Sign up to ask the Prime Minister to stop proposed restrictions regarding photography in public places
As a photography enthusiast (albeit a shamefully inactive one) I am incensed by the notion of restricting photography in public places. According to Simon Taylor, there are moves afoot in the UK to do just this and so he has started a petition against it.
As it turns out, there is no actual Bill being put forward by the government. Mr Taylor is referring to
the ID cards proposed by various bodies which will serve to create an ‘uber class’ of photographer, and restrict the use of cameras by normal citizens.
The fact that there is no legislation in the pipeline has not prevented me from signing the petition. I have personally been harassed by security guards for taking photographs in the City of London with a tripod. It angered me that I was allowed to use my camera hand-held, or indeed to support it on a wall with a beanbag - but that the use of a tripod was prohibited. I believe that anyone should be allowed to take photographs of any public place - regardless of whether they use a tripod to steady the camera!
If you feel the same and you live in the UK then perhaps you should sign the petition too:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Photography/