Am I in the right?

I am getting ready to open my own portrait photography studio in the next couple months. I had my nieces down at my house so we decided to walk around town and get some good shots of them and downtown. I get to our Police station/Water dept. I took pictures on the stairs and so forth and then around the side of the building is the Water dept. There is a bench and a really neat big rock for the kids to sit on. I started taking some pics and the lady from the Water dept. came out and bascially told us we were not aloud to do that. In my mind I'm thinking...."Isn't this public property?" I mean we pay this ladies salary and upkeep on this building through our taxes. Who is in the wrong here...me or her? Thanks in advance for any advice or comments...I appreciate it very much.

If this was on the premises of the water dept. I believe you are in the wrong on this one...I think.

I know I can't freely walk inside a public school yard a couple blocks away from my house. There is a sign that says "No Trespassing" referring to folks who have no business with the school. (not a student, teacher, parent, etc...)

Yes, you are paying taxes for the SERVICES that you get from the water dept. What's the big problem with that equation?

bellas_mom2003 wrote in post #5874086
I am getting ready to open my own portrait photography studio in the next couple months. I had my nieces down at my house so we decided to walk around town and get some good shots of them and downtown. I get to our Police station/Water dept. I took pictures on the stairs and so forth and then around the side of the building is the Water dept. There is a bench and a really neat big rock for the kids to sit on. I started taking some pics and the lady from the Water dept. came out and bascially told us we were not aloud to do that. In my mind I'm thinking...."Isn't this public property?" I mean we pay this ladies salary and upkeep on this building through our taxes. Who is in the wrong here...me or her? Thanks in advance for any advice or comments...I appreciate it very much.

I guess I should have said that there is no signs saying "no loitering" or anything of that matter around. It wasn't inside the building. Probably what irks me the most is I live in a really small town. We weren't in anyone's way, it wasn't busy. I would most certainly understand if we were obstructing someones way in but we were not at all.

Sounds like someone had a bug up their @ss. It's also the PD, yes? If you can't walk in/up to your local PD then where can you go?

lol....yeah it seems like they have a bug up their a@@ all the time. I don't get it at all. I was really hoping that someone would tell me I had every right to do what I did and then tomorrow I was going to go back down there and take more pictures just to irratate that lady, lol.

^ Sounds like something I would do.

But from the sound of it, seems like a public place where you have every right to be. Maybe the woman was just bugged about the kids climbing on the rock?

If it is public property then the lady had no business in telling you to stop.
The only thing I can think of is perhaps she thought it might have been dangerous for the kids to be on the rock.(?)

Since the PD is right next door, perhaps you can ask for clarification?

Make sure you take the high road though. There is no sense in going back there again just to irritate the lady.

bellas_mom2003 wrote in post #5874158
I guess I should have said that there is no signs saying "no loitering" or anything of that matter around. It wasn't inside the building. Probably what irks me the most is I live in a really small town. We weren't in anyone's way, it wasn't busy. I would most certainly understand if we were obstructing someones way in but we were not at all.

nicksan wrote in post #5874308
...There is no sense in going back there again just to irritate the lady.

There isn't?

Not in NYC there isn't...no?

Double Negative wrote in post #5874319
There isn't?

Thanks guys!!! You at least made me laugh and let me tell you I needed that. I appreciate the responses and I think I will clarify with the police dept. on the rules about that. And I understand about the rock and her concern if only that was it, lol. I think she would have told me no no matter where I had been. She is something else if you know what I mean. I'm telling you there are times I feel like I'm living in some town out of a Stephen King novel....lol.

nicksan wrote in post #5874567
Not in NYC there isn't...no?

Probably right, but the lady said "really small town".

I lived in a reallly small town growing up (2600). We roamed the streets at all times in complete safety - isn't NYC the same?

I think people get a little uptight as soon as they see a dSLR.

Your best bet is probably going in and talking to the lady's supervisor or someone on the city council to find out what, if any, law the lady is basing her No Photos policy on.

If it was a public area, you certainly should be able to take pictures IMO. If it isn't a public area, they should have posted with the proper notices or fenced and gated. The only thing I can think of are the worries about terrorists possibly attacking water supplies. Despite what may be very low odds of anything like that happening, I would imagine that most public water departments have had to work through some such scenario and draw up plans to prevent such attacks.

It seems like there is a general sensitivity to the photographing of government structures and installations these days even if they are open to the public. A couple of years ago I was on a company trip going up the Mississippi for the afternoon. I had my camera out (with the 70-200 f/2.8 IS mounted) taking various pictures. When we passed the nuclear power plant, several people were worried that we soon would have gun boats on our tail if the observers in the towers around the plant saw me taking pictures. But, I've taken pictures of that plant from the river on a few occasions now without incident.

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if the Dept of Homeland Security has somehow prohibited picture taking around power and water supply facilities - given the increased concern that such facilities need to be more vigilant in their security efforts... And these types of rules rarely allow discretion (i.e. profiling, as in saying its ok for a family...but not the supposedly shaddy looking guy with the video camera)

Having said that, in a small town like yours that seems like a REAL big stretch of an explanation. But then again, some people take their jobs REALLY serious - to the point of being irrational. So who knows.

I'd probably ask the police to clarify the matter for my own peace of mind too though.