What buildings can't you photograph?

[danny]

I remember when a family relative got a job at the ABS in canberra. My wife and I went past to take a photo of the building to send to the extended family. Very quickly a security guard came out to tell use that we weren't to take photos.

This has got me thinking... What types of building aren't you allowed (or maybe heavily discouraged) from taking photos of?

The reason I am asking is that I am interested in going to the jail here in Goulburn and taking a few of the towers, front gate (original sandstone) and the alike. And of course just to make it even more seemingly "dodgy" I would loved to go at night, trying to get the moon rising over the front gate.

Look I suppose I could just go park in the car park and walk around taking photos but I wanted to know if anybody had any thoughts first.

Cheers

[David Kembrey]

Best bet would be to get in touch with the Goal or NSW Corrections and ask.

Cheers

[ricktas]

Agree with David,

But generally, Military installations, inside Banks, inside all privately owned buildings without the owners permission.

You must be standing on public land, not on private property to photograph. IE you cannot go onto Nicole Kidman's property to photograph, without permission, but you can photograph from the footpath outside it.

Be aware that some public space is not necessarily publicly owned. Take the forecourt of some buildings, the land is probably part of the building owners asset, even if the public can access and use it regularly.

If in doubt, ask.

[Tommo224]

I got asked to leave a business estate area (Optus in Macquarie Business Park) when taking photos of my old car in front of their nice looking glass surrounded modern building.

One of the guards threatened me with the police and told me to delete the photos, I politely said a firm "no way" and walked to my car. He was yelling out to me to delete when the other guard stopped him and said something to him. They got in their little trolley cart and drove away.


I say this brings Rick's post in to play:

You must be standing on public land, not on private property to photograph. IE you cannot go onto Nicole Kidman's property to photograph, without permission, but you can photograph from the footpath outside it.

Be aware that some public space is not necessarily publicly owned. Take the forecourt of some buildings, the land is probably part of the building owners asset, even if the public can access and use it regularly.

[jjphoto]

Security people only have the right to ask you to stop taking photo's and to leave private property. Nothing else. In any dispute which was escalating out of control I would call the Police first.

Just the other day a security person commented to me, after a very brief verbal aldercation, that 'I knew my rights'. It made me wonder what they try to get away with when a person doesn't know their rights. Anyway, know you rights, don't do anything illegal, but don't let yourself be bullied either.

To the OP, I would get in touch with the Jails management and simply tell them what you want to do and see if it's going to be a problem and take it from there. I wouldn't shoot without at least letting them know what you are doing, if you plan to do it from public land.

JJ

[Seabee]

I had a teacher go absolutely ape at me on the Mornington Peninsula a year or so ago.
I was just taking pics of piers and usual beach flotsam and jetsam, rocks, water spray etc.

She had a class from a local private school out there for surf lessons.
Not once did I point the camera in the direction of the kids and actually stopped as they all came out of the water and up to the bus.
I only commented to two young boys that they had the right idea of Teamwork as they were working together with 2 boards.

She waited until they all got out of earshot and start berating me about, privacy laws, private schools, private property blah blah blah blah.

I just smiled and mentioned that she was actually on a 'Public' beach..........so have a nice day Lady

[mpb]

I would suggest asking first to save any hassles. They may say no.

I cant see it as a problem.

Anyone can get more useful details from google earth and street view. I wonder if google ask?

[danny]

I would suggest asking first to save any hassles. They may say no.

I cant see it as a problem.

Anyone can get more useful details from google earth and street view. I wonder if google ask?

Mark - Google do not ask and I am sure that there are a "few" legal debates about just that!


Cheers all for the advice. Have found out that there are some guards stationed 24 hrs at the gate (obviously), a local police man suggested simple asking them first. Which is what you have all suggested.

Will be interesting to see about the definition of public property as isn't the entire jail public property?

Cheers

[danny]

I had a teacher go absolutely ape at me on the Mornington Peninsula a year or so ago.
I was just taking pics of piers and usual beach flotsam and jetsam, rocks, water spray etc.

She had a class from a local private school out there for surf lessons.
Not once did I point the camera in the direction of the kids and actually stopped as they all came out of the water and up to the bus.
I only commented to two young boys that they had the right idea of Teamwork as they were working together with 2 boards.

She waited until they all got out of earshot and start berating me about, privacy laws, private schools, private property blah blah blah blah.

I just smiled and mentioned that she was actually on a 'Public' beach..........so have a nice day Lady

It is aggressive people like this (teacher) that give the profession of teaching a bad name. Shame on her!

Cheers

[Xenedis]

I had a teacher go absolutely ape at me on the Mornington Peninsula a year or so ago ... I just smiled and mentioned that she was actually on a 'Public' beach..........so have a nice day Lady

It always amuses me to hear stories in which uppity ignorami get a cold, hard dose of reality.

I would love to have been witness to that encounter!

[enVision]

Definitely contact the gaol first. They would have 24/7 physical and CCTV monitoring all over the location, so if you let them know, I'm sure there won't be a problem because they'll be able to see you wherever you are anyway!

[Analog6]

Yes, I'd definitely contact them (NSW Corrections or whatever thy are called these days). Otherwise it could be assumed (by some ass) that you were casing the joint for a breakout, or something equally dire. You could end up getting a much closer - and longer - look at the gaol than you had planned!

Why not offer them something as a carrot - a choice from your images for their annual report

[ricktas]

Will be interesting to see about the definition of public property as isn't the entire jail public property?

Cheers

Not necessarily. Prisons can be built by private companies, and private companies are contracted to run them. You would need to know what the conditions of the contract state. All is not as it seems. Take most sporting facilities, they are often owned by the government or local council's but are leased to private companies to run.

The only way to find out, is to ask the right people, and in this case, the prison administrators.

[crazymorton]

i'd go ahead and take the photos. wear dark clothes and a balaclava and make sure you are very discrete while doing it.

if this fails you'll at least be able to post some from the inside.