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Epic shooting in New York and Washington as Tourist

Dominik Muench

Dominik Muench

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Hey Guys,

I will be in New York and Washington over the next two weeks and luckily I have enough baggage allowance to take my Epic with me. I was wondering what the general situation is like in the typical tourists spots and wether I could get into any trouble shooting there with my Epic. Statue of liberty, Brooklyn bridge, Capitol Building and so on ?
 
Noone will look at you twice in NY. There are so many productions happening all the time, the police dont even slow down anymore.
 
Hey Dominik - only trouble I had in NY was in Times Square - not because I was taking photos (people are snap happy everywhere there), but because I had a fair sized tripod setup to do panoramas with. I got lucky though as I was already packing down the gear when they talked to me. I've found the police in New York to be quite friendly and approachable actually :)
 
Yeah, even RED ONE in Times Square is no problem. It's definitely more about sticks and how many of you there are than it is the type/size of camera from my experience. Only places theyre pretty serious about are around tunnel entrance/exits, but why would you be shootin there anyway? :) Enjoy your trip and safe travels.
 
you can shoot in dc like any tourist but no tripod, the size of the camera might get you some attention, but as long as you are not inside anywhere and you are not taking forever you should be fine. it's the same way here in Philadelphia at the historic sights
 
U are allowed to shoot with a tripod in nyc, just be weary of tripping people up.

Also note you ARE allowed to film in subways on platforms station etc as long as you dont have tripod or lights. However even some of there own employees dont know that so i printed out the notice from mta.info
 
Virtually all cities in America follow the "asserting exclusive use of city property" rule. If you are using public property and your use is exclusive -- even if only temporarily exclusive -- you are required to have a permit or are not permitted to shoot at all. Obviously using a 'crew' to move people around or block people's access during shooting would instantly invoke this rule, tripod or not. And if you are going to use a tripod, you need to be able to move it quickly and instantly, if someone requires access. Be it a person in a wheelchair, a family with a stroller, a business conducting deliveries, police charging down a sidewalk, a bicyclist, etc. This is why in general most people say hand-held is permitted, but tripod is not.

Your best solution is a monopod or, hilariously, a steady camera system that is attached to your body.

Have fun shooting.
 
DC can be very particular, lost of different rules and "zones". On the mall- you are under park police rules and theyare hard asses. No tripods at all w no permit. Shooting in lincoln memorial even handheld is hit or miss. By the iwo jima memorial also national park land, rulesare technically the same but less enforcement.
On capital grounds no commercial filming of any kind. By grant statue also only by permit but something quick with no sticks is probably fine.
And oddly, the north side of the white house on the closed road that used to be Pennsylvania ave, which is crawling with secret service uniformed division, you can use a tripod as long as you are on the north side of the crown of the road (further from the white house) butdon't step back too faror you will be in the park, which is of course park police and they will shut you down. For the wite house i would ask permission rather than forgiveness, as you walk up ask one of the many many secret service uniformed officers where you can and and cant shoot. They will ask a bunch of questions, take your ID to get that info, write a bunch of stuff down then leave you alone.
Of course this is all subject to change at a moment's notice.
 
I got threatened with arrest while shooting with a Red Epic on a tripod in the Lincoln Memorial, but after I said it was for personal use I was allowed to continue to shoot. Although I was threatened with a lawsuit if the footage ever came to light in a commercial production. Outside the Senate House no problem even with tripod.
 
My brother was on a job where they were filming inside a minivan and drove into the holland tunnel. They were pulled over and cuffed when they reached the other'side. They let them go, but made them format the card in the camera.. Be careful at some places..


I never had a problem in NYC with a tripod. Just stay out of people's way. Just don't go on the stairs in the center of Times Square with them, or just do it quickly!
 
Thanks guys for the help, I will definitely only shoot handheld. whats it like inside some buildings ?? would love to check out the natural history museum or the library in new york, probably much more problematic ?
 
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