Anyone get roughed up by security at a location for taking photos?

I haven't had to do any photos for shops yet. I just remember working in NYC - sure there were lots of tourists taking photos.. but you could tell when someone was taking a photo and it was NOT for vacation memories. I actually called the NYC terrorism hotline on someone taking photos of the theatre where I worked once. Now I'm wondering if I got a Mystery Shopper roughed up by NY's Finest?

Hmmm you mean like when a goober yesterday threatened to have me arrested for taking pictures of the truck stop? He didn't care two hoots about the letter of authorization. Ditto the goobers at a Dollar General store when I tried to take a photo of their sign.

As for you calling the cops on someone taking pics of the theater, your instinct was right on the money.

I've never been questioned about taking photos. I have had a goober follow me around a gas station on a reveal explaining to me why all of the out of compliance things I was photographing were not his fault but rather city ordinance requirements. I just sweetly told him that I was sure the company understood that, but that I was required to photograph any deviance from my specific example of what they considered right. It was tempting to shoot at him, "How come all other stations in the city are allowed to comply?" No point having a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

I did have a run in with Security at the airport--so I guess that would be the Homeland Security boys. To accomplish a shop I needed to be in a part of the airport where I was not supposed to be. To get out and back where I was supposed to be took a little creative baloney once I landed in the clutches of Security.

As a mystery shopper and a merchandiser in stores, I often see evidence of shoplifting. Many times I have arrived as the police are leaving or are questioning the staff or the suspect. In those stores that know me as a merchandiser, they sometimes enlist my help. One assistant manager commonly comes up to me to say, "Don't move." Then she chatters away about the weather or something else. My back is supposed to be to the shoplifters while she is watching them and talking to me. One time, she came up to ask if I knew how to say "police" in Spanish. We laughed about that later. The shoplifting team was saying to each other not to worry because I don't speak Spanish. It's amazing what the shoplifters will do.

I haven't been in very many situations where terrorists would care, unless they want to attack American business. I certainly am much more observant from having been a mystery shopper and a merchandiser. What is amazing to me is how I can blend in so the customers don't know what I'm doing. What that tells me is that Americans are not observant at all.

I had to go to a convenience store yesterday but there wasn't that brand in the small town. I called the one it was supposed to be to verify that it had changed its name. When I walked in, I told the lone clerk that I had called. She said she recognized my voice. I expressed surprise. She said she used to work in a prison where she learned to be very observant. It is a good skill for a clerk in a convenience store. I said, "So can you tell where I came from?" My accent isn't exactly like hers. She thought a minute and said,"From your mother."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2009 12:56AM by Sandra Sue.

Hello everyone. I am new to this forum as well as relatively new to mystery shopping. When I saw this thread, I couldn't resist sharing. I was recently doing a gas station shop in NYC. When I was across the street trying to take an overall picture of the station, I had 3 cars going by honk at me and one actually stopped to tell me to quit or they would call the police. With all the terrorism and such, it is very hard to do these photo shops in large cities. I am sure my letter of authorization would mean very little to those people.

Now, there is another cell phone store shop available, where you have to take a picture of the storefront. This store is located inside the Rockefeller center, on the concourse level. This is the same area where you have a subway entrance with a bunch of police randomly stopping people to check their bags. I am sure if I even attempted to take that picture, I would find myself handcuffed faster than I could take my letter out. I wonder if that shop ever gets performed. Maybe someone on this forum knows what I am talking about.

Wow, when I used to live in NYC (late 1960s early '70s) it seemed like every third person had a honking big lens camera hanging around their neck. In those days if you didn't have a camera on you probably weren't going to get hustled by the hordes who worked over the tourists. So what are tourists supposed to do these days? Not take photos of the Big Apple?

creativity, stealth and preparation are the keys to pictures today. Have your camera ready to just click the button. Make a dry run look at distance, lighting and angle then go to a spot that is similar and fix your shot. Swing back around, point and shoot,

Additionally, there is no company that will enforce the picture rule if you are told it is prohibited. Have a phone number ready to call the scheduler and if the picture cannot be done, dial and tell them it is impossible, but you are on the scene and want to know what the next step is. Most pictures are for documentation and there is always an alternative way to document you being there.

Wow, beisen, you got it down to a science . I like the idea of calling the scheduler while at the location and seeing what they have to say. Thanks for the suggestion. Right now, since I am pretty new at this, I try to avoid any shops that require anything that makes my feel uncomfortable doing. I am sure once I get the hang of it and build up some reputation with the schedulers, it will become easier to pick up riskier stuff. So far, I am really enjoying it. My family members sit down at the computer every day to record my shops for that day and see my "earnings". It's become like a family tradition. We are all having lots of fun.

Speaking as one trained in art and photography as a career (MFA degree), there are many places that appear to be "public," but are not. If you are on private property, you may well need to have clearance to take a photograph. NYC is a particularly touchy place on this, as is Washington DC, post 911 events. This is why some of the better (in my opinion only) MSC's state in the spec's they give that if for any reason you feel unsafe taking a photo, *DO NOT DO SO and tell us why.* On photography forums around the net, there is a lot of conversation around needing clearances for certain locations.

Hint: a building owned by someone (General Growth Properties, The NY Times, etc.,) is not public by its nature. It is up to them if they ask you to leave after taking a photograph. Streets, on the other hand, are public (unless you are on a Disney owned property-they own everything. I did much research on them writing my MFA thesis, and it would make you sick-if you get sick or robbed on the property they own (which is much more extensive than the parks and hotels themselves,) NOT in the parks or their hotels, you still have to wait for the DISNEY team of EMT's or Cops to show, not the city, PUBLIC ones.) If you are shopping on main street USA (not Disney's main street), you are fine. If you are in a privately owned complex of any type, you are subject to their rules. HERE, in touristville, visitor cameras are omnipresent, and I never get harassed. But I am continually aware of the fact that at any given moment, I could be, and that it might be that I have to leave without my photo. I would venture to guess that most shoppers are unaware of this, and might get pushed around by an MSC due to it. Don't let them. KNOW the rules where you take pix, and then use them when you need them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2009 07:34AM by dee shops.

I had an amusing run in a couple of years ago when I was to photograph a particular FedEx box. It was located inside a building with locked doors and security guards. After a huge run around with security guards and their supervisors I was denied the opportunity to photograph the box and escorted out the doors, which clicked locked omniously behind me. It made for a good tale and I was not penalized by the MSP for failure to get the shot. Most companies do recognize that there is only so much you can get away with and work with you when you hit the wall.

I had the same experience as Flash at a FedEx shop a few months ago. But the worst, and funniest in retrospect, was a menu collection shop where the owner accused me of a spy from McDonald's. And they did not even offer the same type of food!