Photographers' Rights

The lens incites paranoia.

Camera Lens Incites Paranoia  

In the past 40 years or so, I have experienced other people's paranoia because I shoot lots of photos--innocent and not intrusive or pornographic, mind you.This paranoia seems to be growing with the ubiquity of cameras for everyone, via their mobile phones.

In 2011 when I read about a man who was stopped by Maryland Transit Administration officers for taking photos of the Baltimore light rail, I was upset. This is the United States and it alarms me when I see things like this happen. It reminded me of a friend who traveled to the then USSR and was told that photos of transportation systems were illegal. And then there was another friend who traveled to her native country, Iran, and took a photo of an ornate gold gate, the entrance to a police station. She was hauled inside and questioned for hours because she took a photo of a pretty gate.

Past encounters

Many years ago, I was stopped at Baltimore's Harbor Place by a zealous guard who told me I could not take photos there. After writing down the name of the guard, I wrote to the Rouse Company and received a reply saying that the guard had over-reacted and that I was free to take photos there.

Also, many years ago, I was on the street outside Mercy Hospital and was taking photos of the pattern formed by a lighted staircase that I could see through the glass windows. A guard came out of the hospital to tell my friend and me that we could not take photos of the hospital from the street. Needless to say, we told him that we had a right to do this on public property.

Sometimes, although I don't agree, I can understand an objection. A few years ago, I was at an annual Robot Fest in Linthicum, Maryland. As a favor, I was taking photos of the event for one of the organizers, a friend. I took a photo of a child interacting with one of the special exhibits and immediately encountered a father who questioned my motives and demanded that I delete the photo of his daughter. Although I believe he over-reacted, I obliged. If it upset him, then I would certainly help alleviate his concern.

Pictures in the park?

Recently, during a low-key afternoon weekday photography session at my local Downs Park with a fellow camera club photographer and two modeling friends, we were approached by a park ranger and informed of "procedures for professional photographers" requiring pre-approval by the superintendent "for each occurrence." We were told officials were concerned that professionals are making money by using the park setting.

Although I really do not understand why they would be concerned because everyone has to pay park entrance fees, we told the ranger that we were not paying our model friends nor were they paying us.

Having taken photographs at this park two miles from my home for more than 30 years, and supported it through county property taxes and the purchase of county parks passes--annually at first, and in more recent years holding a lifetime senior pass--I was disturbed at the implication that we were doing something requiring special permission.

Need to get permission to photograph in a park?

Photography is one of the most popular pastimes in America, and these days people can take high-quality images with tiny cameras, mobile phones and iPads--or, as we preferred in taking people pictures, with Nikon equipment and hand-held light reflectors.

This activity on a hot weekday afternoon, with relatively few visitors in the park, took place in a public area and did not restrict access to any area of the park by anyone.

I was handed a slip of paper listing "procedures for professional photographers"--although the ranger had no way of determining whether we were professional or amateur photographers--except, perhaps, making an assumption based on the use of a hand-held light reflector and our expensive cameras.

The concerns that were listed noted that activity cannot restrict public access--and, in fact, we did not limit access for anyone. It further stated that "the Park Superintendent and/or ranking staff in his/her absence has authority to deny or halt any activity they deem inappropriate or a hinder to the general public at anytime with no explanation."

I would like to know what was inappropriate about two female photographers--or, for that matter, any photographer--taking tasteful photos in a public park. Was the use of a light reflector inappropriate? Or was it, as one of our model friends wondered, the fact that they are African-American in a county park where diversity is rather minimal?

The "procedures" also stated that the photographer and "clients" have to purchase permits or an entry fee to enter the park. Well, I have that. It covers the entry for my car and its passengers.

I often take my video camera and tripod to photograph nature in the park. Would this video camera with an external microphone and the use of a tripod (off the path) create suspicion? Would I need to notify the park every time I do this? I often do this on the spur of the moment, depending on weather and my schedule. Would I not be allowed to do this if the office were closed because it would be impossible to receive "pre-approval?"

While the ranger was polite and stated that the activity under way could continue on this particular visit, I object vociferously to the suggestion that this should ever require advance approval from the park superintendent. 

I could see a concern should a movie crew turn up with a truckload of equipment -- but four people with two cameras and a light reflector?  After my experience, I met another woman in this county who had had a similar encounter. She was photographing her grandson with her expensive camera and was told that it was illegal and she had to leave. She left. Where has common sense gone?

Public parks are for our enjoyment, not harrassment.

The county parks system should be encouraging photography and all art, not interfering with it. What about an artist who might set up an easel and later sell those paintings of the park? Will this artist also have to jump through the bureaucratic hoops? If indeed I were ever to make some money from photos taken in the park, that would benefit the county—by increasing my local income tax.

I believe that Downs Park in Pasadena, Maryland is a treasure. In the past I have taken hundreds, if not thousands, of images  of and at Downs Park. Before my retirement as a county teacher, I conducted student photography outings there. One book that I found on Amazon.com mentions Downs Park as influencing successful projects of my students. I have participated in park photo contests. When talking with friends, I have often credited Downs Park for helping me maintain balance while teaching middle school during the day, walking two miles on trails in the park and then going to graduate school at night. Obviously, that day there was no balance for me at Downs Park.

Increasingly, I have seen growing government and business intrusion in ordinary and reasonable activity, and find that disturbing. The Downs Park incident made me wonder whether county officials know who they work for. Answer: The public.

By the way, I wrote to the Anne Arundel County Executive and the director of parks who wrote back that the ranger had been overly zealous. But the park system appears not to have changed its policy on photography, judging by what happened to the woman with her grandchild. If you hear of any other cases like this in Maryland, please send let me know.

A terrorist?

Today, a photographer friend sent me a link to a disturbing story about James Prigoff, an 86-year-old photographer who was tracked down by an FBI counterterrorism agent because Prigoff had taken some photos of public art near Boston while he was standing on public property. This story is outrageous and the ACLU has filed a lawsuit which challenges the government's Suspicious Acitivity Reporting program :

https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/fbi-counterterrorism-agent-tracked-me-down-because-i-took-picture

A photographer's rights

Here is a helpful PDF link on an attorney's Web site about a photographer's rights, what you should know when you are stopped or confronted for taking photos.

We photographers--in fact, everyone-- need to be informed and to insist on our rights.


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My letter and response concerning the Downs Park incident: http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2016/02/camera-lens-incites-paranoia-letter.html

Know your rights:
https://www.aclu.org/free-speech/know-your-rights-photographers

Video:
http://youtu.be/v2eXtCuVyFM

Mosquito Pool Update

October 2014 Still a mess but no longer a cess pool.

August 2014 Some progress

Mosquito nursery site in Pasadena. July 2014

This is the third summer that my next door neighbor has been breeding mosquitoes. The first and second years, other concerned neighbors on my block added bleach to the pool to try to kill mosquito larvae. This year, I finally notified the health department. Not long after that, the side poles were dismantled but now this is four weeks later. The defunct pool is still breeding just as many mosquitoes.

Anne Arundel County has a huge mosquito problem and our neighborhood has been sprayed recently. I suspect that this pool has negated the spraying on our block because I am itching more than ever.

Here is the original post on the second year of this mosquito nursery:

http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2013/06/itching-in-anne-arundel-county-maryland.html

The Weight of Recycling in Anne Arundel County

[Good news! My recycling was collected today, May 23, and the truck had a semi-automatic lift to assist. I am so glad to see this. This changes much of what I have said below.]

Our Anne Arundel County (Maryland) government recently delivered new, huge recyling containers to each home. I was delighted. Instead of having to drag my two smaller old yellow recycling cans to the curb, my new container has wheels and a lid. I put my foot on the tilt section at the bottom and the container tilts back on its wheels while I hold the handle and roll it to the curb. Now, instead of two containers, I only have to deal with one.  This is definitely an improvement…

… Or so I thought until I stood curbside and watched two recycling employees try unsuccessfully to lift my new cart to empty into the truck. The older of the two finally decided to do it himself and got the job done. I lamented to him that it was too heavy and that they should not be expected to lift these. He smiled and claimed, “Oh, it ain’t so heavy.”  I asked when they would start using the automatic trucks. I assumed, because of the design with the lower lift bar, that they were designed for automatic trucks. He responded, “I don’t know nothing about that.” Then he added, “You have a good day!”

These new containers are 65 gallon-size, 41” in height, 27” wide and 28” deep. My guess was that they weighed about 25 pounds empty, but when I checked with the county Recycling Division, I found out they really weigh 36 pounds—empty. I thought that could not be right, so I called the manufacturer, Rehrig Pacific Company, and it confirmed the weight was 36 pounds, empty.

True, they appear to be quite sturdy and built to last. The product seems to be a good one.  The problem comes when I read our county’s rules. Its Web site has not been updated, but the rule for the largest of the older-style containers was that everything should be limited to 40 pounds total. I assumed that was for concern of the recycling workers.

Now, if the limit is 40 pounds, do the math -- we can add just 4 pounds to max out.

“Please note that you do not need a yellow recycling container to recycle in Anne Arundel County; you can use any container that works best for you, just be sure to mark it with "X" and please make sure the loaded container does not weigh more than 40 pounds.”

If the weight limit is raised, then the problem is that recycling workers will be asked to lift more weight than is reasonable.

Stack up a week of newspapers and junk mail, four or five wine bottles, empty metal, glass and cardboard food containers, some old magazines, lots of plastic, we can come close to filling that cart, and it will surely be way over the weight limit.

http://www.aacounty.org/DPW/WasteManagement/Images/RateMap.jpg

The county’s recycling slogan is, “Recycle. More. Often.” It even publishes a map comparing quantities collected from various areas of the county, along with grades. My area earns a grade of B-. 

I am concerned about the men who pick up these heavy containers. I expected that semi-automatic trucks would be used, which means the men would roll the cart to a ground-level platform and then push a button which would raise and tilt to dump the contents of the carts. Last Friday, in my neighborhood, the old trucks came as usual and these men were lifting more than the usual weight. I wonder if they will be making more money and if they will be given more time off for back injuries.

On Facebook, I found a page for AAC recycling. Another woman had posted her concern for the weight that workers had to deal with. The county’s response:

“…many of the trucks are equipped with them already. It is the contractor's choice to dump by hand. They find the carts are light (as most recycling is empty bottles, cans, etc.) and it's faster for them to do it that way.”   

Really? Did anyone tell the county that the containers it is using are designed for automatic or semi-automatic truck loading? Do they think that a quantity of empty bottles is light? The company that makes these recycling carts specifies that they are designed for semi-automatic or automatic collection.

http://www.rehrigpacific.com/files/bulletin%20env%20106%200407%20roc%20bulletin.pdf

When I tried to find through OSHA what weight limits would be recommended for sanitation workers, I found a very complex math formula (see link notes below) that required specific measurements for actions of a particular job.

It is reasonable to predict that workers will be lifting 50 pounds or more, one after another, throughout the neighborhood. They roll the cart to the truck (the easy part), pick it up high enough to reach the mouth of the truck and twist their bodies to empty the container’s contents. Our community has more than 400 houses.  This constant, repetitive action most likely will lead to more serious back injuries.

OSHA recognizes the dangers:

“Workers involved in waste collection may be at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from workplace activities which force them to work beyond their physical capacities (i.e., lifting an item that is too heavy, or lifting too often, or working in awkward body postures). MSDs are a serious problem as they can increase the number of employee lost workdays, increase insurance costs, increase training and staffing costs, and reduce operation efficiency and quality.  Improvements in the workstation designs, work pace, work postures, weight of materials and other changes allow workers to work within their physical limits and will likely reduce the number [of] errors, sick days, and injuries and enable workers to be more productive and produce a higher quality product. Ergonomic improvements are often simple and obvious, such as sorting on elevated tables, the use of simple lifting mechanisms, and rotating workers through different job tasks.”

David Tuller in Health Day writes, 

“Like other professions that require physical labor, garbage collecting can put tremendous strain on your body as well. In some cities, trash pickup crews still run an average of 20 miles a day behind moving garbage trucks. "Vehicular traffic and repeated lifting while on the run causes thousands of crippling injuries each year," says labor historian Earl Dotter. According to a report from the US Bureau of Labor statistics, in 2006 there were over 3,000 instances of lost workdays nationally because of injuries to garbage collectors working for private haulers. This figure does not even include injuries or lost days for garbage collectors working for county and city collection services. Some injuries stem from constantly repeating awkward movements, such as jumping in and out of garbage trucks and lifting cans that can sometimes weigh 100 pounds or more. The weight and the often-awkward positions can cause back strain and ankle sprains.”

I like that our county is encouraging recycling and it was good to receive ergonomically designed carts that we can easily roll to the curb. But what about ergonomics for the workers? Their job is made more difficult and is likely more prone to back injuries. The county has a recycling motto and has provided nice looking and efficient containers, but has shown a disregard for the backbone of recycling—those men who come around once a week to collect our many pounds of household recycling.

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For more information, see the following links:

Anne Arundel County Waste Management: http://www.aacounty.org/dpw/wastemanagement/bin.cfm#.U3uioyhLpu0

Controversy over chips that keep track of recyling amounts for each home. (I do not care if the county wants to measure my recycling but some people are paranoid about it.) The chips are not being used now and if in the future they are, no one has to use containers with these chips.http://www.aacounty.org/DPW/WasteManagement/RFIDInformation.cfm#.U3qsSShLq8A

chips

Capital Gazzette article: http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/government/picking-up-where-you-left-off-anne-arundel-county-recycling/article_adeb1191-8ea2-54b8-a2f6-33c0ad99e4c2.html

http://www.rehrigpacific.com/files/bulletin%20env%20106%200407%20roc%20bulletin.pdf

For Semi-Automatic or Automatic Collection

Container made by: http://www.rehrigpacific.com/  Roll-out Carts & Recycle Bins

“Your customers want roll-out carts that are right for their purpose, easy to handle, stand up to a beating and stay good-looking over the long term.  Proven to withstand the rigors of both fully and semi-automated collection systems like yours, Rehrig Pacific’s HuskyLite® Roll-out Carts are setting new industry standards for durability and efficiency.  Available in a wide range of sizes, for nearly any curbside application – including refuse, organic waste and recyclables – these carts roll easily even with heavy loads.  The continuous one-piece handle provides a strong gripping area and the wide wheelbase makes maneuvering easy.
HuskyLite® carts are flexible, yet hold their shape even after years of service.  A reinforced top lip adds strength and rigidity as do the double drag rail and reinforced bottom.  The specially designed wide ground-hugging base helps keep these carts upright and stable.
You can customize the roll-out carts to your specific needs.  Options include internal and external locking lids, which can be made with slots for collecting confidential documents; and cutouts for recyclable beverage containers.  Wheel options include blow-molded wheels or quiet treaded snap-on wheels that install in seconds.”

Anne Arundel County Recycling Division  

RFID Chips : http://www.aacounty.org/.../WasteMana.../RFIDInformation.cfm
Facebook posts:

https://www.facebook.com/annearundelrecycling/posts/10151628881318248?stream_ref=5

Recycling collection – ergonomics

https://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/recycling_ergonomics.html             

WITH PICTURES http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/ergo/demofnl/solidwasterecycling.pdf       

Green Job Hazards: Waste Management and Recycling: Collection - Ergonomics

Workers involved in waste collection may be at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from workplace activities which force them to work beyond their physical capacities (i.e., lifting an item that is too heavy, or lifting too often, or working in awkward body postures). MSDs are a serious problem as they can increase the number of employee lost work days, increase insurance costs, increase training and staffing costs, and reduce operation efficiency and quality.  Improvements in the workstation designs, work pace, work postures, weight of materials and other changes allow workers to work within their physical limits and will likely reduce the number errors, sick days, and injuries and enable workers to be more productive and produce a higher quality product. Ergonomic improvements are often simple and obvious, such as sorting on elevated tables, the use of simple lifting mechanisms, and rotating workers through different job tasks.

http://www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/info/200084/recycling_rubbish_and_waste/979/your_waste_and_recycling_service

Weight Lifting – lots of math!

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/94-110/pdfs/94-110.pdf     

 

AAC recyling map by area

http://www.aacounty.org/DPW/WasteManagement/Images/RateMap.jpg 

http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/Ergonomics/ServicesResources/WhatsNew/PDFs/LiftingFAQrevised.pdf

OSHA

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24876

NIOSH

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/

Solid waste industry

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/solidwaste/

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora/sectors/serv/pdfs/ServAug2013.pdf        

MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS- Workers across many services sub sectors are engaged in tasks that have been associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs are injuries or inflammation of the nerves, tendons, muscles and support structures of the upper and lower limbs, neck, and lower back. The disorders are caused, precipitated or exacerbated by sudden exertion or prolonged exposure to physical factors such as repetition, force, vibration, or awkward posture. Many services sector workers are required to complete repetitive tasks and often exert considerable force in sometimes awkward positions.