IanDavidson Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 https://mobile.twitter.com/ianandmj/status/1052665785448054788 while working in London I saw some photograpic activity on College Green, the grass area across from the Palace of Westminster. I saw a female golfer being photographed so I took a few shots. Up rushed the PR people “you can not take photos, this is a private shoot”. I politely pointed out it could not be “private” in a public space. More PR people moved in. They asked for my name and identification. Being polite, I obliged. “OK” said the PR, I am closing the shoot”. I pointed out I already got my pictures. Had they not made such a fuss I would not have checked out the shoot. The intelligent thing, if they were really bothered would have been to buy the pictures from me. It turned out that apparently she was one of the worlds leading lady golfers with a new fashion range.... not very sensible, if the shoot was that sensitive to hold it in the middle of the day between the Palace of Westminster and the snack bar where a lot of press photographers hang Out between events. for the benefit of my learned friends, I have not put the photos into stock etc. Just a nice little story.... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptoprocta Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 A LOT of what seems to be public space in London is actually privately owned. I don't know about where you were (and the site which looked as though it might have that info wanted me to unblock my adblocker), but the amount of privately owned space is surprising. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanDavidson Posted October 18, 2018 Author Share Posted October 18, 2018 Colllege Green is a public space, although it has a special status in that it is controlled by by the House of Commons Black Rod. The only time control is exercised is times of high political drama such as General Elections and State Opening when it is only open to Journalists like me with press passes or included within the parliamentary estate security zone. But his is rare and not the case yesterday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Baker Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 I'm imagining the conversation the creatives had when planning that campaign and location, covering exactly this scenario and so should have come up with a contingency. And if they didn't, someone was asleep in that meeting. It is a public space although Ian's point about Commons control sounds about right. It was a high-risk plan seeing as there's always photographers hanging around there (myself, on occasions too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starsphinx Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 And my usual curiosity begs me to ask if the PR people paid any attention to the presumably fair few members of the public with the mobile phones - also taking pictures of the said lady golfer? Or did they only get excited at the appearance of a "big proper camera"? I mean stockimo is for iPhones so there could have been any number of people there using that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morrison Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 My response, in this kind of situation: "I don't care to be spoken to in that tone of voice", and carry on... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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