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Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a Post Office?



 
 
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  #21  
Old April 1st 13, 07:37 AM posted to rec.photo.digital
Danny D.[_4_]
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Posts: 81
Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a PostOffice?

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:46:53 -0700 Frank S wrote:

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/53/152...992d24ff_o.jpg
USPS employee at work in the Passport Photo Studio, February 2005.


But, is it illegal, as the OIC said, or not?
Anyone know for sure?

  #22  
Old April 1st 13, 07:46 AM posted to rec.photo.digital,misc.legal
Danny D.[_4_]
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a PostOffice?

On Fri, 29 Mar 2013 18:54:31 -0800 Floyd L. Davidson wrote:

It is private property that is open to the public.

That means you can photograph to your heart's content as
long as the manager or clerks do not object. They do
have the option to ask you to leave if you don't stop.
Not leaving would put you in violation of tresspass
laws.


Do you know where we can find this written down so that
I can show it to the postal service?

Here, for example, is a sample pic (with identities blurred):
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12561500.jpg

  #23  
Old April 1st 13, 07:48 AM posted to rec.photo.digital,misc.legal
Danny D.[_4_]
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a PostOffice?

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 10:01:37 -0400 Scott Schuckert wrote:

legally, they're a private company that's been given a
monopoly contract to deliver the mail.


This is interesting.

So do we know what the law is about taking pictures at
a private company which is open to the public?

  #24  
Old April 1st 13, 07:50 AM posted to rec.photo.digital,misc.legal
Danny D.[_4_]
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a PostOffice?

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:31:21 -0400 Alan Browne wrote:

I could take photos of the postal clerk and I doubt she would object.


This clerk did NOT object - but - when I called back later to complain
to the manager about them not taking stamps, THEN the manager objected
but I doubted the manager was telling me the truth (on either issue):
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12561500.jpg

I can't tell, from the responses, if the Post Office is a public or
private company which is open to the public, so it really would be
nice to see a rule that says what pictures can be taken, either way.

  #25  
Old April 1st 13, 09:00 AM posted to rec.photo.digital,misc.legal
richard
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a Post Office?

On Mon, 1 Apr 2013 06:50:46 +0000 (UTC), Danny D. wrote:

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:31:21 -0400 Alan Browne wrote:

I could take photos of the postal clerk and I doubt she would object.


This clerk did NOT object - but - when I called back later to complain
to the manager about them not taking stamps, THEN the manager objected
but I doubted the manager was telling me the truth (on either issue):
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12561500.jpg

I can't tell, from the responses, if the Post Office is a public or
private company which is open to the public, so it really would be
nice to see a rule that says what pictures can be taken, either way.


The USPS was owned by the US government but then a few decades ago it was
privatized.
Like any other private company, they can restrict photo shoots at any time
they so choose.
Is it illegal? Probably not. Those in power, or think they have the power,
like to show off their intelligence and authority by barking out "it's
illegal!". Even when it isn't.

If that happened to me I'd say, "Ok fine. Have your postal inspector arrest
me and charge me. You will then be able to explain to the judge precisely
why I was arrested and charged. What are you gonna do when he dismisses the
case?"
  #26  
Old April 1st 13, 01:20 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Neil Ellwood
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a PostOffice?

On Mon, 01 Apr 2013 06:37:35 +0000, Danny D. wrote:

On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:46:53 -0700 Frank S wrote:

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/53/152...992d24ff_o.jpg USPS
employee at work in the Passport Photo Studio, February 2005.


But, is it illegal, as the OIC said, or not? Anyone know for sure?


It is not illegal in the UK - but what would they be doing over here?



--
Neil
Reverse ‘a’ and ‘r’
Remove ‘l’ to get address.
  #27  
Old April 1st 13, 01:38 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Wolfgang Weisselberg
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a PostOffice?

Edward McArdle wrote:
This is actually the opposite of the question asked, but nowadays it is
possible to take a picture almost anywhere without anyone noticing.
There are places where you are forbidden to take photos (eg. with anything
over a 200mm lens at the Australian Open tennis), but it is simple to
break the rule.


Try selling sich photos to a sports magazine. :-)

I have a small camera with a 5-100mm lens. As it is not
35mm, this is actually a 28 - 560 mm equivalent.


It is, however, actually a 5-100mm lens, and thus *not*
over 200mm.
And you said the rule was against anything "over a 200mm lens"
not "over a lens equivalent to 200mm on FF", so there.

It is also forbidden to take videos at all - but almost any camera today
will take video.
And if you have a 20 megapixel camera, you can take a photo and blow up
that little bit in the middle.


Yep, if you blow it up by a meagre factor of 1.5 --- equivalent
to using a mere 300mm lens instead a 200mm lens --- you're
left with only 9 MPix. You're much much better off using a
2x teleconverter and/or a tiny sensor with high pixel pitch
in first place-

And you don't have to put a camera up to your eye to take a picture.


You never had to!

-Wolfgang
  #28  
Old April 1st 13, 01:43 PM posted to rec.photo.digital
Wolfgang Weisselberg
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a PostOffice?

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 02:14:30 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."


May I ask:
Legally, in California, in a Post Office, when nobody objects,
is it against the law to snap a photograph or otherwise record
the transaction?


I have no idea what the law is about taking the photo, but I'm pretty
sure that whether anyone objects or not is irrelevent. Otherwise, I
could walk into a store, take what I want, and leave. If no one
objected, I'd be in the clear.


So you're one of the people that claim photography will steal
your soul, or at least deprive you of cash or goods?

How about looking at something in a store, memorizing prices (or
even writing them down!) and then buying where it is cheapest?
That *does* real financial damage to all the stores where you
didn't buy! There must be a law where you must buy whatever
you look at in a store to protect the rights of the storekeepers
everywhere!

-Wolfgang
  #29  
Old April 1st 13, 02:51 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,misc.legal
Scott Schuckert
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Posts: 368
Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a Post Office?

In article , richard
wrote:

The USPS was owned by the US government but then a few decades ago it was
privatized.
Like any other private company, they can restrict photo shoots at any time
they so choose.
Is it illegal? Probably not. Those in power, or think they have the power,
like to show off their intelligence and authority by barking out "it's
illegal!". Even when it isn't.

If that happened to me I'd say, "Ok fine. Have your postal inspector arrest
me and charge me. You will then be able to explain to the judge precisely
why I was arrested and charged. What are you gonna do when he dismisses the
case?"


Sort of like "I'm allergic!" or "I'm calling my lawyer!" Occasionally
true, or appropriate, but mostly means "I don't like that" or "Stop
doing that."

In this case, and as previously stated, it's only illegal if they ask
you to stop, or leave, and you don't. Then it's trespassing. The
official policy is THIS, straight from the USPS::
----------------------
Still Photography

For Personal Use: Informal snapshots from handheld cameras for personal
use may be allowed at the discretion of the Postmaster so long as there
is no disruption to Postal Service operations and provided the
pictures are taken from areas accessible to the public. In these cases,
no prior permission is required from the Office of Rights and
Permissions; however, no lighting or scaffolding may be set up, and
Postal Service employees, customers, cover of mail and security cameras
cannot be depicted in the pictures. Postmasters may restrict any and
all photography if they determine that it is disruptive or there are
potential security concerns.
----------------------
The key phrase there is "at the discretion of the Postmaster".
According to my girlfriend, who is a USPS supervisor, the default is
virtually always going to be "NO" unless you have prior permission. Who
knows why you're taking them, and there are "terrorists" in every
wastebasket. More seriously, postal facilities DO get robbed, though
they make every effort to keep it out of the media.
  #30  
Old April 1st 13, 04:18 PM posted to rec.photo.digital,misc.legal
Martin Brown
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Default Is it really illegal to snap a picture of a clerk in a Post Office?

On 01/04/2013 07:48, Danny D. wrote:
On Sat, 30 Mar 2013 10:01:37 -0400 Scott Schuckert wrote:

legally, they're a private company that's been given a
monopoly contract to deliver the mail.


This is interesting.

So do we know what the law is about taking pictures at
a private company which is open to the public?


You are stood on privately owned land and the landowner has rights over
what he permits when you are stood on his land. There have been a
handful of very spectacular image rights cases involving photographs
taken on private property that were then used in advertising campaigns.
There may well be a notice on the wall stating what is permitted. Many
sport venues, supermarkets and department stores have similar policies.

It isn't illegal in the UK but it is civil trespass if you do not cease
and desist from taking photographs on private land when asked to do so.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown
 




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