Since I can't post on "Photography & the Law" sticky:

jack58

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Since I can't post on "Photography & the Law" sticky:

On this part:
Taking Photos in A Public Place

A public place is defined in laws as a place to which the general public has access. It does NOT mean public property. A shopping centre, library, museum, park, is still a public place although it may be private property.


All the Malls around here in the Seattle/Tacoma area don't allow Photo's.
Even if I pack a camera and NOT taking pictures, the security officers always stops me and tells me I can't take photo's and to put my camera away out of sight. When I ask them "Why?" They usually say it is Mall policy and don't have to tell me more.

I feel like telling them to "stick it where the sun don't shine". I don't though, but I usually ignore them if I'm not taking pictures.

EXACTLY what is the law on this?
 
Here's what ASMP states about it....
Business and Legal FAQ | American Society of Media Photographers

Your home is private property. It may be legal for a person to smoke, but if you don't want the person to smoke in your home you have the right to tell them to stop or leave. Same could apply to private property such as a mall regarding photography for whatever reason they may have, which likely may be security.
 
For those that don't click on the link:

The answer is different if you are taking the picture inside (or on) private property. There, the owner gets to make the rules, and if he/she/it says no photos, then you can't take photos.

A mall is private property and they can make any rules they want regarding photography.

If you are asked to stop taking photos and you don't, or if they ask you to leave and you don't, they can have you arrested, or a security guard can do a citizens arrest and detain you until a LEO arrives. (LEO = Law Enforcement Officer)
 
Strange thing is I see lots of folks taking cell phone pictures and they don't stop that.
Probably start a revolution if they did...
 
When I last ran into the problem was a few weeks ago, when I put my 2nd Nikon D5000 on craigslist to sell and I prefer to meet a the Mall entrance, (just inside) for safety reasons as there have been lots of robberies lately stemming from craigslist sales. Anyways the guy was trying out my camera when security said to stop it. We were done then anyways.
 
Since I can't post on "Photography & the Law" sticky:

On this part:
Taking Photos in A Public Place

A public place is defined in laws as a place to which the general public has access. It does NOT mean public property. A shopping centre, library, museum, park, is still a public place although it may be private property.

All the Malls around here in the Seattle/Tacoma area don't allow Photo's.
Even if I pack a camera and NOT taking pictures, the security officers always stops me and tells me I can't take photo's and to put my camera away out of sight. When I ask them "Why?" They usually say it is Mall policy and don't have to tell me more.

I feel like telling them to "stick it where the sun don't shine". I don't though, but I usually ignore them if I'm not taking pictures.

EXACTLY what is the law on this?

I wrote the above quote in blue. The way it works is that as a public place you can take photos of a person without a model release if the image is not used for advertising. The negative part is that the owner of the public place can forbid photography but the only charge he can bring is trespassing, since photography is not against any law. The usual routine is to accompany the person off the property. Although as I said, a trespassing charge can be laid against the photographer it is seldom done, unless for example the photographer is very uncooperative about leaving the property.

skieur
 
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