Sport through the lens

EPUK, Editorial Photographers United Kingdom & Ireland, published story about Birmingham press photographer, who was forced by police officer to delete his photos.

Story by itself doesn’t mean much. It was just one police officer, one photographer, and few lost photos. But when we look at this with a bit wider perspective, such actions, especially if tolerated, will lead all of us, and our industry, to some really strange places. To places which we don’t want to visit. To places, which I hope we won’t need to visit… again.

Press, and this also includes us, press photographers, report to wider public about happenings around the world. Good or bad, nice and well.. not so nice ones, but World is like it is, and it’s really not our fault, if there are also sad things happening around the World (or even in our backyard).  Public is entitled to hear news, and they have their own choice, if they believe it, support it, even understand it, or not. But it really isn’t up to some police officer to decide, what photos we should keep, and what photos we should delete. They are not the right authority to tell us this.

And if we, as normal citizens, and as photographers, tolerate this single episode, we give authorities clear sign, they are doing good job. Clear sign we don’t care about our rights! Terrorist threats, or no terrorist threats, police personnel security or not, it’s not up to police to decide, which photos we can keep, and which we must delete. If they are worried about their security, they have other ways to protect their identity, then forcing photographer to delete his photos.

Ok my rant is over, and maybe I shouldn’t even write about this. But I have really bad feeling, that one day, and if we keep sticking our head in sand, this day will sooner or later really come, we will be arguing about keeping or not keeping our photos, with guy with gun in his hand, and with a bit hindered views on civil rights (sorry if I’m not politically correct about this).