Can someone make you delete photos from your camera?

10 years 9 months ago #286612 by neal1977
We were walking around town last night and like always I have my camera with me. We decided to walk into an art gallery and while in there I took a few photos of some amazing paintings and then the clerk came up to me and said I wasn't supposed to be taking photos and that I needed to delete the photos I had taken. I refused and said she had no right to make me delete what I had on my cameras memory card. She pointed to a small sign in the window that said "No Flash photography". First off, I didn't use a flash, second the sign was half covered by another sign, it even took her a moment to find the sign with all the clutter in their window!

She ended up calling security in who then tried to take my camera. I told them I was going to call my lawyer and motioned to behavior that would resemble dialing a number on my phone as I walked out the door. I hung up (I think I dialed Pizza Hut :rofl: ) and kept walking.

So sign or no sign. Can someone make you delete your photos?


Photo Comments
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10 years 9 months ago - 10 years 9 months ago #286615 by garyrhook

neal1977 wrote: So sign or no sign. Can someone make you delete your photos?


In the US? You were out of line, and technically trespassed.

On public property one is allowed to take pictures of anything that doesn't require special equipment. On private property, however, the owner/landlord has the right to control what happens on their property. When it comes to photography, one usually asks first.

There are plenty of threads on this forum discussing photography in malls, etc. The net is, regardless of how unreasonable a rent-a-cop might be, that private property means you don't get to make the rules. Usually, in places like that (jewelry stores, bridal boutiques, etc) pictures are not allowed because they are used to steal IP (i.e. violate copyrights). The images of whatever was in the gallery are property, and one does not simply walk in and capture an image without permission.

Refusing to listen and understand your violation of their rights only compounds the problem. No, they can't take your camera, but they should have called the police and requested a return of their property before you left the premises. I.e. a deletion of the photos you took. One might now suggest that you also owe them an apology. Having the signs slightly obscured is irrelevant; it was their store.

I bet that's not the response you were expecting, is it?


Photo Comments
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10 years 9 months ago #286628 by hghlndr6
:agree:
Good answer. All correct, imo.
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10 years 9 months ago #286649 by Flash Steven
I'm going to agree with Gary also, regardless if the sign was partially covered, it's a gallery and owned by someone. So I would have asked if OK to take snap. You never know, they might have said yes if you asked. But seeing that you did not, it sent the wrong message automatically.

Canon 7D w/grip, Canon 40D, Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS L Canon MPE 65mm f2.8 macro; Sigma 70-300mm f2.8; Sigma 150mm f2.8 macro; Sigma 8-16mm f4.5-5.6
Photo Comments
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10 years 9 months ago #286659 by Screamin Scott
As has been stated, you were in the wrong...Permission is always needed at private places...

Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/

Photo Comments
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10 years 9 months ago #286660 by Darrell
I agree!!

You will not be judged as a photographer by the pictures you take, but by the pictures you show.
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10 years 9 months ago #286685 by Leilanee
:agree:
On top of the technicalities and legal issues with the scenario, think of it ethically.
If YOU took some awesome photos, were super proud of them and displayed them in a gallery [for sale or just for exposure, regardless] I feel like you'd be pretty miffed if some stranger with a camera barged in and started snapping photos of your work. Yes, you could take it as a compliment (as in, "Hey this is awesome! I want to keep a picture so I can see it more often") but if you are someone who values your own work, you'd probably be demanding payment for the photos the person took or telling them to delete them. Especially because you have no idea if those people are going to go ahead and falsely present that art as their own or just make a print of one of those photos and hang it on their wall - something you should be making money for. They basically stole your art, whether they are falsely tacking their own name on it or just making a print.

Especially if you were taking pictures of paintings, that's something that the artist deserves payment for.
Next time buy a painting or take a business card, don't steal things you don't have rights to.


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