Identifying crews in your photos...

KRviator · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:40 pm

Following on from a thread about the SCT G's, the issue was raised about being able to identify the crews operating the trains in our photo's.

Now, it doesn't concern me in the slightest, so long as you don't get a photo of me picking my nose, but no doubt there are crews out there who don't necessarily like there photo turning up in the latest edition of Motive Power.

So, what are your thoughts on the crews right to "privacy" in their workplace outweighing your right to photograph the train? Does a crew have such a "right" to a private workplace, and if so, how do you enforce that?

Trainee Driver, Pacific National

Comments made are strictly the opinion of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the ADF, Pacific National, Freight Australia or the Boy Scouts of Antartica.

My fotopic gallery: http://KRviator.fotopic.net

sthyer · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:56 pm

I have to start with the obvious. Crews do not have the right to privacy, unless you have trespassed onto private land where photography is not permitted, in which case they have every right to privacy. Just as you can stand on a street corner, photograph car drivers and post the images on your website, you can do the same to trains.

If you were signed on as a visitor in a yard and the shunt crew requested you did not photograph them, you probably don't have the right to continue to do so. If you're on public land and they ask you not to, you do have the right. We're all human, not many would feel particularly happy if they were sitting on their front porch one afternoon enjoying a beer and someone stood on the other side of the fence taking a photo of every sip. it's legal, but it's just not a lot of fun for the subject.

But, if you then seek to denigrate the individuals, it's a different ballgame." Photograph a suburban train driver then place the image on your website with the caption "this driver was a rude prick over the p.a. and our train ran 20 minutes late and he refused to deal with a wheelchair passenger". Unless all this was true, you're leaving yourself wide open for trouble of the legal sort.

Post an image of KRviator picking his nose, you might have...... account problems...... Smile

Hanlon's Razor - Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity

TheRev · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:17 pm

Most of the time if I follow a freight train, I have no idea who the crew is.

If I am videoing the train, usually I will thank the crew in the credits (not by name), moreso for putting up with a raving lunatic pointing a camera at them all day whilst they are working - I would imagine for some people who like their privacy, this can be a little un-nerving.

I leave it up to the crew if they want to come forth and identify themselves, or if I do know who they are, I will ask if I can name them. Legal implications aside, it's simple common courtesy and respect for others.

If in doubt; leave it out.

A bus is a glorified toaster on wheels.

hurstville1 · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:06 pm

Well most of the time, you can't see the crews anyway...

But if the crew members do a little pose(yes I have seen it once), then why would you?

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My Blog ~ www.gunzelstory.wordpress.com

Please don't speak in Ch@tsp3@k. Its the only language the 'idiots' know. If we don't speak chatspeak, they won't undertstand us =D

4705-44201NB · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:46 pm

In The Hunter area at the moment there is atleast one crew member working for Pacific National on the coal roads who takes photos of Photographers from his cab, he has atleast 3 photos of me that I know of.

FieldShunt74 · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:05 pm

When you say "identifying" do you mean being able to see the crew, in part or more clearly, or do you mean naming them?

I've linked to it before but some may have missed seeing the NSW Photographer's Rights site.

I don't think taking photos which show crew doing their job is in any way illegal or unethical. There's no right to privacy if you can be seen from a public place. Even on your own property, if you can be seen from the street, or next door, anyone can take a photo of you quite legally. I don't see any likelihood of extra protection for a person sitting in the cab of a locomotive. If you've got an aversion to being photographed, I would suggest that the front of a large, loud, moving object which holds a certain fascination for a heavily camera equipped section of the community might be a bad place to sit. If you don't like it, work at night or pull down the blind.

Likewise, if crews want to take pictures of gunzels, there's nothing stopping them.

Maikha · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:51 pm

I was abused by a crew member of a train after I videoed him hanging off the side of a locomotive while it was running around a consist, and later threatened if I were to put it online (Guessing he knew who I was). This was also considering I was in a public spot (A public reserve) and there were many other gunzels around the place.

Now.... am I in the wrong?

I would post the video online out of spite.... however, it can be the difference between his livelihood and not, so I refrained from doing so.

Cheers
Maikha Ly

The Intercity Platform & Valve Gear Media!
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/

Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned.

574M · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:09 pm

Kav442s5 · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:41 pm

I think I may know who it is that takes pics of gunzels. He used to make silly poses when being photographed, perhaps he has upped the ante? This characther is in reality, a gunzel in denial with his own web page of train pics. No names mentioned there though.
I like KRViator's comment about picking noses though.
March 2008 (I think) RD cover has a picture of a C class crossing the Hunter River bridge at Oakhampton with the driver picking his nose.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer bas tard! Its alleged theres also a tape getting around of same character under a managers desk.

It's creepy crawly season, so stop those creepys from crawling, ESPECIALLY if its a TERMITE!!!!!!!!!
WANTED: Grey Matter for scattering for Wangovian Modeller

FieldShunt74 · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:44 pm

Pressman · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:15 pm

TheRev · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:18 pm

KRviator · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:37 am

Kav442s5 · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:45 am

The_trolley · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:30 am

FS74 and KR have pretty well nailed it, if you want to sit up the front of a train there is the potential you will get photographed, the problem with the particular photo that started this is it could land the crew in a lot of trouble if someone in management was to see it. If you go out and you take a photo which may contain something that might be abit damaging don't post it, your own personal need to have your photo seen on the internet and commented on shouldn't out way the needs of the train crew to keep their jobs as that is what it can potentially come down to, some mob's can be very trigger happy with wanting to fire people when it comes to procedures.

Just be selective of what you put on the net, video or photo, even something as small as a crew member looking back out of a cab window to look back on his train as it goes around a bend, not blowing a horn or not having fog lights on could have someone up in a managers office explaining themselves and having the procedures read out to them if the wrong person see's it.

Regards,
Scott