Knowing your rights as a photographer is key when shooting in public places. In today's scaremongering environment it is almost enevitable that at some point you will find yourself in some sort of confrontation if you photograph in public. I have found myself confronted by rent-a-cops, federal marshalls, business owners, and local police for shooting pictures in public places. Photographers across the country are facing increasing suspician and hostilty.
Most confrontations arise from the shear ignorance of public and even law enforcement. I have had the rent-o-cops from Symantech software tell me "you can't photograph our building". When you ask "really? Why not?". The general response is that it is illegal without their permision. I typically just say "you're absolutley wrong" hand them a copy of the flyer above and keep shooting.
The Federal Marshall's at the new courthouse in Eugene pulled the same crap. Even threatened to arrest me if I did not stop photographing. The funny thing is, they are talking about arresting me, but can't think of a charge. Again, I typically just hand them the flyer to read and go about my business. With one exception it has gotten them off my back.
Here is a link to a pdf version of the flyer http://www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf . It has saved me loads of grief having a couple of copies in my camera bag. Although I it does not work with agressive and boderline illiterate types. Also here is a link to a great website dealing with harrasment of photographers http://www.nycphotorights.com/wordpress/ .
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