New Restrictions Proposed For Photography

A Recent Affair on television has pointed out that the new restrictions on photography may impact users of digital cameras.

Of course up until now there have been general prohibitions about taking pictures of military bases, or inside courtrooms, or on nudist beaches This means that courts martial held on Swanbourne beach have apparently never been recorded. No-one seriously disputes the necessity to safeguard national security, legal process, and pubic order.

Likewise stalkers and pests that take pictures of women and children unbidden are also subject to the law. The law that if we catch them we get to beat them with iron rods. This seems eminently sensible.

Unfortunately recent events mean that photographing public buildings is also suspect, particularly if you are also measuring crosswind velocities and calculating trajectories on a yellow legal pad at the same time. Professional architectural photographers would be well advised to wear a high-vis vest with  " I'm Paid To Do This " on the front  and " " No, Really I Am." on the back. And use 8 x 10 monorail cameras on big tripods. And have a cute girl assistant. And carry a box of doughnuts for the cops. Even then they can expect to be moved along by the city council or ticketed by the ranger. Weave it into the cost of the shoot.

The real problem is going to be with the business of photographing sensitive government equipment. We all know that the big powers have spy satellites that see everything we do. For that matter, so does Google and, for all I know, Facebook. These devices are periodically heaved up from Novosibursk or Vandenburg or the central square in Beijing and regularly pass over us. Eventually they are dropped into the Indian or Pacific ocean, rather like people who fail to pay gambling debts. While they are up there, however, they are top secret, and any photographing of them is strictly forbidden. Of course they are very high up and hard to see but that does not stop the law from operating down here where it can get at the photographers.

What this means is that any satellites that you take pictures of, either invisibly in the middle of the day or as a moving speck of light after dark, can get you put in gaol for up to 25 years. So if you are doing star trails and your shutter is open for half an hour at least 5 or six of these pass over you and that means 150 years in the slammer. And not just here - when you finish your porridge in Canning Vale they send you to Leavenworth...

There is only one point in Western Australia that is not surveyed by these satellites and from which it is safe to take astronomical pictures. This is approximately 3000 yards off the beach just west of Busselton. Those photographers who can command an oil-rig platform may take pictures there
in safety.

For all the rest of us, remember not to point your lens up above the horizon in any shots you take.

Uncle Dick