here are a few amusing videos of police and security guards looking stupid about there lack of knowledge of the laws

Video Middlesbrough cops, goons and clerks grab...

Police harrass man filming on his own door step...

Met police steal and lie

and since when did community support officers have this much power

'Authority' paranoia over photography in London

obviously im not having a huge go at the police, and that it is just a minority of officers that are this stupid, but security guards can just get fucked.

• Im a photographer not a terrorist

  Photography is under attack. Across the country it that seems anyone with a camera is being targeted as a potential terrorist, whether amateur or professional, whether landscape, architectural or street photographer. Not only is it corrosive of press freedom but creation of the collective visual history of our country is extinguished by anti-terrorist legislation designed to protect the heritage it prevents us recording. This campaign is for everyone who values visual imagery, not just photographers. We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it.

  I was sent this link from an old teacher regarding this site trying to inform us of our photography rights, it was very interesting knowing the actual laws rather than the fictitious ones they try to enforce on us, if you weren't aware of the law then here its is with all your rights.

  If you are stopped and searched under section 44 of the
  Terrorism Act, you do not have to give your:
  ‣ Name
  ‣ Address
  ‣ Date of Birth
  ‣ DNA, or
  ‣ Reason for being there
  ‣ Nor do you have to explain where you are going However, if the police decide that there is reasonable suspicion to arrest you for an offence, you do have to give your name and address.
  • You do not have to comply with any attempt to photograph you, although you cannot flee the scene.
  • The Police cannot delete any images on your camera. They can only view them in very limited
  circumstances.
  • If you are driving a vehicle, when stopped you must give your name and address.
  • Failure to stop or obstructing a police constable acting under section 44 is a criminal offence.
  Police Powers
  Under s44, a police constable in uniform is entitled to:
  • Pat you down
  • Detain you for the duration of the search
  • Remove outer clothing
  • Require you to remove any item which he reasonably believes you are wearing to conceal your identity
  • Look through your pockets and anything you are carrying
  • Seize any article he reasonably suspects is intended to be used in connection with terrorism.
  • Search your vehicle and anyone in it.
  What You Should Do
  • Insist on a written record of the search
  • Make sure it is legible and includes details of the officers’ shoulder number and the reason for the stop.
  • Note exactly why they said you were being stopped and searched – this may be more extensive than the reference in the record slip.
  • Ask to see the officers’ warrant card and note the number. (This is useful when making a complaint if they have moved stations and their shoulder number
  changes)
  Note
  A Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) may not perform a s44 search without a police officer present.
  Other Laws
  • It is not against the law to photograph police, vehicles or equipment, unless the images are “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.
  • It is not against the law to take photographs in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place.
  • Using a tripod or other equipment on a public right of way can be considered obstruction. Simply standing still on a public right of way (as to take a photo) can be deemed an obstruction in certain circumstances.
  • Although it is rarely used, the Official Secrets Act prohibits photography that threatens the security of the state. This includes:
  ‣ Military establishments and munitions stores, aircraft and ships
  ‣ Civil Aviation property and naval dockyards
  ‣ Railways, road, waterway, power stations, waterworks and nuclear power stations that
  have been defined as prohibited places by the Secretary of State.
  ‣ Telephone exchanges and communications centres operated by the Crown
  ‣ Anywhere else that is a prohibited place by order of the Secretary of State
  • You can photograph private property if you are on public property or a public right of way
  • Private property owners may impose restrictions on photography, this only applies to photographs taken from somewhere on their property. Restrictions may not always be obvious but will still apply. They cannot be imposed after the photography has occurred.
  • Private property owners or their agents (for example security guards) may not view or delete images on your camera or demand your name and address. They may require you to leave immediately and by the most direct route without giving any reason if they choose.
  • There is no right to privacy in a public place, however, there are circumstances in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, particularly if they are inside their own home. Childrens privacy rights are particularly protected. You therefore need to be aware that publication without consent may leave you open to legal action.

  here is a link to the website for Im a photographer not a terrorist http://PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org/

Face Booth

In 2000, photographer Alistair Morrison founded Time to Reflect – a UNICEF project which invited hundreds of international stars and dignitaries, from Tom Cruise and Kylie Minogue to Hilary Clinton and Desmond Tutu, to take their self portraits in a photo booth and include an inspirational handwritten message with their picture.The response was phenomenal and a host of celebrities, musicians, authors, sportsmen and world leaders took part, creating a unique collection of ‘passport photographs’ featuring some of the greatest cultural icons of the past 50 years. A decade on from the project’s inception, Sky Arts will follow Alistair as he attempts to bring back some of the original names, as well as some fresh faces, for a stunning new charity exhibition which features, among others, Jude Law, Jeremy Irons, Billy Connolly, Jonathan Pryce, Sven Goran Eriksson and Mark Foster. http://www.skyarts.co.uk/art-design/article/faA

After watching the program i found myself thinking that these ideas are great but you really have to be at a certain level in order to have the contacts and respect of top celebrities wanting you to take their photo. This idea would only be successful using celebrities because if you put a photoboth in the middle of london and gt random people off the street then sure you would have some interesting results but not ones that people would want to buy in a book form. Top photographers get to a point where it doesnt matter whether their taking the photos or not, its just whether their ideas involve people within the public eye.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturevideo/tvandradiovideo/6912213/Face-Booth-Jude-Law.html This is a short video of the process, there are others on this page