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Has anyone ever been told, "You can't take photos here."?

3,246 1,585 October 20, 2021 at 04:28 PM
I have now been told this twice in the span of just under a week. I do not have a SLR type camera. Just a smartphone.

The first time, I was standing outside of a Circle K. I was shooting photos of their Amazon lockers and the Redbox kiosk. They also had Propane tanks locked up but I never got that far because a woman saw me through the double glass doors from the inside and ran outside to tell me I couldn't take any photos. She said there are signs everywhere saying so (I didn't see any) and that I would need express written permission to take photos.

The second time, I was inside the patients area of a children's dentist. I was in this long room that had 4 patient chairs, all separated by glass partitions. There were no other patients in this room but yet I was told I couldn't take pictures due to California HIPAA laws.

What do you guys think about this?
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Joined Mar 2009
Schrödinger's Frog
> bubble2 19,435 Posts
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Frogstar
10-20-2021 at 04:56 PM.
10-20-2021 at 04:56 PM.
Yes, I have. It's never been in a situation where I had any real reason to object to being told I couldn't take photos, so I just complied.
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Joined Jan 2010
Too cool for school
> bubble2 6,121 Posts
2,322 Reputation
ProfessorChaos
10-20-2021 at 09:56 PM.
10-20-2021 at 09:56 PM.
I tend to ignore people who annoy me. Suggest you do the same.
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Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,098 Posts
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Ms.arteest
10-20-2021 at 10:22 PM.
10-20-2021 at 10:22 PM.
It you are standing in a public area, such as a road, sidewalk, or publicly owner property, you can take all the photos you want, as long as you aren't violating some ones civil rights, exposing them to danger, or endangering a juvenile. . On private property, the property owner has every right to tell you to stop.

Taking photos inside of a medical office is a HUGE nono!!! Especially a children's dr.
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Joined Mar 2005
I run SD Secret Santa
> bubble2 16,570 Posts
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w3kn
10-21-2021 at 04:37 AM.
10-21-2021 at 04:37 AM.
The Sistine Chapel. If you get caught taking photos there, they'll literally stand there and watch you delete them from your camera.
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Joined Nov 2012
L8: Grand Teacher
> bubble2 3,246 Posts
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Original Poster
ablang
10-21-2021 at 06:30 AM.
10-21-2021 at 06:30 AM.
I guess I can take comfort in the fact that one day one of these butthead people will tell a nutjob what they cannot do and they'll go apesh*t on them.
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Joined Nov 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 8,339 Posts
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LC2
10-21-2021 at 01:16 PM.
10-21-2021 at 01:16 PM.
Quote from ablang :
I have now been told this twice in the span of just under a week. I do not have a SLR type camera. Just a smartphone.

The first time, I was standing outside of a Circle K. I was shooting photos of their Amazon lockers and the Redbox kiosk. They also had Propane tanks locked up but I never got that far because a woman saw me through the double glass doors from the inside and ran outside to tell me I couldn't take any photos. She said there are signs everywhere saying so (I didn't see any) and that I would need express written permission to take photos.

The second time, I was inside the patients area of a children's dentist. I was in this long room that had 4 patient chairs, all separated by glass partitions. There were no other patients in this room but yet I was told I couldn't take pictures due to California HIPAA laws.

What do you guys think about this?
Most convenience store owners rent the property their business is on or in. Outside the store, which is a public space, I can't see any reason you shouldn't be allowed to take a picture. Maybe if they own the property it would be a problem.

Medical clinics, hospitals, and dentist's offices are off limits even if you don't see another patient. If you don't understand why, politely ask someone there.

As for the convenience store, you should've just said, "That's unfortunate... I was leaving you a Google review with photo." You could also make sure the flash is off when you say, "I wasn't taking a photo. I can't see without my glasses and I'm trying to locate something on my phone."
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Joined Oct 2010
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 17,018 Posts
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Bright_Eyes
10-21-2021 at 06:39 PM.
10-21-2021 at 06:39 PM.
I do not need to be told, I can figure out all by my self what might be inappropriate.
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Joined Jul 2005
killroy was here
> bubble2 12,166 Posts
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dayv
10-26-2021 at 06:07 AM.
10-26-2021 at 06:07 AM.
Quote from Bright_Eyes :
I do not need to be told, I can figure out all by my self what might be inappropriate.
i beg to differ, your judgement is questionable. fork for cereal...you monster.

Quote from Bright_Eyes :
for eating cereal
Forks Maybe
Spoons yes
Knives no
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Joined Aug 2018
L9: Master
> bubble2 4,098 Posts
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Jokester713713
10-26-2021 at 02:40 PM.
10-26-2021 at 02:40 PM.
Apparently you can't videotape at the movie theatre ? Some darn copyright thing .......
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Joined Dec 2005
My # is bigger than yours
> bubble2 37,381 Posts
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SnakePlisken
10-28-2021 at 12:05 AM.
10-28-2021 at 12:05 AM.
The Larry Flynt's hustler club in new orleans always pulls that crap on me! Wasn't photos anyway, it was video.
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Joined Nov 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 8,339 Posts
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LC2
10-28-2021 at 03:11 AM.
10-28-2021 at 03:11 AM.
Okay okay. There was that one time I was standing outside Finzz's bedroom window when I was told to stop taking photos, but it was purely artistic.
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Joined Aug 2010
L12: God
> bubble2 11,452 Posts
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J03
10-28-2021 at 12:24 PM.
10-28-2021 at 12:24 PM.
"So anyway, I was taking pictures of the security cameras and door locks when the employee told me to stop it. I was a little confused but said OK and left to go to my next stop. So I'm at the park where all I was doing was taking pictures of the playground and some rude people who called themselves 'parents' told me to get lost. What is the world coming to? I wasn't even using a DSLR!"
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Last edited by J03 October 28, 2021 at 12:31 PM.
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