New York Daily Photo Analytics

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Picture New York

This photo is from the demonstration in Union Square on Friday, July 27, which was sponsored by Picture New York, accompanied by the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, Critical Mass bike riders, and Reverend Billy and his Stop Shopping Gospel Choir. Click here for a photo of a demonstrator that was brandishing quite the t-shirt. As I wrote in the posting on Reverend Billy, there is pending legislation proposed by the Mayor’s Office of Theater, Film, and Broadcasting that would require a permit for photography and videography in New York city. Permits and $1 million in liability insurance would be needed for a group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than 30 minutes as well as a group of five or more people who would be using a tripod for more than ten minutes. According to a new York Times article, although officials have indicated that the rules are not intended to apply to amateurs or tourists, there is nothing in the proposed ruling that specifically exempts them. The fear is that this could lead to discriminatory enforcement. Many demonstrators were brandishing cardboard props modeled after a 16-millimeter Bolex camera. And, in an interesting sidebar, this guy was arrested for riding his bike on the flag. NOTE: The city is accepting public feedback until August 3...

5 comments:

indieperfumes said...

A topic that deserves and needs the attention. I find it really inexplicable that the media is not putting more attention on this locally in NYC...

Brian Dubé said...

I think they're hoping to just slide this one through.

Unknown said...

are you sure about the legislation?
wow!

Merisi said...

As far as I know, many movies, that supposedly play in NYCity, are already being filmed in Canada (part of the reasons, the high prices in NY). Is this a trend the Mayor's Office wants to encourage? I simply cannot fathom a good reason for that.
Do I risk arrest if I carry a tripod and my family stands around me? We are six, after all.

Anonymous said...

Craziest bylaw I've ever heard of. How would you ever enforce it in a place like Manhattan?? And what will the cost of that enforcement be??!