Told to Not Take Pictures at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration

This happened very recently. On May 16th 2009, I attended the Asian Heritage Street Celebration in San Francisco. I did my usual photographing of the event.

When up jumps the woman on the left. She said that I did not have her permission to take her picture and demanded I delete it. When I told her I am in my right to photograph in any public event, she became angry and accosted me with profanity and threats. She even made an attempt to confiscate my camera.

Apparently she was a part of the stage crew. She told them about me. When I returned to the area I was approached by this woman whom appeared to be in charge. She told me that I cannot photograph. I told her I was within my rights to photograph at any public event.

She accused me of taking pictures of people's crotches.

The staff person of the Asian Heritage Street Celebration asked, "What artistic integrity is there in taking pictures of people's crotches?"

The woman in the middle makes an attempt to confiscate my camera. The staff person did nothing about it.

From there on, the word was out about this photographer. This was the Asian Heritage Street Celebration's way of letting me know they don't like their pictures taken.

After taking this picture, the woman on the right comes over and swears at me. Then took a picture of me with her cell phone....whoa!

Then this stage crew person comes over to me and tries to pick a fight with me.

But this was all he had. He called me a pussy and threatened to smash my camera.

The stage crew guy's wife holds him back.

Hold him back!

The 5th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration

Know your rights as a photographer! Click here to download the Photographer's Rights PDF. It CAN happen to YOU!

Tags: asian, celebration, heritage, permission, photographer's, photography, public, rights, street

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Bernatchez on June 8, 2009 at 7:07pm

What i find funny is how many other people in your photos that are carrying cameras and are obviously not having issues...

That sucks man. bit of a sour experience, I'm sure!

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Permalink Reply by lwong on June 8, 2009 at 10:27pm

it's all because of that first woman...she told all her stage crew friends about me taking her picture. So they singled me out.

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Permalink Reply by Robert on June 8, 2009 at 7:29pm

To quote my teenage son with the new fad in saying... "Seriously????"

I counted at least 8 other cameras in the frame in the photos you posted. Were you wearing a badge that said "Asians Gone Wild" or what? It is comical the extremes that people go to, but I am glad that you were documenting the proceedings. It was a public event. If they do not want their photos taken then they had the right to exit stage left.

I already have a copy of the "photographers rights" laminated in my camera bag.... but this was a sad tale to remind me why I carry it. I suppose next time you should be careful to not take the lwong photo (pronounced Lwrong photo) :-) or if you do invest in a camera rider with your home owners policy ($36 a year well invested) in the event that your gear is damaged!

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Permalink Reply by Phil on June 8, 2009 at 10:13pm

People are so damn paranoid. I often imagine that these kinds of people are part of witness protection and by taking their photo I am endangering their lives. It's the only reasonable explanation right? I seem to meet a lot of witnesses like this. ;)

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Permalink Reply by Matt Needham on June 9, 2009 at 5:16am

The staff person of the Asian Heritage Street Celebration asked, "What artistic integrity is there in taking pictures of people's crotches?"

What i find funny is how many other people in your photos that are carrying cameras and are obviously not having issues...

Could the situation have been diffused by showing the first woman, or anyone else a sample of the photos you had been taking? A quick spin through your memory card should make it obvious what you were photographing.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan on June 9, 2009 at 10:38am

Interesting experience. And you took the whole thing! Heheh, thanks for sharing! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Ty on June 21, 2009 at 4:29pm

wow! thanks for sharing that. never had an experience coming close to that situation, but now i know how to handle it if/when it does.

the link to the photographer's rights pdf was good too, i needed that. i didn't know the limitations...

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Permalink Reply by Carlton Ward on June 23, 2009 at 3:32pm

The Photographer’s RightThePhotographersRight.pdf

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Permalink Reply by DrHank on June 23, 2009 at 3:56pm

Interesting story. That's how mob mentality works, common sense and reason go right out the window. It's all emotionally driven, as evidenced by the number of other cameras present. And while it doesn't apply to all Asians, certainly the Japanese, are used to and comfortable with photography/photography.

Hope you feel better after posting and being able to process it mentally yourself.

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Permalink Reply by lwong on June 23, 2009 at 4:04pm

yes, in all my years of photographing community events and my world travels...this was weirdest incident ever.

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Permalink Reply by Jodi Reimer on August 15, 2009 at 9:53am

Wow! I think you got some great photos here....even better than if they hadn't minded you taking photos. : )

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Kiefer on August 13, 2009 at 9:57pm

She has a credential on that says "PRESS". Maybe she was threatened or intimidated by you. Maybe she thought you were going to steal her Time Magazine cover. And the middle fingers? Classy.