Because, toby, how else would you know hemp waffles existed?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/domokate/29822796/

Why on earth would people want to take pictures in a grocery store?

The C-town thing was part of the school assignment. Not my idea. And to be fair, there were lots of people who were very cooperative. And we did ask before we started clicking. But your points are well taken. I just get twitchy when people's default reaction is defcon three. It's how problems start and despots get elected.

Thanks, though... the post is bokchoy for thought>

Unfortunate that it went down like that, but in the age of "Shame on You", "Eat Drink & be Wary", and other programs devoted to exposing the seedy side of the food and produce industry, (not to mention the many lawsuits emanating from such exposure), and considering that most store owners in Chinatown are not exactly a dab hand with the English language, I can pretty much see their point of view in this. Did you ask to meet with the store manager before you took out your camera? I could see how someone would be alarmed if you just started clicking away at their produce. (Maybe you should have purchased a small amount of bok choy for yourself, and took it home to photograph it there. Then you & your daughter could've had a tasty meal afterwards.) I won't even get started on the elderly Chinese women, even I would freak out if someone approached me with a camera, and if there was a language barrier...!

Anyway, if you're doing a project on China, what are you doing in Chinatown, New York? Wouldn't it make more sense to go to a library, the Chinese Consulate, the INTERNET, the Asia Society, the China Institute, or somewhere else DEVOTED to showing the myriad foods, languages, social behaviors and cultural practices of a huge, multifaceted and diverse country -- rather than folks who are just trying to live their lives and go about their daily business unharassed?

Will someone please explain to me the problem people have with photos? Are we that fearful as a city, as a group?

This weekend my daughter and I worked on a school project she has to do on China (I know it's August, don't ask, don't remind). She's 8. One part of the assignment has to do with different foods of China and another has to do with how in China elders are revered. So we go into Chinatown and I give her my camera. We go into a store and ask if we can take a picture of some bokchoy and some sea cucumbers and the next thing you know we're swarmed. And if you thought the Whole Foods crowd or PAs neede some help in the customer relations department, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Again, my daughter's 8, and now she's 8 and scared as I try to explain its for a school project, show them the papers, the whole bit, no dice. One more word outta me and I'm thinking I'll be on the wrong end of a street fight.

Don't even get me started on what happened when she asked if we could take a picture of the (we thought) sweet older ladies sitting in Confucius Plaza.

It's perfectly within everyone's right to not want their snap taken and we certainly didn't put up a fight at any of our stops, despite the fact that as soon as the camera saw daylight an awful lot of people seemed to want one. What the hell is up with everyone? Just say "no thanks" and save the aggression for the guys with the guns...

Am I missing something?

If it's a Public Street, you generally can take Photographs. A Private individual (i.e. "Security" Goon) has No legal right to stop someone from taking public Photographs.

As for the "there's a rule that I don't like and probably don't understand!" reaction, Are you kidding?? I hope you only mean private property.

Any lawyers reading this? I'd love to hear from a lawyer as to the "rights" for taking pictures in a public street.

I usually like gothamist but like everyone else, this post annoyed me. I'm not a JLO fan but i think that growing up in the bronx makes someone a new yorker. Even if they leave they remain more of a new yorker than the midwest hipsters who live here for a year and act as though they are born and bred.

um, i was being slightly tongue in cheek.

Once again, the somewhat schizophrenic and skewed Gothamist sense of values and propriety makes itself apparent.

Whole Foods, to the best of my knowledge, is a privately owned business...not a public commune. Privately owned businesses, to the best of my knowledge, are entitled to establish policies and procedures regarding their operation. Large retailers like Whole Foods invest thousands, if not millions, of dollars in determining interior design, merchandising and product selection. They don't necessarily want images of these freely available to copycats or competitors.

Many of Gothamist's editors, contributors and readers work in marketing, broadly defined...advertising, PR, etc. Is YOUR or your employers' work product freely available to others?

As always, love reading Gothamist, but hate the "I'm a bright, middle class kid from the suburbs (or Brooklyn) who's gonna burn down the Establishment" sensibility.

"Hey, there's a rule that I don't like and probably don't understand! Let's encourage people to break it!"

Thanks, Gothamist.

oh, i got yelled at for taking photos at whole foods. i don't understand why but i can't help it-- they have the most amazing displays.

I've been told twice recently not to take pictures. One time a cop stopped me from taking a picture of a building in midtown and another time a security guard stopped me from taking a picture in the west village. The cop told me I couldn't take pictures of buildings and the security guard told me I couldn't take pictures because "it's a government thing" (whatever that means).

They should also do something about their no stealing policy. Yesterday I put a japanese fuji apple in my shorts and a employee came up to me and said "NO STEALING! GET OUT! OR I WILL CALL THE COPS!". Needless to say she was really rude about it. I left in a huff but not before I threw a can of beans over 3 aisles over my back. No one saw me do it but I got out of there in a hurry. Probably reviewing the tape of me right now. Isn't it funny that they can tape and photograph you but you can't them?

there must not be a whole heck of a lot going on that is remotely interesting for this whole foods post to get above the fold billing

Private property is One thing, A public street is Public property. If that Goon layed a hand on anyone, he'd be on the wrong side of an assault charge.

A month ago, I tried taking a photo of the ceiling at Borders on Broadway and nearly caused the Manager to have a heart attack. He explained the Policy and I had no problem with it. Shame too, the Pilars and Wood cielling have a fantastic pattern.

I tried to take a picture of American Idol Fantasia on Lafayette Street, but then a burly PA told me I couldn't. I considered bitching about that, since it's a public street, but decided to save that for a run-in with someone like Sean Penn or Russell Crowe.

They are not the only store that does not want people to take un-authorized pictures in their store. I have run into it at several photo projects in Seattle back in my art school days.

As the originator of the Whole Foods post, let me say that I have no problem with their no photography policy. I might not understand it, but it is their space and they can set the rules. But if they expect their employees to enforce the rules they should also train the employees how to do so.