The last time I can think of hearing about a plane being stolen it was the “Barefoot Bandit” Colton Harris-Moore. So shouldn’t the guy on the poster be , you know, barefoot?
Thats sad. For one, that poster looks like the guy is shooting a close up of the fence post. Second, that kind of blankets anyone taking a photo at an airport as a terrorist? come on. I shot a series for my portfolio of commercial airplanes and was going down and standing on the roof of my truck and shooting through fences at newark and JFK airports. I guess Im lucky I wasnt stopped, but if I was I wonder what would have come of it if I was. Its one thing to take photographs of something you find interesting in an innocent fashion, and you can substantiate the reasons. It would be another if you had a trunk full of RPGs and fertilizer and were wearing your favorite “Got Bin Laden?” t-shirt when the authorities approached you for taking pictures. Quite frankly , I dont understand what the threat is of taking a photo of something, in an area that is seen and passed by thousands of others on any given day?
This underscores the problem with eliciting public participation in the prevention of terrorism. What does a terrorist look like? What constitutes terrorist activity? Is taking a picture of a guy taking a picture of an airplane terrorism?
Demonizing photographers like this is just stupid. I remember growing up all the bad guys in movies and on TV looked like Nazis. Now they look like Arabs. We love our stereotypes. I read somewhere (maybe here) a photographer claimed to have bought a hard hat and one of those dayglo green vests and said he could walk around all day taking pictures in public places and no one bothered him. Who knows if that is true, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
How dumb is that, first off why would a terrorist take pictures by a gate. unobservant dope. Most entry points to secured areas have visual surveillance thus the secrecy of getting the images you want is gone. Even the local civil airport has security cameras strategically placed to capture those traveling around the perimeter.
I went through the gate at the USMC base in Barstow recently, there were some many security cameras that it was overwhelming.
I think I’ll create a poster about the stupidity of the TSA.
I know when I photograph at airports, embassies, and government buildings I like to dress up in all black with a hood over my head as not to draw suspicion to myself.
14 Comments
Ugh
Been there. Press passes come in very handy.
WTF …
The last time I can think of hearing about a plane being stolen it was the “Barefoot Bandit” Colton Harris-Moore. So shouldn’t the guy on the poster be , you know, barefoot?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100711/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_bahamas_teen_fugitive
The creative ‘Genius’ behind this campaign is actually an idiot!
Thats sad. For one, that poster looks like the guy is shooting a close up of the fence post. Second, that kind of blankets anyone taking a photo at an airport as a terrorist? come on. I shot a series for my portfolio of commercial airplanes and was going down and standing on the roof of my truck and shooting through fences at newark and JFK airports. I guess Im lucky I wasnt stopped, but if I was I wonder what would have come of it if I was. Its one thing to take photographs of something you find interesting in an innocent fashion, and you can substantiate the reasons. It would be another if you had a trunk full of RPGs and fertilizer and were wearing your favorite “Got Bin Laden?” t-shirt when the authorities approached you for taking pictures. Quite frankly , I dont understand what the threat is of taking a photo of something, in an area that is seen and passed by thousands of others on any given day?
This underscores the problem with eliciting public participation in the prevention of terrorism. What does a terrorist look like? What constitutes terrorist activity? Is taking a picture of a guy taking a picture of an airplane terrorism?
Demonizing photographers like this is just stupid. I remember growing up all the bad guys in movies and on TV looked like Nazis. Now they look like Arabs. We love our stereotypes. I read somewhere (maybe here) a photographer claimed to have bought a hard hat and one of those dayglo green vests and said he could walk around all day taking pictures in public places and no one bothered him. Who knows if that is true, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Hey, don’t look at me. I don’t own a hooded sweatshirt and my long lenses are white – off white to be exact.
How dumb is that, first off why would a terrorist take pictures by a gate. unobservant dope. Most entry points to secured areas have visual surveillance thus the secrecy of getting the images you want is gone. Even the local civil airport has security cameras strategically placed to capture those traveling around the perimeter.
I went through the gate at the USMC base in Barstow recently, there were some many security cameras that it was overwhelming.
I think I’ll create a poster about the stupidity of the TSA.
I know when I photograph at airports, embassies, and government buildings I like to dress up in all black with a hood over my head as not to draw suspicion to myself.
[…] A este respeito vale a pena olhar para esta fotografia, em que fotógrafo aparece como o equivalente de terrorista. [via APhotoEditor] […]
Any idea which agency created this campaign? Or was that in-house TSA?
Seems to be not so great a photograph either, though maybe they went cheap with a staffer or temp worker.
I think I will scrap my idea of getting a new hoodie. So when it gets cold outside I will just stick to the jacket and scarf. Probably go unnoticed.
The TSA’s response to criticism wasn’t exactly reassuring, either (in the words of the PDN Pulse):
http://pdnpulse.com/2010/09/tsa-talks-about-suspicious-photog-poster-sparking-outrage-on-blogs.html
It’s kinda dumb to be showing a photographer anyways, seeing as how everyone takes these kinds of pics with cell phones, it seems…
Uhh, couldn’t ya just go to google images? Geez.
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