Photography in US national parks (and few other questions)

[primoz]

I'm coming over to USA for holidays with my wife and we will be mostly driving around parks in California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. On quite few web pages of those parks I found that someone needs "Special use permit" for commercial filming etc. Considering bunch of posts on forums around Internet I'm wondering what they consider as "commercial" there. I heard bunch of stories telling you are on commercial side as soon as you set tripod there, and since this will be holidays I don't feel like having problems with park rangers or even police because of some stupid tripod. So what's real thing in those parks with being pro or being pro on holidays :)
As I said it will be holidays, but cameras will be with me so there is chance to sell something after that, but getting photos to sell is not going to be intention of this trip.
Another question I have, is probably stupid for most of you living in USA, but still. Considering all those movies with 300 dead bodies/movie how bad it really is? I'm over there about once a year (usually just for week and never with some more time to go around) but never had any problems. Now I do have more time and I have quite few ideas for places to shoot mostly on evenings or nights. So how bad would it be to walk around with $10.000 worth equipment and getting photos of for example Golden gate or Las Vegas at night?
Thanks to everyone for all your help in advance already :)

[neil_r]

I have shot in many US National Parks, San Francisco and Las Vegas (both before and after 9/11) I have used an EOS 1D white lenses and a tripod and I have never had a problem.

I am not giving you legal advice here just telling you how it has been for me. You can see some of my latest from Yosemite National Park, San Francisco and Las Vegas here:-

http://www.neil-rice.com/gallery/index.php?groupid=23

[sdommin]

I've been to many Nat'l Parks with a tripod and expensive equipment and have never had any problems whatsoever. You'll see plenty of people taking pictures with and without tripods, so don't give it another thought.

As for dead bodies, 300 is a bit excessive - 200 dead bodies lying around is more like it! If I only see 100 dead bodies, I get nervous.

But seriously, if you stick to one simple rule at night, you'll be fine - only go where there are lots of other tourists. If you are with 2 or more other people, that's even better. That rule applies in any big city anywhere in the world.

[jimsolt]

Another question I have, is probably stupid for most of you living in USA, but still. Considering all those movies with 300 dead bodies/movie how bad it really is? I'm over there about once a year (usually just for week and never with some more time to go around) but never had any problems. Now I do have more time and I have quite few ideas for places to shoot mostly on evenings or nights. So how bad would it be to walk around with $10.000 worth equipment and getting photos of for example Golden gate or Las Vegas at night?
Thanks to everyone for all your help in advance already :)

300 dead bodies are not the usual scene here . . . except in movies. To say there is no crime would be a lie, but I think you'll find the same good sense rules that work everywhere else in the world work here. Las Vegas and San Francisco are 2 of the leading tourist destinations in the world, and I think considered safe by most people. As to $10,000 worth of equipment . . . maybe tempting, so don't flaunt it. Most tourists carry more like 3 or 4 hundred dollars worth.
If you take "tourist" picures of the Golden Gate, nobody will bother you. If it looks like you're documenting the structure, you might get asked some questions by security folks -- unfortunate, but a fact of life these days.
I'd be much happier if I could give a different opinion about these matters, but I'm realistic.
Welcome. I hope you enjoy your visit.
Jim

[robertwgross]

I'm pretty familiar with the national parks of California. If you were a commercial movie producer, then you would probably need to get the right permit from that specific national park. This is especially true if you expect to go to one location, set up, and shoot what you want... and keep other tourists out of your scene. In other words, if you are obstructing other tourists, then the National Park Service wants a piece of the action.

However, for those of us who simply set up a tripod and shoot at some stinkin' waterfall, then it is no big deal.

In Yosemite National Park, there is one scenic overview with a parking lot that gets absolutely overrun with photographers on a nice summer day. Some are shooting video, and some are shooting stills. I will wager that less than 1% have any kind of paid permit for photography.

In Death Valley National Park, there is one valley highway that is highly desireable for auto commercials. So, typically, they have the auto on a trailer, and they tow that behind the video camera truck. They want to keep all other traffic off that stretch of road for a period of 2-3 minutes at a time for each take. As a result, they have to hire the NPS plus the county sheriff to monitor the whole deal, block off traffic, and all that. Therefore, the fees probably add up into many thousands of dollars per day, just for access.

---Bob Gross---

[Jemmind]

Here's a liink to an article: "Photographing in US National Parks and other federal public lands"

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/travel/national-parks.html

Hope you have a nice visit

Julie

[primoz]

Thanks to everyone for all your help and especially to Julie for this link. This was exactly what I was looking for and I didn't find.
Thanks again to everyone! :)

[Jemmind]

Thanks to everyone for all your help and especially to Julie for this link. This was exactly what I was looking for and I didn't find.
Thanks again to everyone! :)

Any time I can help another member I am quite pleased to do so! It makes me feel like I am contributing something intelligent to this forum when I can answer a question:)

Julie

[nat869]

I have never had a problem taking pictures in California or in Vegas. As far as people stealing your stuff as you walk around, just pay attention as you do your stuff. The worst mistake I made was walking through a very bad neighborhood in Vegas, alone and with all of our cash on me. A lot of young men came out of some run down apartments and just watched me walk by, but nobody hasseled me. Usually things are cool, have a great trip!!!

[rdenney]

I have photographed in many national parks with everything from an Instamatic to a 4x5 view camera. The only time I was questioned was when I was setting up my view camera in the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and a ranger came and asked me if I was doing a commercial shoot. I told her "no". She looked at me and my equipment with that guarded expression that says she isn't buying it, and my friend said "It's an expensive hobby."

We all laughed. She told us that they wanted a permit in advance for commercial photography because often the equipment would cause a commotion that would require their involvement. A TV or movie crew, for example, would attract a crowd that would have to be managed. The example this ranger gave me was that a photographer the previous week had brought several very pretty bikini-clad models to use for some ad photos, and a crowd gathered.

I have made photos with a view camera and considerable equipment in all the parks of Utah, several in California (including Yosemite), and a number of smaller parks, and never been challenged beyond the above. I've shot with medium-format equipment and tripods at Crater Lake and Mount Rainier National Parks most recently, and within the last two years.

State, local, and private parks, of course, may have different rules. I was escorted off the premises by an armed guard when I tried to set up a view camera to take pictures of the Alamo, which is owned by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, not the park service.

You'll need a permit to drive, hike, and camp in certain areas of certain parks, but these are often quite easy to get.

Rick "who thinks photographers in general cause little trouble and therefore get lots of leeway" Denney