<p>i’ve realized that there are a lot of situations where I regret not taking cellphone pics now, since I wish I had photographic evidence of my memories. but there situations that are inappropriate. so which situations do you consider inappropriate for picture-taking?</p>
<p>Once I was standing in line at a bookstore sending a picture message of a book I had bought to my friend and the cashier screamed at me for having my phone out. So I’d advise against that. :P</p>
<p>Taking photographs of places no normal tourist would ever photograph (such as federal buildings, subway stations, airport security) is generally considered suspicious.</p>
<p>As long as your parents arent around, then its ok. My mom gets really mad when my friends come over and start making vids and stuff. Some people (usually chicks) just won’t stop taking pics and vids like its important. Why do they need to take a pic of everything they do. Like so they can just put it on fb so they think they are cool. Like when they take pics of their food at a restaurant. Or every friend they need a pic of them hugging so everyone thinks they are popular. Nobody else really cares.</p>
<p>Yeah, don’t take pictures in or near the airport security area. They’ll yell at you. Once, though, I couldn’t resist…in the Milwaukee airport, where you put your shoes and stuff back on, they have a sign labeling the area “Recombobulation Area,” hahaha!</p>
<p>I don’t think many situations are considered “inappropriate” besides that or other federal buildings. Weird, maybe, or awkward that you’d be taking a picture or creepy if you’re taking a picture of a person, but **** what people think. Do what you want.</p>
<p>I took a ton of pictures of a metra station when I went to Chicago. lol. I’d never seen a passenger train before!</p>
<p>I actually encourage you to take photos of airport security, subway stations etc. I’ve taken photos of subway stations, not for terrorist attacks but simply to have them (and put them on Yelp). </p>
<p>I recall plenty of incidents around the DC area (given all the federal buildings) where photographers have been harassed for taking photos of federal buildings. Great job DHS, really fighting the terror threat by targeting photographers :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I remember at 16 I got yelled at by customs because on my trip to Canada (first time on a trip alone, and out of the country to!) I took a picture of myself sitting on a bench in customs, the idea was to “document where I wasted 2 hours of my life” </p>
<p>As for weird photos, I’ve taken them in Chem 30 for particularly useful powerpoint slides, since the professor doesn’t load them online.</p>
<p>Aside from getting yelled at by police…when someone is seriously injured or very upset, it’s generally insensitive to take a photo, no matter how funny or bizarre the situation may be.</p>
<p>My phone makes a sound when it takes a picture, so I avoid situations where people would turn around and look at me.</p>
<p>A lot of times I have a desire to take a picture when there’s a lot of police activity, or when police are arresting someone, or when there’s been an accident, or people are fighting, or general “train wreck” type photos. Those are also generally considered inappropriate/insensitive/suspicious…for some reasons I know and for some reasons I’m sure I don’t know :p</p>
<p>And this goes without saying but there were a lot of news stories about it when camera phones first became big so I want to mention it for historical posterity…no taking pictures of attractive women, attractive women’s cleavage, locker rooms, etc. That’s considered sexual harassment. Obvi.</p>
<p>On that note it’s really considered creepy if you take a picture of anyone you don’t know without their permission, even if it’s not sexual/harassment. I do this anyway though if I love the shoes they’re wearing or they’re doing something funny or otherwise notable. Very sneakily. Haha.</p>
<p>Interestingly enough, travelers LOVE to take pictures of people, seemingly forgetting the social norm that is considered creepy to take pictures of strangers without their permission. When I travel I def. avoid taking pics of people without their permission, and not just because I don’t want to be the ******y tourist, but in some countries taking pictures of children is EXTRA taboo because of child trafficking problems. Who woulda thought. Hm.</p>
<p>I generally think it’s pretty inappropriate to take pictures of people without their permission, at least intentionally. I am surprised more people haven’t said that.</p>
<p>You shouldn’t take pictures of yourself naked if you’re under 18 and then send them to other people because then they might get in trouble. It’s a good thing I know how to delete pictures off my iPhone because that is a big accomplishment.</p>
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<p>All of those things are completely legal. The TSA even says on their website that it’s legal to take pictures or film the screening process. However, in federal buildings, they don’t let you take pictures of the security checkpoint, but other than that… take as many pictures as you want. Last time I was in the US Senate office building in DC, I took a decent number of pictures (my senators offices, the cool mountain iron sculpture thing, etc.). No problems.</p>
<p>[TSA:</a> Taking Pictures at the Checkpoint](<a href=“http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/taking_pictures.shtm]TSA:”>http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/taking_pictures.shtm)</p>
<p>One thing that happened to me was where at my dining hall, they sell lobster as an actual meal you can get. So I got out my video camera and used it as a camera to take a picture of it, to kind of snub it in to all my friends and stuff. So anyways, immediately all the chefs thought I was stealing their cooking secrets and I was shuffled to the head chef to get permission. Though the chef was real nice and just kind of laughed it off after I explained everything.</p>