Protest Girl

[Paul Abbott]

I met this girl in Whitechapel, we were both on our way to a protest march.




http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/g20protestgirl1of1600.jpg

Paul Abbott - Protest Girl

[Asher Kelman]

I met this girl in Whitechapel, we were both on our way to a protest march.




http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/g20protestgirl1of1600.jpg

Paul Abbott - Protest Girl
Certainly this is a colorful shot and meaningful. What was the march protesting?

Asher

[Paul Abbott]

It was the G20 protest, Asher.

Lessons were learnt on those two days, all by the Police I have to say

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Paul,

I met this girl in Whitechapel, we were both on our way to a protest march.
Her (actual) expression is terribly sad.

Best regards,

Doug

[James Newman]

Were you there to protest or to photograph the protest? What is she supposed to represent here?
James

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, James,

Were you there to protest or to photograph the protest? What is she supposed to represent here?
James
Perhaps he was there to protest people photographing the protest in "P" mode.

Best regards,

Doug

[Asher Kelman]

It was the G20 protest, Asher.

Lessons were learnt on those two days, all by the Police I have to say

G20? I'm only up to the G11, :) LOL! Now what fabulous features would it have?

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

I googled the G20 summit protests to learn a bit more about it. An article from last year succinctly states why the woman's expression may have been so solemn. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09256/997396-109.stm),

"The American global agenda in the triumphant capitalist expansion that followed the disintegration of the Soviet empire proved to be disastrous for the American working class, as well as for workers and the environment around the world. Free trade, privatization and deregulation pursued with varying degrees of ardor by both Republicans and Democrats over the past 30 years has concentrated wealth and increased the poverty of the majority of humanity by undermining local, traditional and indigenous economies -- all while polluting and degrading the natural world at an extremely dangerous pace. God knows there are reasons enough to protest.

The United States, the prime purveyor of this toxic cocktail of economic dogmas has seen its productive capacity collapse, its governmental and individual debt obligations increase exponentially and its once muscular and productive economic engine reduced to an increasingly untenable global military presence. Our best defense is not endless foreign war, but a sustained reinvention of our economic life at home."

I'm not saying this is right or wrong, but I am saying that this portrait, with the haunting expression on the woman's face, works. Very nicely done. I only wish the top of her left "ear" were in the image also.

[Paul Abbott]

I was there to take pictures of the protest. I'd never taken pictures at a protest before, and so I wanted to try my hand at it. I would've liked to protest, but I was more into trying to report it.

The images I took of this event were nothing special, I don't rate 'em that much at all. But I valued the experience.
If you want to see 'em I will show 'em, the better ones at least.

Great newspiece there, Rachel.

[Nigel Allan]

I was there to take pictures of the protest. I'd never taken pictures at a protest before, and so I wanted to try my hand at it. I would've liked to protest, but I was more into trying to report it.

The images I took of this event were nothing special, I don't rate 'em that much at all. But I valued the experience.
If you want to see 'em I will show 'em, the better ones at least.

Great newspiece there, Rachel.

Ironically, due to over zealous implementation of 'anti-terrorism' laws, Paul was probably the one most at risk for carrying a camera to this march in case the police arrested him for photographing them. It's a sad state of affairs.

On another sad note, I'll never see Minnie Mouse in the same light again.

[John Angulat]

Ironically, due to over zealous implementation of 'anti-terrorism' laws, Paul was probably the one most at risk for carrying a camera to this march in case the police arrested him for photographing them. It's a sad state of affairs.



So true, Nigel.
Here in New York City you're especially at risk for pursuing the capture of images. One needs a daily updated list of what's off-limits. No bridges, no subways, no government buildings...the list goes on and on.
On a brighter note I thought I'd share this site with our fellow forum members: http://photographernotaterrorist.org/

Aptly titled "I'm a photographer, not a terrorist" it offers great downloadable stencils with that phrase.
I now have one on my gear bag and one across the back of my photography vest.


Peace,

[Paul Abbott]

Nigel, i've already been issued a section 44 in Leadenhall.
Seriously, when they stopped me, I laughed at 'em and asked if they'd finally recovered my Bluray player stolen from my house back in February. LOL

They stopped me taking a picture of the 'Gherkin' some 400 yards and two street corners away from the building. After they'd given me the section 44 I carried on walking around to the 'Gherkin' proper, then I turned the corner, only to see about 30 tourists with cameras shooting the 'Gherkin', and not a policeman in sight. What does that tell ya'?!

The Police Federation called this law "barmy and unenforceable", but you should listen to the lame reasons the police come up with on the street, just to enforce their reasons for doing this.

[Asher Kelman]

Do we have a similar card for police stops (http://photographernotaterrorist.org/bust-card/) of photographers in countries other than the U.K.?

Asher

Here's (http://photographernotaterrorist.org/wp-content/uploads/s44bust.pdf). the PDF

[John Angulat]

I would hope that to be true, but fear it isn't so (at least in NYC).
Here's a bit of what we're up against:

http://www.nycphotorights.com/

In the past year I've been stopped too many times to recall, detained twice (always Federal Marshals, the NYPD is far less irrational), searched so many times I feel like a cute altar boy in the Boston Archdiocese, and had media confiscated at least 6 times (to the best of my recollection) for shooting in NYC.
This doesn't account for the endless "move along, you can't shoot here" remarks.
It's tough out there.

[Asher Kelman]

I think it might be best to photograph as a group and then one can better document any interference with rights to photograph or speak. Best use digicams so they cannot accuse one of making a prof movie without a special city commercial license.

We should have laws together so we can issue a citation to the police officers. Read them their OPF rights, LOL!

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

OPF rights:

You have the right to behave in a courteous manner. If you give up the right to behave in a courteous manner, anything you say or do may documented in a photographic image. You have the right to present an interesting photo opportunity to the photographer. If you choose to not be interesting, the photos will still be intriguing. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?

[Paul Abbott]

And there was l thinking about booking a trip to this great city, to photograph it, warts an' all.

[John Angulat]

Asher, Rachel - you've definately got me laughing (and that's been hard to do lately, thanks!)

Paul - don't ever pass up a trip to NYC. It's a great photo-op, warts and all.
I tend to stick my nose in a bit too close (and usually where it doesn't belong) and I've always suffered from a lack of respect for authority of any kind. Don't let my "adventures" dissuade you.
If you ever make it to this side of the pond, I'd enjoy the opportunity to meet you and spend some time together on a Big Apple walk-about.

[Paul Abbott]

John, I am just like you in these situations, I don't have no respect for useless authority like this either. Nor political correctness I might add.
It would be great to meet up with you John, especially with yourself knowing the city and all. I love cities and urban areas. Cheers.