Just got treated like a terrorist on the way to my sons school play

First things first, I live a block away from the school so my wife, her mother and I decide to walk on over. I have my 5d2 with a 24-70 attached, carrying it with me as we walk. I snap off a picture of my wife and her mother walking on the sidewalk no where near the school nor in it's direction.

As we walk by the first building which is their administration office, an old school, built in 1912 which I've photographed many times as it is a very cool looking building a man runs out of the building screaming " WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING".

Startled I turn around and I ask, umm excuse me? He screams what the hell are you doing taking pictures of the school. I said I didn't take one damn picture of the school, what the hell are you talking about? He goes are you insane? I said WHAT!? Am I insane? For what bringing a dslr to a school play? I said on the sheet you sent home it specifically states to bring your cameras! I said I do this professionally and I don't understand the problem? He repeats again I can't take pictures of the school and am I insane to bring that kind of camera around a school after what has just happened.

I said at this point, again I didnt take any pictures of the school, I'm walking to the elementary building to see my sons play and photograph it. He says let me see what you have on your memory card.

LOL. WHAT?

I said, F*** you man, you're the crazy one. He says if you have nothing to hide you will show me. I said WTF is goin on here, like really, I'm thinking is this really happening? He goes or better yet i'm just goin to call the cops.

I said ok look, look at my damn memory card, here, I cycle back and there is a total of 6 shots on it from the day before and the one I just took. He stares blankly. I said so what now boss? He says well a neighbor called saying you were taking pictures. I said well considering you can see my house from where we are standing yes I take pictures all the time on my property? Your point?

Then he apologizes and says , yeah I used to be a photographer and I would get in trouble for taking pictures of bridges after Sept 11th.

So what is your take on this potn?

Should we not bring our cameras around schools? I dont get it? I felt like a criminal walking into the school building as people were staring at me after the altercation.

Escort this clown back to his office and have a chat with his boss. Sounds like he's wound a little too tight.

The person who accosted you is a moron. And I say this as a twenty year street cop. I can see someone calling if you had been taking pics of kids on the playground but this?

And then trying to link it to the Sandy Hook shooting? I take that back, the person who called on you and the person who accosted you are both morons.

I know I would not have shown that fella my images. I am not going to let someone acting the way you described anywhere close to me...especially right near me in grabbing/punching distance.. I would have just kept walking and dealt with the issue if he tried to grab me.

big cameras + big lenses are intimidating. Bring out a small pns, and everything is well and dandy; bring out the DSLR package of body, lens, and flash, and you turn in to paparazzi ****'s.

best to ignore those offended. I do carry my gear in a stealth bag, and nobody can guess I'm packing light sensors.

He has no more right to inspect your memory card than you have to inspect his cell phone (or anything else he owns).

Tell him to take a hike.

My take...............

Terrorists get shot in the face like they deserve, so you should feel lucky if you felt like a terrorist over something like this...............

On a more serious note, you didn't really elaborate on who the mysterious person who verbally accosted you to the point that I'd say you might want to get counseling for his jackassery, but I assume he was a school official.

If you felt like you were in the position that a few seconds of intelligent conversation was not going to work out, then seek out his supervisor. Make sure the ground you stand on is solid as granite and that you are well within your rights.

That being said, in this day and age, people flip the hell out after each incident such as Sandy Hook, 9/11, OKC bombing and so on. It's the nature of the beast unfortunately.

I think people are sensitive after the Newtown shooting incident, I'd brush this off as related to that and move on.

Quite honestly you made a mistake when you let him see what was on your card. You did nothing but validate his stupidness.

This idea of "if you have nothing to hide" is ridiculous. Your rights are your rights, stop letting folks intrude upon them for no good reason.

You may want to edit your OP to say that this occurred less than a week after the tragic school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Someone is gonna read this thread three years from now and not make the connection.

Sorry you had to deal with that moron. There are limits to human intelligence, but there is no limit to human stupidity.

The appropriate response was "Go fck yourself!", followed by walking away.

Agreed that the "if you have nothing to hide" thing is absolutely ridiculous.

edge100 wrote in post #15390625
The appropriate response was "Go fck yourself!", followed by walking away.

Agreed that the "if you have nothing to hide" thing is absolutely ridiculous.

I would have gone with, "Yes, call the police. They can find me inside watching my son in the school play. Be sure to come with them so you can ID me."

The problem with letting him call the police is that you never really know where that's going to lead. Get a cop with an agenda and you're going to jail for some BS charge no matter how calm, cooperative, polite, and right you might be.

edge100 wrote in post #15390625
The appropriate response was "Go fck yourself!", followed by walking away.

That would have been my response......and I am on the school board...Guy sounds like a douche bag.....recent school shooting or not. I am surprised that a photographer that was given a hard time for taking pictures post 9/11 was giving you a hard time for taking pictures post recent school shooting...Maybe he just needs some lithium

rick_reno wrote in post #15390583
I think people are sensitive after the Newtown shooting incident, I'd brush this off as related to that and move on.

Yep, that is understandable. At least he settled down and apologised.

Call me oversensitive, but that dude deserves a beating.

Unfortunately, if you will do that, you will have to beat all idiots, which is 90% of population.

I wish I would be arrogant on this point, but, sadly, that percentage is pretty damn close.