If you're wondering what Chris and I were talking about in the "Bokeh Revisited" series, I recently got a little angry over an article I read on the Photo District News website. It was especially grating when taken on top of escalating intimidation of photographers over the past few years. The move makes it illegal to photograph farming operations (the intention is the so-called "factory farms") even from public areas or roads, and would make even
possession of such photos a criminal offense. It draws on the overused argument that such information could be used by terrorists - which always works to intimidate the weak-minded. It seems more like an attempt to avoid public scrutiny of cruel corporate practices by making documentation of it a criminal act. My argument is that the public has a right to know the about its food sources and an informed and educated population has a right to review and make its own judgement about such practices. Plus, photographers and reporters need to stand up for their rights in the United States.
I have no arguments at all with the responsibility to acquire permission before doing photography on private property, and do understand the importance of legitimate trade secrets.
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/news/Agribusiness-Pressin-2222.shtmlA good reference to help photographers understand their rights in the U.S. is:
https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.krages.com%2FThePhotographersRight.pdf&h=4234d
