No cameras allowed

[blarg]

On a trip to the Louvre, we entered a section where photography was prohibeted. At the time, my camera was a Canono G3, so I just let it hang round my neck, but had the LCD pointing up so I could see what the camera was seeing.

Anyway, we were nearing the Mona Lisa. I had the flash off and basically took a few shots of it. They came out ok and I wasn't caught. There was no flash to damage the painting, so no harm done. I only did it to see if I could get away with it.

Felt like a spy though. It was great.

[shocko990]

how did they turn out?

[blarg]

Not too bad, but snapshot quality. I'll see if I can find them.

[NotYourAvgJoe]

Last year I went to a swimming competition at a county pool.
I was singled out because I had a DSLR Camera with a LONG LENS.
I was told "No Photographs Allowed"
I promised I would not take any and then they allowed me to continue inside. (with the camera)

I felt like you did, looking over my shoulder to see if someone was watching or following me. I took the pics anyway and no one cared.

I think that is all about them letting you know that they have "done their job" by telling you that you cant, and after they have fulfilled their obligation they look the other way.

In the mean time, there were at least 100 people taking photos with point and shoot cameras, and Im sure I was the only one approached.

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On another note, the world is worried about terrorists taking pictures of potential targets. Now having said that, if you travel, you know you have seen signs especially at Airport Boarding areas that say NO PHOTOS. So I wondered about the legality of this. I wrote a letter to the TRANSPORTATION SECURITY AGENCY (TSA) asking where I could see the WRITTEN Law that prohibits the taking of photographs. I never got a reply! If any of you have seen this law I sure would like to see it!

[kansasA]

I attended a Randy Travis concert in Kamloops last year and having front center seats I took amazing pictures with my point and shoot. No one said a thing to me. At one point during the concert a rather intoxicated young girl came up to the front of the stage while another girl took her picture, Randy was talking and when he noticed he quickly ducked in behind the girl so he was in the shot! Great guy
Then in Dec my daughter gave birth to my first grandchild in Kamloops Hospital. The nurse watched me take a few pics in the birthing room and then rather impolitely told me that I best not take any pics of the nurses. She went on to say that it was illegal for me to do so. Funny that I didn't see any signs anywhere indicating this. I ignored her and continued taking pictures of my daughter in labour, etc. I really think most of the nurses in the labour ward need lessons in bedside manners but I won't get into that here
The same month my youngest daughter, she's 10, was taking pics with her fisher price camera in McDonalds and one of the cashiers told her to stop, she said she was not allowed to take pictures in a McDonald's restaurant, anywhere. Yeesh a 10 year old with a fisher price camera!

[nikita]

Originally Posted by blarg

On a trip to the Louvre, we entered a section where photography was prohibeted. At the time, my camera was a Canono G3, so I just let it hang round my neck, but had the LCD pointing up so I could see what the camera was seeing.

Anyway, we were nearing the Mona Lisa. I had the flash off and basically took a few shots of it. They came out ok and I wasn't caught. There was no flash to damage the painting, so no harm done. I only did it to see if I could get away with it.

Felt like a spy though. It was great.

Was this trip recent? I went to Paris in 2005 and was able to take pics of the Mona Lisa freely tho w/no flash.

The only time I've been told not to take pics (while taking them) was at Sacre Coueur Basilica in Paris. For some reason, they don't allow photography (yet Notre Dame allows it!!) and there was no way I was going home without 1 image of the magnificent paintings on the ceiling. As soon as I held my DSLR in my hands, a guard came up to me and said no photography. I didn't let that stop me as I went and sat in a pew and then set my camera up for no flash and sat it on my lap with it aimed up. I was able to get only 1 decent image.

[a.manal]

When I went to Egypt, we were not allowed to take cameras into the pyramids. They somewhow didn't see my camera bag and I got let in with my camera, so I was able to take some photos.

[RozSheffield]

I think it depends on the situation as to how I would react...

I would never take a photograph where it was prohibited if the site was religious or sacred, and I would be wary of taking photographs where it had been prohibited and there were children involved (eg. swimming gala or dancing competition etc) unless I had the permission of those who I am photographing.

Concerts etc I like to experience without taking pictures - a photograph can't capture the sounds and atmosphere, I would rather not watch the concert through a viewfinder and anyway I never have good enough seats to be able to take a decent picture!!

If I knew in advance that I was going somewhere that photography was not permitted I would try and approach the venue in advance and ask - like others have said, you never know!! However often it's just a jumped up security guard with a power complex and the place I'm visiting actually has no "photography policy" so I just try and be descrete!

[Tom R.]

The first time Something like that happen was last week in Barcelona.
In the cathedral of the bari gotic (not sure of the spelling), I was taking some picture with my P&S with the flash off. Of course, for the picture to be correct I was using a tripod; not a big and heavy one, just a small gorilla pod, and i had a respectfull attitude (not crouching on the floor or attaching it to some expensive furniture).
Anyway, a guard came to me and told to put away the tripod.
Never knew what that was about, but I still took some good picture

[renjkson]

I went to a Tim McGraw concert at a small venue. I had called and asked if you could take pictures. They said no so I left my camera behind. During the concert, I was mad when you could see many flashes going off. In fact, my Mom even brought her crappy P&S which they saw and didn't say anything about. We were very close so I would have gotten some great pics with my D80. The guy next to my mom had a nice DSLR and so I chatted him up. He was nice enough to e-mail me some pictures he took. I guess I got the shot after all. Lesson learned: I could have brought the camera and if they said I couldn't bring it in, then I could have just went back to the car and left it in there.