Why is it that you can be profiled for carrying a camera.  If you have a cell phone you have a camera, isn’t that the way the advertisement goes. “More photo’s are taken with an i-phone than with any other camera”.  But have an SLR on your side and walk down the streets of LA and all of a sudden you are an public enemy to all productions #1.  Everyone wants to know what and why you are shooting and where are you going along with how long are your staying.

This happened to me and my friend Jermaine (Creator of this website).  We decided to head out to LA this past Saturday morning to shoot some city/architecture/street scenes.  Major amount of road closures and such for Commercial and movie productions.  One commercial being shot was for a Mini-Cooper.  You would think that it was some sort of a secret production car.  At every street corner by the production we were approached wanting to know what we were shooting.  We were stopped multiple times while others were allowed to pass.  Didn’t really question it until we were told it is because we had cameras.  At one point towards the end of the morning and making our way back to our car we were stopped because they were shooting at that time.  No big deal but we noticed that others were allowed to pass.  I took this time to find some other things to shoot while we were standing there (above photo).  As I was shooting Jermaine decided to articulate is displeasure, Jermaine says to one of the production people “you know this is illegal?” I am thinking to myself “did he just go there?”.  Well yes he did. The production person states how they have paid for the location and have permits and blah, blah, blah.  Jermaine proceeds to tell them that he is a tax payer and pays for public use of the sidewalk as well and these are public streets and you just can’t stop us because we have cameras and let everyone else go. A small conversation ensues, I finish getting my shots (that are all upward) and we are able to continue on, with escort of course until we are out of the area.

With every person and there brother having a cell phone that takes pictures why the profile?

At the end of the day, I got a shot worth processing and posting.  But in hind sight those types of situations make you think.

Below is the Original and Final Image side by side.  Click on image to enlarge: