Re: [Leica] photography in stores, malls, etc.

[Henning Wulff <henningw@archiphoto.com>]

At 9:59 AM -0500 6/21/01, George Lottermoser wrote:
>dmark8@qwest.net (Mark E Davison)6/21/017:07 AM
>
>>  Prohibiting
>>  photography in malls virtually wipes out the possibility of
>capturing modern
>>  community life.
>
>Having begun my photographic life in the mid-sixties, I have
>witnessed the gradual clamp down on photographic accessibility to
>people and places, not the least of which - our national parks.
>And I agree with you that, unfortunately, the malls have become
>the "community" of suburban life. And if we wish to have a
>serious historical photographic record of these times, the malls
>need coverage.
>
>>  So sometimes it does make sense to "get all huffy."
>
>But the way to approach any of these restricted situations, if we
>have a serious interest in the subject, remains doing the work to
>contact the people who can give you access and permissions, so
>that when the rent-a-cop comes up to you, you show him/her the
>slip that says you have the authority to do this work. Ted's
>beautiful work in hospitals did not come out of his marching into
>offices and opperating rooms and grabbing what he could before
>they asked him to leave; but from working with people who
>understood the project and allowed him access. In almost all
>cases these pre-production procedures will allow you access to
>almost any one and any where. Its a new world and we must think
>and work professionally with in it.
>
>George

It can be time consuming, but it pretty much has to be done this way 
if you are serious about getting the pictures. In my work I am often 
commissioned by the architect or contractor or developer of a 
building, and not the occupant to take pictures, and then it's 
usually a fairly simple procedure to ask the owner's permission and 
help in getting everyone else's cooperation in taking photos of 
non-sensitive spaces. Even sensitive spaces at times.

I've taken pictures in the computer rooms of major insurance 
companies, military facilities, airline ticket centers and central 
banking data centers. Approached correctly, it can usually be managed.

Small malls are often difficult, as the owner is often far away; even 
in another country. What can be very difficult is taking pictures of 
a building from another building. Often the best vantage point is a 
balcony or roof of an adjacent building. If there is a building 
manager, roof access is often possible, but if the manager or owner 
feels that there might be some liability on his part if he lets me 
onto the roof, he might not let me even if I offer to sign a waiver.

Private apartments/condo units are a different thing again. Gaining 
access to them to take pictures of buildings across the street can be 
difficult. Usually the only thing to do is to start ringing suite 
numbers after getting an idea what the floorplan is like, and hope 
that someone will let you in. Usually this works, but not always. 
Also, some buildings have scrambled numbers, so that you can't tell 
which numbers corresponds to the correct side of the building.

The point is, that with some planning and perseverance you can gain 
legitimate access to almost anywhere if you really want to take 
pictures on or of someone's property.

If you can't get the proper authorisation with the above methods, 
then you have to start getting creative and use lighter equipment so 
you can run faster. This approach won't work for the interiors of 
banking data centers though :-).

- -- 
    *            Henning J. Wulff
   /|\      Wulff Photography & Design
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