Photo du Jour 680
Today's Photo du Jour boils over with controversy! Esteemed photographer Justin Beck, whose work is top-notch and often featured on SFist, snapped this alluring shot of Darrin from Bewitched, or whomever, walking in front of the Transamerica Building. That's when feathers got ruffled. Beck explains:
Endured some mild harassment for this one.I was walking by the Transamerica building and noticed that the light and shadows were interesting, so I stopped to take a few pictures.
After I'd been standing on a public sidewalk and pointing my camera toward the building at street level for a few minutes, a guy in a suit walked out and approached me, saying he was with the building's security and that they were "concerned" I was photographing their "operations." I said it was OK because I was standing on a public sidewalk, and he agreed, but repeated that he was concerned.
A few minutes later he came back with a camera and appeared to take some pictures of me, giving a thumbs up to another security guard when he was done. Was this meant to intimidate? It didn't work.
I hung around for a while longer as various guards paced around and gave me the evil eye. The image here is of one the other guards.
What, exactly, is the problem with taking pictures on a public sidewalk?
What's wrong, exactly? Nothing. Nothing at all. You're in public, so you can take as many pictures as you'd like. Sorry you had to face hypersensitive security guards, Justin!