I don't understand the sudden interest in the flap over designer fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana banning photographers; I wrote about this idiotic policy on my Leg 3website nearly five years ago and even then it was nothing new.Ever since September 11, 2001, photographers such as myself began to be hassled any time we pointed our cameras at any type of infrastructure, as though somehow overnight we all became terrorists.
This knee-jerk response in turn manifested itself through overzealous security guards exceeding their limited authority and dictating the actions of people in public spaces.
In 2005 I had a guard at the AIA building in Wan Chai come out from his booth to the pavement along Stubbs Road to order me not to take photos of the building.
I ignored him and pointed out that I have every right to do my work and that he had no right to deny me otherwise.
Photographers need to know their rights and gently explain to those who do not understand that making images is not a crime.
If anything, I hope the recent media attention on D&G will make others Leg 4think about overstepping their bounds.
Randall van der Woning
