First London DSLR Users meet

April 21, 2008

By Ghene Snowdon

April 20, 2008 The first meetup organised for the readers of DSLR User magazine in London (and surrounding areas). The meet started in the Olde Cheshire Cheese pub on Fleet Street not far from St Pauls Cathedral. I arrived there to find 10+ people waiting for me. From there we walked over Blackfriars Bridge and through the Southbank. The company was great and it felt good to be out and about town shooting to your hearts delight with a group. Before the end of the day we finally got a group photo, then went off to cross Westminster Bridge where a number of PCSOs were “patrolling”. They are located in an angle where you get a wonderful silhouette of the Westminster Palace. I got a couple of such shots before my battery died.

One of us took the same obviously meaning the PCSOs to be “in” the picture. One of them noticed and approached us, looked at the photo, asked for it to be deleted and for an identity check. Of course our dear friend is within his right to refuse to do all these but is such a nice guy. At the end of the day, he got a slip which says “stop Code T”. I do not know what “T” means but could it be “terrorism”? We have the right to photograph in public places … to pursue our hobbies and our jobs. It is not carrying professional equipment that makes us a danger to the public. A person who wants to do harm and who does not want to get noticed can easily take the pictures with a small camera, because point and shoot cameras do have the ability to zoom closer and take as many number of frames (even record videos). We are at an age where photography is easily accessible so might as well accept it or label the majority of the population as terrorists for carrying cameras.

Anyway, it seems we are all useful only when there is something happening.. like the July bombing – they asked whatever image the public got from that horrific day to help with their investigation.

Check out the article from the BBC about others with same experiences.

Know your rights.

Back to the meetup… I had a wonderful day and thank you for all coming to join us. It has been fun and eventful. I hope the experience won’t stop you joining us next time