I was asked to leave...

[markg740]

well this is a local church in my area, i thought the architecture was beautiful, so i pranced on through the gates, and set up my tripod. I dont think i was doing any harm. Luckily i was able to shoot a few pictures before i was kicked.

This can also be viewed on my photo website! that i just made!
(aka let me know what you think of my website too)
www.freewebs.com/mgilliephoto/

[GB1]

Pretty church. Not sure why they were so huffy.

I think the shot is good considering but I really don't like the tilt it has. You can see where the vanishing point is shooting off above it as the sides converge. Arggg... We all need one of those fancy cameras that allow you to adjust the film plane on the back. I just saw someone who was using one at Mono Lake a few weeks back... Medium format. Expensive, ancient looking thing. But excellant for architectural photography.

GB

[swmdrayfan]

Any particular reason they chose to kick you out for? Lovely shot.
John

[Asylum Steve]

...it's private property. :nono:

Many property and business owners are wary of people just plopping onto their grounds and taking photos. Churches are no exception...

Common courtesy almost always dictates you ask someone on the property first in these kinds of situations. If it's for private use, most likely they'll go ahead and say yes. If not, they usaully have a good reason. Or even a public policy for taking pictures...

BTW, I think it was the tripod that might have raised a red flag with the church. That does it in may other situations with businesses and municipalities. It usually implies a professional or serious amateur that may intend to use the photos commercially.

Now, if you were to photograph this scene from a public street, I doubt there's much they could have done to stop you... :hand:

[livin4lax09]

yep. steve said it. that's why you got booted. Just ask permission next time and you should be all set.

nice shot though, aside from a few distracting objects.

[cyberlord]

The tilt can be fixed with a perspective adjustment in Photoshop or any graphics program that has a similar adjustment. It's real easy to do too.

Tim

[poker]

The tilt can be fixed with a perspective adjustment in Photoshop or any graphics program that has a similar adjustment. It's real easy to do too.

Tim

Will "perspective adjustment" fix that palm tree on the bottom left hand corner?

I've been stopped twice in the past month from taking photos. Once at a farmer's market (mall parking lot, private property) and at a CostCo (taking pictures of long gasoline lines). I'm getting use to it

Interesting structure. Besides the converging lines that bright white reflection on the wall should be avoided next time.

[markg740]

GB1, i dont really know what you mean by the vanishing point.... im not sure where to look, could you please explain? thanks.

[Asylum Steve]

GB1, i dont really know what you mean by the vanishing point.... im not sure where to look, could you please explain? thanks.

Mark, if you extend all the "straight" lines of your building up in to the sky, they will eventually converge at some single point. That's the vanishing point.

Now, IMO this is a subjective thing. I shoot a lot of wide angle, and I especially like the way it distorts building lines. In many instances, I try to exaggerate this effect.

Still, from an architectural photo purist's point of view, this is generally a no-no (especially if it's off by just a bit). And even though 3-point perspective does indeed have a legitimate third vanishing point at the top, in photographs you usually want the vertical lines of the structure to be parallel.

Photoshop's transform tool would allow you to easily pull the top corners of the frame out a bit to straighten all your vertical elements.

BTW, saw this shot on your site. Looks good in B&W, too...

[dmm96452]

Will "perspective adjustment" fix that palm tree on the bottom left hand corner? ......

Actually it might. When you correct for the tilt you end up cropping to square the shot back up. By the time you're done with that the tree may be gone. Not fixed but not distracting any more either.

[dmm96452]

GB1, i dont really know what you mean by the vanishing point.... im not sure where to look, could you please explain? thanks.

Here is an example and a corrected version. I used the Lens Correction filter in Photoshop CS2.

In the first shot:
The point where the first the lines I have drawn through the sign post and the Monument would eventually meet is the vanishing point. I took this shot this way on purpose just to have some fun with the distortion from the lens.

In the second shot:
I have corrected with the Lens Correction filter in CS2 so that lines through the post and monument will now be parallel. You can also see how much would have to be cropped to square the shot back up.

[Ronnoco]

It looks like a small Ukranian or Greek Orthodox Eastern Rite Catholic Church. I have taken photos inside churches all over and have never been asked to leave even when priests have been present. My speciality is in not being noticed.

Ronnoco

[livin4lax09]

they also have tilt-shift lenses to correct this. but those are very expensive. so i say PS it.

[GB1]

This brings up an interesting question:

How do we photogs get pictures of things and places w/o getting people upset?

Or how do we get photos even WHEN it's prohibited? I've found that if you always follow the "rules" that you'll miss out on some great shots. Most of the time, the rules make no sense anyways, so phooey!

Ronnoco, you have a pt there.. keep a low profile. Wearing dark clothes can help, and watch those tripods - they make us stand out.

GB

[Asylum Steve]

How do we photogs get pictures of things and places w/o getting people upset?

Obviously, this would make for a very good discussion. But this probably isn't the place to have it...

Why don't you post this in Viewfinder?

[poker]

Ronnoco, you have a pt there.. keep a low profile. Wearing dark clothes can help, and watch those tripods - they make us stand out.

When I was asked to stop taking pictures at a farmers' market, I'm pretty sure the mono pod and the camera with a vertical grip made me stand out. Plus, I was wandering alone.

As far as the rules are concerned, I guess it is best to ask first. It's a yes or no answer I assume.

Paparazzi break the rules alot, don't they, and they bend the rules as well. If a paparazzi joined this board and started posting pics we knew took some law breaking, would the PR community appreciate it?

[GB1]

Asylum Steve - You're right, but

As far as the rules are concerned, I guess it is best to ask first. It's a yes or no answer I assume.

Paparazzi break the rules alot, don't they, and they bend the rules as well. If a paparazzi joined this board and started posting pics we knew took some law breaking, would the PR community appreciate it?

But if you ask, they can say "NO!" and stand guard to make sure you don't. The old military saying (Better to ask for forgiveness than for permission) just seems to work more often for me.

I'm certainly not advocating Parparazzi-style harassment... I was thinking more along the lines of photography inanimate objects, not harassing anyone. I was once at a racetrack and, suspecting that the guards wouldn't give me permission to photograph from the pit stop area even though I was with one of the racecar teams, just went down and started shooting. I shot off about 2 rolls before the guards told me to leave, saying that they only allow "credentialed" photographers down in that area. (WELL.............!) I suspected this so figured why ask? I didn't see myself coming back anyways, so no sense trying to build up a long-term relationship with those guys. And I still got off 2 rolls of shots.

GB

[Ronnoco]

I don't ask and I don't follow "rules", but I make sure I "fit in" and am overlooked. I even remember shooting John Candy while I was wearing a tuxedo in a formal affair. In churches, I often shoot from a pew or in cathedrals from the edge of a darker area of the building. In some cases, I have been the only one taking photos who was not asked to leave.

Ronnoco

[Don Schaeffer]

Nobody likes photographers. Neighbors sometimes get mad when I snap photos of their garden flowers from the sidewalk or street.

I like your site. I know it's a work in progress.