[LargeFormat] Rites of passage

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <kaliushkin@att.net>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Cc: <kaliushkin@att.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 11:30 AM
Subject: [LargeFormat] Rites of passage


> I have now gone through initiation as a View Camera
Photographer.
>
> I spotted a potentially good picture of a few huge green
tanks.  The
> viewpoint would be from a highway at the height of the
tanks' tops.  This
> would be ideal for a view camera since the top of the
tanks form a horizontal
> plane.
>
> Last Friday, October 31, I set up the tripod and as I
mounted the Linhof, 2
> police cars with three policemen approached me, lights
flashing and all.
> They didn't really arrest me but they did hassle me for
about two hours.
>
> They told me that the subject matter was the problem.  If
I were taking
> pictures of trees, they wouldn't have bothered.
Nevertheless, their
> investigation quickly moved from the photography (they
didn't even examine
> the camera) to me: was I a terrorist or a danger to
society?  Fortunately,
> after calling my doctor and who knows who else, they
concluded society would
> be safe despite my presence.  My ethnicity worked in my
favor.  No trace of
> Islam. I think it was wrong of them to consider ethnic
background.
>
> This must have been the most exciting event of their day.
>
> By the way, they told me they were grateful for how
cooperative I was.  I
> didn't give them any opportunity to say I was impeding
their investigation.
>
> So I've gone through a rite of passage.  Now for some
safer urban subjects.
> Flowers?  Buildings.
>
>
> --
> Dan Kalish
> kaliushkin@att.net
> Flushing, NYC, USA
>
   This sort of thing really raises my hackles. It is a
complete misuse of police power. Most people don't have the
resources to challenge this sort of thing but I certainly
think you have nothing to lose by contacting the American
Civil Liberties Union or filing a formal complaint. You were
NOT breaking the law, the cops were. I think the only way
this sort of thing will be stopped is if it is challenged
very firmly every time it happens.

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com