay.

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0506/feature2/assignment2.html

Bob, did you notice the part:

Essick: "...He took me to the police station and made me give up my film. I had to talk to an anti-terrorism officer from the FBI and wait six weeks to get it back...."

UNBELIEVABLE !!! Even a pro, and a journalist at that, willing to just give it up without a fight? No warrant. No probable cause. They just, according to Essick "...made me give up my film...."

I'd have been on the phone to the assignments editor and my [a] [ANY] lawyer faster than they could say homeland security.

That is tantamount to "making" a reporter give up his notes. Photo-journalists have privilege in both their written notes AND their photographs.

Screw that!

Hunter

Just a heads up to the FBI...

Be on the lookout for a tanned white male with a perpetual four day beard growth, driving a perpetually running on empty Black envoy, toting a Bronica GS1, lightmeter, tripod, dog, and wife on August 6th near the Ravenal Bridge in Charleston.

Could be arriving in town August 5th shooting light trails on the bridge/bridges. He'll claim he is an artist, but be wary...

His wife and dog will confirm you're suspicions that he is not an artist, and after you develop the pictures please return pictures to his wife so that she can drive home the point and criticize this would be artist/terrorist that he is spending WAY too much money shooting film.

It's easy for Waspy white males like Mark Wahlster to pooh pooh such goings on. The problem is that anyone with a badge and gun tries to interpret the law, while including his own prejudices into the mix. Witness this random case for example. This sort of thing would never happen to people like Mark, but it is an example of the mindset of some people running around with a badge, the best of Western Civilization. Anyone remotely resembling the targeted race/religion is at risk:

But for the grace of God, it could have been me. CLICK HERE.

I would venture to suggest that in the US our intelligence system is not intelligent enough. Throwing pots of money and guns is not a smart solution. The Israelis could teach us a lesson or two for starters.

This is more of a threat to "Western Civilization":

More reasons for going to France, other than bread and wine. CLICK HERE.

when the next time the election comes, please support your conscience, not the party...

It's easy for Waspy white males like Mark Wahlster to pooh pooh such goings on

It's also easy for (apparently) non-Waspy white males like Vic to run around crying "the sky is falling, the sky is falling!" When in fact such occurrences are *relatively* rare - and has never happened to him. Dovetails nicely with getting your "news" from the Daily News - hasn't anyone read that story with a critical eye?