No Fear (ramblin' again!)

[SnappinT]

Hello, everyone. I've been thinking it over and I have decided to break my vow of silence.

I know, I know....some of you are wondering when I was ever silent. Some of you are probably wondering who the hell I am. Hell, I wonder that too sometimes, then I check my underwear because my mom always sewed my name there. No, she doesn't do that anymore, I'm a big boy....but a typical male won't buy underwear until it falls apart. Same thing with my camera, I still have my first digital camera, and HP 720 that doesn't even come close to the cameras most of you are using but I have bought 2 others that were both nicer. One ceases to work and the other was unceremoniously taken from me, and event that led to my silence that I just alluded to.

So why break the silence now?

What happens will happen. A turtle has to stick his head out of his shell every now and then....he has to, because a big screen tv won't fit in there.Life was meant to be lived and you can't live afraid of what might happen when you live it or you just won't get to.

I invite everyone here who doesn't know me to speak up so I can know who I have the pleasure of introducing myself to. I was "snappinturtle" at TCB.

[Rob_Ant]

Hello ST

I hear loud and clear you man.
good to see you out of your shell.

[SnappinT]

Just don't be coming out of the closet! Hehe Heehee

No problems there...that's where my playboys are stashed, but I have to cum out because there's no elbow room.

Oops was that out loud?

[Rob_Ant]

soup (http://bertc.com/turtle.htm) anyone? :eek:

I read playboy just for the articles.
yeah right!

[Gramps]

I have heard the lore of the antic's of the great Reptile...
The Snapp'in Turtle...It is my honor to reply to your post..
and say...And in the world of false hope....The sun shines
on the downrotten, freed from the clutches of the evil
empire of George Bushes....American Dreams are here to
behold for the reptiles that choose to come from their
shells and shatter the illusions of the pigs who cramp the
style of the entities that choose to live life in the candid realm.
http://img22.exs.cx/img22/4874/thonggirl26tx.th.jpg (http://img22.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img22&image=thonggirl26tx.jpg)
May the panties of my pic, throw sweet, sweet vaginal fragrance
on your soul...... :thumbs_up :rock: :rock: :rock: :zip:

[Thunder Pixx]

uuugghhhh, what he said............. :)

i've heard the story and feel for ya. scares us all i think. glad to see ya back around.........

[archman]

For you guys that don't know him, Snappin' is one of the wittiest dudes you'll see posting here (how's that for pressure, bro?!?) It's good to see you come out of your shell. That can only be good for all of us here :)

[candideye]

Welcome back! Glad to hear you're not gonna let the man keep ya down. I'll have to head on down to your neck of the woods this summer so we can do some shootin together.

[rattlemetal]

hey snappin, remember your nice posts at TCB :)

[SnappinT]

gramps
is right up there with ya!!! ;) :p

I knew I wasn't alone. I smelled Ensure and liniment.



Thanks to everyone else, it's good to be back.

[Gonja]

Congrats snappinT!! I am happy 4 you!!

When is the "BIG DAY"??

[SnappinT]

Big Day?

[Gonja]

ohh....I thought...I thought you were going to shoot again...

...my bad. I read some of the replies and it seemed you were coming out of your shell and start taking pics again. are you? If so when will be the big day??

[SnappinT]

I might...I do have an idea for a location but it's once a week and I was gonna wait til the weather warmed up some more.

I won't do the crazy indoor shooting any more. No more cowboy shit from me! lol

[Rasta4Eyes]

If it doesn't fit, don't force it.

Sooo......How was prison??

[Shark]

Well, I guess I'm the only one who doesn't know what is going on. I can kind of piece a little of it together. So, what happened to you that you went in the closet for awhile?

[SnappinT]

Sooo......How was prison??

LOL it was only jail and overnight...other than the off color fried baloney for breakfast that was awful and not being able to sleep it coulda been worse. They took their time processing even though we had bail money and we ended up waiting all night to be released, I ended up having one of the most disgusting breakfasts in my life.

BTW I caught your Gatlinburg post, that was one of my favorite candid spots as well.

So, what happened to you that you went in the closet for awhile?

Wellll lol....I met up with my buddy Boxer at a local music festival and we were arrested by the cops there, they looked at our pics which consisted of street shots (and a couple of slight buttcracks that were visible to everyone) but they arrested us, made a BIG deal out of it. The local TV news made us sound like upskirters, and there were NO upskirts on the memory cards. We ended up posting bail at $500 ( a fellow inmate who beat the shit out of his boss with a baseball bat had bail posted at $60) and a lawyer cost $2000 apiece. They confiscated all our equipment, which we have yet to get back. Technically it isn't over, which is why I decided to stop posting and disappear for awhile.

We only shot pics of things visible by everyone on a public street so I think they knew nothing would stick but being an election year thry couldn't just drop it so they decided to string it out until the public forgot about it. I dunno, that's my theory. But you guys should know that if you don't know your rights and stay legal in what you are doing they CAN fuck with you if they decide to....even if the charges don't stick they can still make the arrest, make you post bail, humiliate you publicly, and then make you pay for a lawyer. I'm not trying to tell anyone NOT to take candids, just make sure you are within your legal rights and don't look too sneaky.

[Gramps]

I'm grateful for what you just posted...Last summer I was
a fucking crazy hot dog when shooting...As I was posting on
TPC...Boxer was ( scolding me...LOL ) about everything to do
with candid shooting...the Do's and Don't's...And as I thought
back about my first summer it kinda scared me..I could'a got
screwed..Big time...I thought it was all a big Goof..I was having
such fun...being an idiot with a camera...I've learned so much from
him over the last 9 months...And I am really grateful for all the
protective input and feedback...I wish you guy's didn't have to
take a fall...But it's gotta help everyone that shoots candid's...
There's a book and some stuff that was posted here on the legal
rights of people who shoot in public..I got my copy and carry it
with me now when I shoot...Not as if it will do any good..but I
carry it anyway...and even though I'm gonna try and shoot some
Balls ass hot babe's this summer..I will not take the chances I took
last year...Welcome back dude...I know once you throw your first set
of new pic's up on your computer and upload...You'll be BACK... :rock:
Should of got busted this day...Luck of the drawhttp://img227.exs.cx/img227/3906/gotm194ep.th.jpg (http://img227.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img227&image=gotm194ep.jpg)http://img227.exs.cx/img227/4000/p52301539rk.th.jpg (http://img227.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img227&image=p52301539rk.jpg)
I was doing a scam...Blanket ... Wheelchair...Like Eddie murphy in
trading place...MY LEGS...MY LEGS...I could'a got fucked...Needless to
say that wheelchair act is retired...along with my fucking camera in the
cooler trick....Good luck Bro..and welcome Back :)

[SnappinT]

Yeah Gramps, I think that's it....when you first start out you have no clue what the consequences could be because you're just a guy goofing around with a camera, with no clue it would be dangerous to exercise your rights in a free country! The worst you can imagine is being embarrassed if noticed by the subject herself and maybe a confrontation with the boyfriend. Unfortunately we get lumped together with the kinds of guys who put hidden cameras in bathrooms and changing rooms and do upskirts. Those are against the law but there's an operative phrase in the "observation without consent" law that addresses these situations: "reasonable expectation of privacy" which means bathrooms, changing rooms, and under skirts. On a public street you have no reasonable expectation of privacy.

[rattlemetal]

Like Eddie murphy in
trading place...MY LEGS...MY LEGS...
haha that was the best scene in that flick :D

[NoUsername]

snappint - so where does your case stand right now ? have any charges been filed in court ? where do you live if you dont mind me asking ? did they check your computers ? they still have your equipement ? why were you arrested ? did someone call the cops on you and report you ? did the cops witness you taking pictures ? did they have search warrants ? sorry for so many questions but I heard about you on the other board and no one would give an info. I support you 100% man.

[SnappinT]

Supposedly someone saw us at the event taking pics and complained to a cop. The case is in limbo right now, not dropped. All pics I took were on a public street of things anyone could see so I cooperated when he asked to see the pics so he didn't have to get a warrant. And no, they didn't check our computers which surprised me. Nothing illegal there, but it surprised me.

[NoUsername]

wow, that is incredible. so when you were arrested what was the charge or crime they booked you under ? it boggles my mind that police officers and even regular citizens dont even know the law. Last summer at the beach some man came up to me and told me that taking pictures of girls at the beach was illegal and he was going to call the cops. I told him to go ahead, that i'll be right here taking more pictures of girls.

Although I think you did the right thing by showing your memory file I do believe that everyone should excersize their 4th amnd rights more often. If a police officer asks to search your car, say no. If an officer asked to see my memory card I will say no from now on. It sounds like you are going to get arrested either way so why possibly incriminate yourself when there is no legal obligation for you to do so. If a witness saw you taking pictures and reported it then I dont believe you can be arrested on a misdomeanor charge. In California you cant be arrested on a misdomenor charge unless it was witnessed by a police officer. You are issued a misdomenor citation when only witnessed by a regular citizen.
In your police report does it say who the reporting citizen was ? If you go to trial your attorney and you have to be made aware of who the "witness" was.

[SnappinT]

The charges were "stalking" and "observation without consent" the latter pertaining to situations by definition to people with a "reasonable expectation of privacy" which is NOT as my lawyer said a public street but changing rooms, restrooms, upskirt situations. Yes someone complained, then the arresting officer watched us for a bit and it was the hipshooting that he alluded to when he questioned me, that technique, although used by professionals as I have read in interviews, apparently appeared sneaky and devious to him. My explanation that a shot isn't candid if the subject is aware they are being photographed did nothing to appease him but it was obvious his mind was made up before he confronted me.

My parents found out on the local TV news, which was embarrassing. Luckily I have a good drive to work which eliminated the chance that any of them saw the news spot (my work is nearer to another major city so they watch the local news at a different station) and I still have a job.

[NoUsername]

so your camera wasnt hidden ? you were shooting out in the open ? that is some serious BS. "observation without consent" haha. so i guess you have to get a release form signed from people on the street if you want to look at them now ? your case makes me afraid to shoot sometimes. I know the law is basically on your side but apparently it doesnt stop you from getting arrested, humiliated and your gear stolen. dude i feel for you man. the candid community supports you.

[SnappinT]

Situations like this have always been my biggest problem with our legal system. Police Officers realize that even if they don't have a legal case, they can still punish you by forcing the use of resources for defense.

You hit the nail right on the head!

[greatphotos]

Thanks for the details SnappinT. Makes me cringe thinking about it. I've been approached a few times by hero types and one of my photo subjects. Never escalated past a confrontation but still not a good situation.

My buddy who is also a shooter actually went up to the cops on the beach and asked them point blank if we were breaking any laws. They kinda laughed it off and said that there was nothing wrong with taking pics of people on the beach. The officer went as far as to say, if someone was harassing us or trying to grab our cameras for taking pics then we should call the cops on them.

Still, if someone complained to the police, they would probably be obligated to get to the bottom of the situation and take some sort of action.

Scary.

[SnappinT]

I truly think the source of our problems was a combination of the location (the city) and the particular officer who decided to make it his mission, the rest of the cops just backed him up. Funny, when we were in jail and shared our story with the other inmates, violent criminals in some cases, they looked at us in confusion and said "Taking pictures of girls? They ain't nothin' wrong with that!" I saw a lot of attitude between inmates, but no one fucked with us. I really think they believed we didn't belong there.

[seemaya]

SnappinT...itz good ta see ya aLive an kicK'n man!!!

i dig yer sig too...haha!

[Zatoichi]

great to hear from ya again

i remember you from "The Crap Board"...i knew the story already and its so shockin to read still

great you're back...wish you the best and hope to read alot of your comments again :teeth:

[SnappinT]

Thanks guys, I remember you both and it's real good to see this place fill up with good folk.

[burstsquirrel]

Hey ST, I remember your story from the other place. Good to see you here. Your story really sucks and I think you are totally right about one cop making it his mission. Hip shooting, big deal, they knew they had nothing and just went out of their way to make things difficult for you. Hope it all blows over completely soon for you.

Here in Australia I'm, not sure how things would go down. The problem for candid photographers is getting put in the same category as with upskirters. Sure people can expect privacy in change rooms etc. but normal shots on the street is different. If a bunch of females was shooting guys and talking about how hot they were, no one would take a complaint seriously. But guys doing it makes them think there is something more devious involved.


These days so many people are sneaking candid and voyuer shots with camera phones, the public seems very aware and there always seems to be some heros who want to save the day.

[SNAFU]

Carry on, man. This also happens in my country (SPAIN). No matter what the law says but what the cops and judges interpret. Being caught and involved in justice engine becomes your worst punishment.

Great candid photographers from my country had been caught and processed for hipshooting. Read about Joan Colom.

I hope to see your work flowing again through this forum.

SNAFU