Perry Belmont Mansion

I have no idea why I continue to find myself attracted to geometric imagery like this, but there you go. This is the Perry Belmont Mansion, used today as the international headquarters for the Eastern Star. I'd walked by this house for many years, since it's only a few blocks from home, but had never actually gone inside until last year. It is one of the most stunning examples of French architecture in America; inside pics here.

Slideshows Generated by Slideeo.com

Testing out a new slideshow feature, from Slideoo.com. You can select photos from your Flickr stream--either all your photos, or from a particular set--for the resulting slideshow. You can also control size of the images; this one is set for medium:

KEH in Our Area: Empty or Fill Your Wallet

(Yeah, long time since I've been posting, but back into it now).  KEH.com is known among photographers for being a fantastic source of high-quality used gear.  The fast-moving digital photographic industry churns a lot of quality stuff into the used market, while the recession is also forcing a lot of under-used gear onto the shelves.  I've found KEH to be one of the best places for good finds.  (Not a paid plug; I've used them for many purchases, esp. for hard-to-find items, and feel that quality independent photo businesses deserve positive mention.  I've also had good experiences with Penn Camera right here in DC.)

Well, KEH is coming to the DC area.  In conjunction with Photorama USA, KEH is co-hosting an "Everything Photographic" Camera Show on Sunday, March 1st at the Best Western Tysons/Westpark in McLean, VA.  The show will feature countless opportunities to "sell, trade and buy with dealers, both local and nationwide" with "thousands of digital, film, collectible, hard-to-find, and accessory items."  And KEH will be purchasing clean, used photo gear on site.  Show details here (see third listing).

BBC 4 Series: "The Genius of Photography"

A fantastic BBC4 documentary series, "The Genius of Photography," is currently available on YouTube.  It's not hosted on an official BBC YouTube page, so who knows how long this series may be available.  (It's also one of the growing number of items available in higher quality--go to the originating page, and click the "Watch in High Quality" option beneath the screen, lower-right).

There are several Episodes online, with each episode broken down into parts.  The clip below kicks off with Martin Parr and John Gossage on a road trip.

Metro Hypes False Fears Over Photographers

Metro has begun to hype false fears over photography, despite the system's own regulations allowing camera use in the system.

In an irony of ironies, fellow photographers' rights activist Erin McCann discovered Metro's new hyped-up warning after she emailed Metro regarding their policies. In an automated response, Metro signed off with the following:

"Metro would like to remind you that customers play an important role in keeping our system safe. Please remember to be watchful for...

* Unusual persons or activities

* Unattended bags, packages, boxes, backpacks, etc.

* Persons photographing, sketching or documenting activity at or around Metro stations"

John Catoe, Metro's general manager, fielded a question about the warning in an online chat today. While Catoe reiterated that photography is permitted in the system, he said the warning was the result of a policy that encourages riders to "be on the lookout for suspicious behavior. Tourists taking snapshots is one thing. People who go to the edge of the platform taking photos of darkened tunnels is another..."

That latter distinction may be fair enough, and Catoe is a respected manager with a sysiphian task, but Metro's clarion call for riders to keep an eye out for anyone photographing anything around Metro can only serve to ratchet up irrational fears over photography. Metro's warning could also result in some Metro employees taking a negative approach to photographers in the system, which would only compound Catoe's customer service challenges.

Metro would be wise to get in touch with security expert Bruce Schneier, who reminds us that: "The 9/11 terrorists didn't photograph anything. Nor did the London transport bombers, the Madrid bombers, or the liquid bombers arrested in 2006. Timothy McVeigh didn't photograph the Oklahoma City Federal Building...Photographs aren't being found amongst the papers of Palestinian suicide bombers. The IRA wasn't known for its photography."

If you're concerned about Metro's approach in this instance, take a moment to share your concerns here. And remember: Metro's policies explicitly state that "still photography that does not require a tripod, special lighting, film crews, models, impair the normal ingress/egress or operation of Authority services and can be accomplished by a hand held camera by one person is not regulated." [WMATA Use Regulations, Section 100.8; page 10 here]

Norton Schools Union Station Management on Photo Rights, Other Issues

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) used her perch as chair of a House Transportation subcommittee today to blast management for Washington DC's Union Station over their treatment of photographers, and LightboxDC was on the scene.  

The hearings were sparked in part by harassment of photographers at the historic train station, and led to an hours-long grilling of station management regarding inconsistent policies on photography and a raft of other issues.

Norton kicked off the hearing with an opening statement that read, in part:

"Reported first amendment violations and denial of access by the press and public as well as inconsistent messages by Union Station personnel are especially troubling.  In June, a photographer was detained by Union Station security personnel for taking non-commercial photographs.  A real time display of the confusion about access came when Channel 5, a major television outlet here was shut down by security personnel while interviewing the chief spokesperson for Amtrak, who was explaining that photography was allowed.  Although management officials asserted that a ban on photography was not the policy, Channel 5, National Public Radio, tourists and a host of amateur photographers have been shut down or given inconsistent direction on photography at Union Station.  The evidence of confusion and arbitrary actions by security personnel reflects the continuing absence of clarity concerning public access.  Union Station appears to be a case study for the necessity of my bill, H.R. 3519, the Open Society with Security Act, to assure public safety while maintaining the highest level of free and open access to the public."

Norton also reinforced the fact that Union Station, while hosting a mix of retail and other uses, remains public property.  "The overriding public interest has never been in doubt: to provide the public access to a federally owned facility," Norton stated.

Incredibly, representatives for the entities that manage Union Station offered prepared statements that sidestepped, entirely, the very issue that helped initiate today's hearing.

Photographer Erin McCann came prepared to remind them of her long and frustrating chronology of attempts to communicate with them about their policies.  "Often, my calls and e-mails have resulted in being given conflicting information, sometimes minutes apart by people in the same office," McCann testified.

Station managers said they're working to fix the problem, but Norton branded management's approach "pathetic" and demanded immediate removal of their signs claiming Union Station is private property and that photography can be banned at their discretion.  Norton also mandated that management submit, within thirty days, a new draft policy regarding the rights of photographers and other public access rights within Union Station.

The full hearing can be viewed here (allow time to load).

Tom Fitzgerald of DC's FOX5 covered today's hearing.  His report, along with other videos and links, is here.  Washington Post coverage here.

Photos from today's hearing are available on my Flickr stream.

The Hearing is ON

It's official: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will hold a hearing on Union Station, the recent anti-photography antics of security there, and claims by various parties that the station is somehow "private property."

The hearing is set for next Tuesday, July 22, 10:00am in Room 2167 of the Rayburn House Office Building (RHOB for all ye fellow former Hill staffers; I just had to type "RHOB" reflexively).  According to the committee's website, the hearing will be webcast live.  Info here.

More details here, courtesy of Erin McCann, one of the leaders of the DC Photo Rights group over on Flickr.  Erin has consistently and courteously dogged Amtrak, and station management company LaSalle, for many months, seeking answers to what should be simple questions.  It's been a time consuming and oft-maddening task, and the entire photographic community owes Erin a huge hug of thanks.

I will attend this hearing, along with Erin and other concerned colleagues, and report on the proceedings at this blog.

She's Serious About That Hearing

Photographers who've suffered harassment at DC's Union Station were encouraged last week when Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) expressed a desire to hold hearings on this subject.

Well, she's sticking to it.

In response to constituents who write to her regarding harassment of photographers at Union Station, Norton is sending letters which include the following:  

"As a result of these incidences, I am planning to hold hearings in the near future to support any efforts to protect the civil liberties of citizens and to ensure that no one is forbidden from taking photos of the beautiful and historic Union Station."

As I told FOX5, security seems to be lightening up on photographers, but the question that remains for us is: will this last?

Message to LaSalle (managers of Union Station) et al:  learn to love our cameras, or face the ones in a congressional hearing room.  Hmm, maybe a "field hearing" at Union Station?  Or a congressional "fact finding" walk, as part of this process?  Hope security guards would recognize Norton.  Unlike the Amtrak spokesman, who was quite polite as security interrupted and shut down his own interview (wherein he was trying to explain that photography was permitted), I suspect the Gentlelady from the District of Columbia wouldn't be so...gentle.

In all seriousness, Congresswoman Norton's continued interest in this matter will help ensure that Union Station remains a hassle-free zone for photographers.