For example, a colleague of mine was confronted by police — two or three cars worth — when he was photographing near the airport here. The officers made vague references to terrorists threats, implying that any rational person knows we have to surrender our rights for us to have a chance against the terrorist hordes.

They absolutely stepped over the legal line when they demanded that he erase the pictures and would not let him leave until he demonstrated that he had done so, even though they had already concluded he was not a threat and otherwise was free to go.

Another colleague was taking pictures of a sign on a local police station and waqs told that photography of the exterior of the police station was illegal. My friend asked for the officer to cite which law but he couldn’t, of course. I hope some time this year to gather a large group of people to stand across the street from this police station and take pictures.

I very much agree. If I were more of a revolutionary I might call upon all photographers to press their rights in situations where they are questioned. I do think it’s important to know and defend your rights in all situations. As Benjamin Franklin famously said, “Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither.”

Originally, this article was going to explore the proposed legislation that would require permits to photograph under certain circumstances in New York City, circumstances that according to many were vaguely described and would hinder the enthusiast’s ability to make pictures in America’s most famous city.

By the time I was able to get back to it, the news had passed, but here is a link to the Slashdot post breaking the story where you will find lots of great commentary on the issue.

We photographers continuously deal with a level of public distrust and scrutiny that should worry us all. It’s important, whether you’re an amateur or a professional, to know what your rights are and to stand up for them so they don’t erode into …