3rd Ave Between 32nd St and 30th St
You shouldn't be allowed to see the above image. Nor any of these. At least, that's according to one of the doormen at The Future high rise development at 200 East 32nd (on the corner of 3rd avenue). This, despite the fact that I was standing on a public sidewalk and well within my rights as a photographer.
It's been my experience over the past year of photographing New York City that the vast majority of people are either perfectly happy to ignore my actions, or – in some cases – are genuinely kind and interested in what I'm doing. However on occasion I'll encounter individuals who like to invent rules about public photography, which serves only to highlight their fear and ignorance. Doormen and security guards seem to have a particular taste for this behavior; and without forgiving too much, I can understand where they come from especially when it comes to their duties. But regarding the basic rights we all enjoy around the city and country, I think it'd serve them well to become a bit more enlightened.
And please don't misunderstand, I'm not out to vilify the entire community of doormen and security guards –I've had a few go above and beyond their job to help highlight points of interest in their neighborhood. To consider that I'm out taking photos every week and this seems to happen one in every 100 streets, it's safe to assume the vast majority understand that I (or other photographers) pose no threat to them. (It's also worth noting that the NYPD have never given me any problems.)
In this particular instance, I have to say I was a bit surprised as the Future has a Privately Owned Public Space in front of its door (You've probably seen lots of P.O.P.S around town marked with these icons). Typically these properties are more lenient about their imaginary rules. Even so, I'm very careful about where I stand when I shoot my pictures- I make every effort to stay on public property (even when there's a P.O.P.S, I try to stay off), just to ensure I'm covered. The rule, as I understand it is, if it can be seen clearly from the street, its free-game to photograph. Seems fair to me.
Whew, rant much?
So, suffice to say, I had a little bit on my mind when I was shooting here. The block itself has equal parts "midtown crunch" and "downtown neighborhood". Along with the new developments like The Future (new, being a purely relative term here), you'll find a handful of shuttered businesses and a branch of the New York Public Library. Overall, a very neutral block. If it's sunny and warm out, this could be a positively glowing place. However, on a gray day (like when I visited), you may feel differently.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 8:00AM
Reader Comments (1)
On Halloween day, I tried to photograph the line outside of a Ricky's, and was told by the guy manning the door, "No photographs please!" as he advanced towards me. Like you, I was on the public sidewalk, not using a tripod, not taking up any space other than the normal space I would take up without a camera, so I was well within my rights to take the pictures.
I asked why he thought I couldn't take a photo and he told me, "That's what THEY told me."
Since I was late for work, and didn't want to get into a whole thing, I moved on, but now I wish I had asked him to get whoever "they" were so I could find out more about how they thought they could stop me from taking photos in a public place.