Legalities of Shooting in a U.S. Post Office?

CalPiker wrote in post #10025030
Actually, I stand corrected about just going in taking your shots. As listed from their website:

http://www.usps.com …trademark-image-usage.htm

However, this may or may not apply to the area where the PO Boxes are located. It may only apply to the actual office part where they do business. Call to check.

This is why I make it a point to NEVER take any type of "legal advice/what my rights are" posts on the internet seriously...

CalPiker wrote in post #10025030
Actually, I stand corrected about just going in taking your shots. As listed from their website:

http://www.usps.com …trademark-image-usage.htm

However, this may or may not apply to the area where the PO Boxes are located. It may only apply to the actual office part where they do business. Call to check.

Wow, thanks for that. This would most definitely not fall under the "informal snapshot" clause... I wasn't thinking about setting up any lighting, just an on-camera flash bounced though.

Todd Lambert wrote in post #10025058
Why not go to one of those UPS stores? They have the same type of PO boxes, and they may be more willing to let you shoot them legally.

Anyways, just an option. There is more than just Post Offices that you can try, is my point here.

Thanks for that Todd. I'll consider it if working with the USPS turns out to be a problem, but I'd much prefer to have the "official" boxes in my shot.

argyle wrote in post #10025147
This is why I make it a point to NEVER take any type of "legal advice/what my rights are" posts on the internet seriously...

That's just their policy. Nothing illegal about just going in there and shooting if you want to. My original statement about what I would do is still something I would do - "I wouldn't ask. I'd just go in there after hours and take your shots." All they can do is say you can't do that here without permission and ask you to leave. Then you'd be able to write one of those posts here that everybody loves - "I took photos {insert location here} and got hassled by {insert Security, Law enforcement, citizen, etc. here}." You know we all love to see those posts.

Here's the OP for a related thread...

https://photography-on-the.net …php?p=8678177#p​ost8678177

CalPiker wrote in post #10025340
That's just their policy. Nothing illegal about just going in there and shooting if you want to. My original statement about what I would do is still something I would do - "I wouldn't ask. I'd just go in there after hours and take your shots." All they can do is say you can't do that here without permission and ask you to leave. Then you'd be able to write one of those posts here that everybody loves - "I took photos {insert location here} and got hassled by {insert Security, Law enforcement, citizen, etc. here}." You know we all love to see those posts.

Well then, good for you. But you do realize that your misguided sense of entitlement is part of the reason that leads to other photographers getting hassled? Pretty selfish on your part if you ask me. But its easy to sound 'tough' from behind a keyboard...

If I were out to shoot something that could be controversial, I would always ask permission. If they refuse, so be it.

If they agree, I am good to go and a lot of the time, they actually go out of their way to help as you approached it in the right way (possibly by giving access at certain times or even by extending access rights to areas not normally availabe to the public)

I agree with Argyle on his point to Calpiker - you might be ok with the hassle but do you ever think of photography on the whole? All it takes is one idiot to turn round and get nasty and you end up coming back posting "Hey a guy broke my arm and my camera for taking a photo of his mailbox"

you know... I wouldn't think 'shooting' and 'post office' are words that should go in the same sentence.

I was shooting at our local main Post Office (Art Deco built in the 30's) mainly the beautiful architecture and the murals on the walls.

A Postperson came to me saying it was illegal to take pics of the facility and I was kicked out...

OK...who's going Postal here ? .

maverick678 wrote in post #10030698
OK...who's going Postal here ? .

"It's the mail, Jerry...it just keeps coming and coming and coming. After that, it's Publisher's Clearinghouse Day..."

Agree with asking first. You run a 50/50 chance at the person grasping what you want to do vs being paranoid and rejecting it out-of-hand without even considering it.

gkarris wrote in post #10030654
I was shooting at our local main Post Office (Art Deco built in the 30's) mainly the beautiful architecture and the murals on the walls.

A Postperson came to me saying it was illegal to take pics of the facility and I was kicked out...

Yet being in Washington DC, I took photos inside the US Postal Museum and inside what was the country's first official post office.

gkarris wrote in post #10030654
I was shooting at our local main Post Office (Art Deco built in the 30's) mainly the beautiful architecture and the murals on the walls.

A Postperson came to me saying it was illegal to take pics of the facility and I was kicked out...

It may or may not be illegal.

Read this...

http://www.sacramentol​ifestyle.com …Felonius_Photog​raphy.html

Or, as this guy posted on http://www.flickr.com …/thenandagain/2​924020750/, "Evidently, it's also "against the rules" to even use a camera on federal property without permission. "

More evidence of post office involvement in the issue of photography of federal building.
http://photographyfora​rtists.wordpress.com …sts-never-win-apparently/
http://damontucker.com …t-post-office-in-america/

And more about photography of federal buildings
http://thomashawk.com …lm-federal-buildings.html
http://www.glocktalk.c​om …/showthread.php​?t=1000138

And this guy posted on http://portal.groundsp​eak.com/forums/23861/S​howThread.aspx
"I ran into this very same issue when I wanted to waymark a border crossing. I went inside first and told them what I was up to. The Officer-In-Charge pointed to a Public Buildings Service (PBS) regulation posted on the bulletin board and told me I could not take pictures of the building.

The Regulation does say that you can't take pictures in a federal building unless you have permission from the tenant agencies, such as Customs & Border Protection or the Postal Service.

"Federal employees who are zealous in exercising their "authority" but not quite so zealous in understanding the extent of same have a tendency to misinterpret this as meaning you can't take pictures of the building at all.

I spoke directly with the GSA Buildings Manager for the area, and he confirmed that the regulation applies only to what you do on the property. It does not apply to taking pictures of the building from off the property, such as from the street."

In other words, "your mileage WILL vary" depending upon whether the official got laid the night before.

I would substitute "taking pictures" for "shooting" when talking to the Post Master. Just a thought.