Hey John - this was much worse than your encounter after taking photos at the Baltimore Airport!

This wasn't lighthouse photography, but it was building photography and involved someone who always carries a camera and likes to take photos of interesting buildings.

PHOTOGRAPHER ARRESTED FOR TAKING PICTURES OF VICE PRESIDENT'S HOTEL - Charged as a terrorist under the USA-PATRIOT act.

An amateur photographer named Mike Maginnis was arrested on Tuesday in his home city of Denver - for simply taking pictures of buildings in an area where Vice President Cheney was residing. Maginnis told his story on Wednesday's edition of Off The Hook.

Maginnis's morning commute took him past the Adams Mark Hotel on Court Place. Maginnis, who says he always carried his camera wherever he went, snapped about 30 pictures of the hotel and the surrounding area - which included Denver police, Army rangers, and rooftop snipers. Maginnis, who works in information technology, frequently photographs such subjects as corporate buildings and communications equipment.

Read Maginnis's account of what transpired:
http://www.2600.com/news/display/display.shtml?id=1441

Oh, my God - what is this country coming to? Do I need to "sneak" taking photos of one of my favorite reflective buildings - the John Hancock tower in Boston - so that I won't be considered as taking subversive photos of it?

I guess the question to ask, is there someone important in them? Pretty interesting story, thanks for the link.
JB

USA-PATRIOT ACT my butt!

Indeed what is the world coming to

What happened to the fundamental freedoms guaranteed to us under the Bill of Rights

Next thing you know, someone will be arrested for taking photos of a building because there might be someone important in it... lookout Terry, they're comin' to get ya...

Gary

This kind of story scares the hell out of me. I'm the first one to say that Law Enforcement needs broader lattitude in some ares for catching bad guys, but there is a line that we should not cross.

Now after a few years I have found that what the "victim" tells the press is often embelished for dramatic effect, but I can't just dismiss it.

If I saw a hotel surrounded by cops, rangers and Secret Service snipers, I'd probably be a little careful about obviously photographing it. And if I did shoot 30 photos, I'd not be too surprised if I was questioned. But the area that worries me is the detention, seizure, and questioning that took place.

I guess we'll have to wait and see how this turns out, I'm sure it'll be in the news.

Cheney is coming to Madison, Wisconsin in January. He will be a few blocks from where I work. I guess I better keep my camera at home that day and not act too suspicious!!

I was out photographing the large police presence and road blocks during the Mayor's Conference that was in Madison during the summer - that could be considered dangerous activity these days.

Here's your problem as was John's.