Sunday, April 19, 2009

Interpreting Improper Photography Law

I am trying to make a point here to show how this Improper Photography Law cannot prohibiting those insane/sick people to satisfy themselves, in fact, it is rather gagging the freedom of expression.

Look at the following photos one after one:



A sick person can imaging whatever he think this is to his desire because he is alienated from the real world.

Just before your mind go too far to that unhealthy and insane thoughts .... Let me rescue you.

In fact, this is just a photo taken of an ordinary person in a park. The previous photo was just a very extreme crop of the following photo.



And when you finished seeing the previous photo, I would like to tell you that this photo actually was not the original photo I intended and actually shot.

It turned out to be just a photo more than ordinary.



See, how can this law prohibit those sick people from taking photos and satisfy their special desire. We can't control people's mind. What this law does is to create a chilling effect on the practice of documentary photography on ordinary citizens.

That's why I think some legislators was playing with law and abuse their power to earn political chips to satisfy their voters. I wonder why professional photography organizations have not been raising hell about this.

Maybe this is part of those Texas culture that I have not yet known.

So, tell me, what is "Don't mess with Texas means?"

.... shooting death a deaf who can't hear being asked to step off your lawn?


2 comments:

  1. "Don't mess with Texas" is a marketing slogan to prevent littering in Texas, although the slogan could certainly apply to more than trash on the ground. I think Texas has gone a step too far in passing an unnecessarily broad legislation that prevents photos of (somehow) potentially sexual content to be taken. The state should instead judge a photo "potentially sexual" on a case by case basis, at the discretion of the court and how/why* the photo was taken. Dr. Lo, I think you already understand "this part" of Texas culture - our legislators are uneducated about the material and make rash decisions at the expense of journalists.

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  2. ... at the expense of journalists....
    I think if you are a genuine journalist, you will probably be okay because no one is going to suspicious about you taking photo of cheerleaders at the sideline.
    One thing I would want to make clear. I am not just fighting for the photojournalist, I am actually defending our civil right. The right that belongs to every citizen. The right to see and to make photos in the public. To collect memories and record social happenings and changes, without necessary working as a professional journalist. What if an amateur photographer want to do a photo story of cheerleader culture? Does he need to go to the local police station to file a report first? And will that report shielded him from being arrested if someone out there not feeling comfortable about his photographing? "You can take photos if no one objects" in public areas just does not seem right to me.

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