Photography Hall of Shame

We just got these two images in our inbox from two Icelandic photographers from protests outside the parliament building in Iceland in January.

According to Kristjan logason (one of the photographers in the second photo)
 “The Icelandic Police systematically tried to remove photographers from the spot by spraying them with pepper spray. It is now confirmed that seven Photographers and camera men have stepped forth and told their story.”

We don’t know any more details of the story, but the photos look pretty bad

Photography Hall of Shame: Amtrak Nails a Photographer Participating in Their Contest

We’ve been highlighting crimes against photography and photographers for over a year now. Some have been scary for the shooter , while others have caused more harm to equipment and celebrities’ reputations than anything else.

This one though might take the cake for the most ridiculous. The story basically goes like this:

1) Amtrak announces a photography contest.
2) Dwayne Kerzic takes photographs of Amtrak trains for Amtrak’s photography contest
3) Amtrak police arrest Kerzic for taking photographs for Amtrak’s photography contest.

If this sounds absurd, that’s because it is. Check out the full story in the clip from Monday’s Colbert Report below.

 

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Nailed 'Em - Amtrak Photographer

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Hall of Shame New Inductee

In the wake of the Proposition 8's passing in California a police officer takes out aggression on a photographer.
Contributing Editor Neal Matthews found the below photo by  AP's Reed Saxon in this morning’s San Diego Union-Tribune, illustrating a story about protesters being arrested after the gay marriage amendment was passed. The picture was taken on L.A.'s west side, where about 1000 protesters clogged traffic and had to be herded by hundreds of police.

Hall of Shame New Inductee

It was a little over a year ago when we reported about a Newark, NJ police officer who questioned a newspaper photographer about his immigration status when the photographer reported a crime. Now, the Newark Police Department finds itself back in out Hall of Shame, this time for actions even more shocking. 
 
A Newark police officer reportedly put a CBS 2 photographer in a chokehold, handcuffed him, and put him in the back of a police car during a peaceful protest in the city earlier this week.

The photographer, Jim Quodomine, was shooting on public property and according to witnesses he had started to put his camera down when the police officer came and knocked it from his hand, grabbed, and handcuffed him.

The Newark Police Department refuses to comment. Councilwoman Mildred Crump, who was there attending church services, pushed for Quodomine's release and spoke to the officer at the time of the incident, and now says she will ask for an investigation.

Click here for the full story and video

—Kathleen Davis
Assistant Editor

Hall of Shame New Inductee

Air travel is increasingly more cumbersome. As if long lines, higher prices, and more luggage restrictions weren’t bad enough, now add on the fear that your expensive camera equipment might get swiped.

Earlier this week, Pythias Brown, a six-year veteran of the TSA, was charged with dozens of counts of theft from passengers at Newark Liberty International Airport, and faces up to 10 years in Federal Prison according to Assistant US Attorney Jenny Kramer.

Brown was caught because of his alleged theft of a camera from an HBO crew, valued at $47,900. Brown had listed the camera on eBay (A camera Brown had allegedly stolen from CNN was also listed on eBay at the same).

According to lead investigator Special Agent Thomas Adams, of the US Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General, 66 cameras, 12 GPS units, 11 MP3 players, 31 laptops, 8 camera lenses, 2 DVD players, 6 video cameras, 13 pieces of jewelry and 17 electronic video games were found in Browns house when it was raided last week.

Faced with this evidence Brown has confessed to the crimes, and has been placed on administrative leave from the TSA and will be terminated shortly.

Read more at Flying with Fish, a blog dedicated to the flying photographer.
—Kathleen Davis
Assistant Editor

Photography Hall of Shame New Inductee

Today we welcome 3M, the company that makes Post-it notes, into our ever-growing Photography Hall of Shame. Back in December of 2006, a group of employees at an Internet company covered a co-worker’s jaguar in post-it notes. One of them documented the office prank with his digital camera and posted the photos on Flickr.

The photo set became an Internet sensation, and was picked up by various sites and even featured on ABC News. Then, this spring 3M contacted the photographer and asked to use his photos for a marketing campaign. When they couldn’t agree on a price, 3M said they would just copy his idea and have their own photographer shoot the photos. Is what they did legal? Technically. Was it fair? If you saw your images copied without credit, you probably wouldn't think so. The full story is here.

—Kathleen Davis
Assistant Editor

Photography Hall of Shame New Inductee

It’s been awhile since we’ve (dis)honored someone in the Photography Hall of Shame, but rapper Kayne West comes in with a vengeance. According to TMZ.com, a photographer was taking his picture at the American Airlines terminal in Los Angeles’ LAX Airport yesterday morning when the rapper and his road manager confronted the man and smashed his $10,000 camera and flash unit.

West and his bodyguard were arrested and on suspicion of felony vandalism. The bodyguard also faces a possible charge of battery. They were released on bail, and prosecutors have not yet decided whether to press charges.

Video of the altercation below via TMZ.com

—Kathleen Davis
Assistant Editor

Photography Hall of Shame New Inductee

Sheriff’s deputy arrests man for taking his picture

If you thought the war on photography was confined to metropolises like New York City or Washington DC, you’re wrong. In Tennessee, a Johnson county sheriff’s deputy arrested Scott Conover for taking a picture of him with his camera phone. 
Conover took a picture of a sheriff’s deputy on the side of the road during a traffic stop. Immediately, one wonders, “Isn’t a highway public property?”

A highway is public property, and according to a report from tricities.com, the photograph was taken at a place where there was “no reasonable expectation of privacy,” like the Tennessee code states.

When the deputy discovered that he had taken a picture of him, Conover recalls, “[the deputy] said if you don’t give it to me, you’re going to jail.”
In affidavit that followed, the deputy claimed that he saw a red light, which he perceived to be a laser. Conover responded by explaining that, “At no time did I have a laser. I had an iPhone.”

Reportedly, the deputy never questioned Conover about the laser at the time of the incident, he was only concerned with the photograph.

The American Civil Liberties Union confirmed that there is no law that prohibits anyone from taking photographs in public areas, even if the subject is a police officer. Conover is scheduled to appear in court on August 6, but the charges will most likely be dropped.

—Kaitlin Tambuscio
Editorial Intern

Photography Hall of Shame New Inductee

Surfers Shred more than waves in latest scuffle

While there are some paparazzi photographers that definitely deserve a spot in the Hall of Shame, our most recent (dis)honorees are a rowdy bunch of surfers. The battle between celebrities and photographers is age old, but the most recent showdown was something you’d have to see to believe. Luckily, it was caught on video.

In an incident that occurred on Saturday, June 21st at a Malibu, CA beach, a group of paparazzi were attacked by a large group of surfers while trying to take Matthew McConaughey’s picture. McConaughey was surfing at the time, and was reportedly not involved in the incident.

A group of around 15 surfers approached the paparazzi slowly, and demanded that the photographers stop taking pictures, as if they were there to take their picture. An all out brawl ensued after one of the surfers declared that they should “fight for the beach.” Battle lines were quickly drawn (literally: the surfer drew a line in the sand).

The video then shows what appears to be quite a few surfers approaching a lone pap carrying his tripod. According to a report from CBS News, the surfer can be seen hitting the photographer, and the photographer then strikes him with his tripod. Then, many other shirtless men jump in. The tape indicates that the person behind the camera appears to have been attacked as well.

At least one of the photographers had his nose broken, another was dunked in the ocean, along with his equipment. No injuries seem to be reported by the surfers. One photographer has filed battery charges, but so far, no arrests have been announced.

—Kaitlin Tambuscio
Editorial Intern

Photography Hall of Shame New Inductee

As the battle of photographer vs. NYPD rages on, this latest Hall of Shame (dis)honoree, an unidentified New York City police officer, forced photographer Simon Lund to do the unthinkable… give up his film.
According to a report from villagevoice.com, Simon Lund, a commercial photographer, has a habit of hitting Coney Island every summer to expand his personal portfolio.

He has never run into any trouble until Memorial Day weekend this year, when he was approached by a woman while shooting. The woman accused him of taking pictures of her son, which he said he was unaware of. Lund knew that even if her were taking pictures of her son, it was perfectly legal if the photos were for personal use.

The family of this boy confronted the cops, who sided with them. The Village Voice reported that the cop told Lund that, "You should destroy your film right now, or give it to her. You've got to give up your film, or things are going to get much worse for you."

Lund was then arrested. The matter in question is… what did Lund do that was illegal?  Lund chose to give the woman his film rather than run the risk of going to jail. He reportedly asked her remove any pictures of her son, and return the rest of the photographs to him.

The Village Voice reported that “Lund was intimidated by a cop into giving up his film, even though he was doing nothing wrong and wasn't formally accused of anything.”

According to Chris Dunn, the New York Civil Liberties Union’s associate legal director, “Police officers are not allowed to look at images without consent of the photographer, and they have no authority to order someone to let them look at their picture or confiscate their film. And it happens all the time.”
Many speculate that this hostility against photography was perpetuated by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but this article from The Guardian proves the suspicion is unwarranted, and presents the belief that movies are responsible for this stereotype.

The article points out thirteen specific terrorist incidents in which the attackers, including those behind the 9/11 attacks, the London and Madrid bombers, and all Palestinian suicide bombings, never photographed their “assignment” before hand.
What will it take to end this war on civil liberties? A cease-fire from the NYPD would surely help... Unfortunately, peace negotiations have yet to begin.
—Kaitlin Tambuscio
Editorial Intern

*Note: Lund was not arrested as originally reported, he was however asked to give up his film, perhaps another reason to make the switch to digital.