Inside the Beltway. . . at DVinfo.net

Doug Thompson · June 12th, 2002, 06:24 PM

Looks like my neighborhood is well represented here. And why not? It's a good neighborhood (even with security and dirty bomb threats)

Professional photographer/photojournalist with 38 years behind a still camera. Recently added video to my menu of offerings to clients. Also own a political news web site called Capitol Hill Blue.

Video Equipment:

XL1-S (with both automatic and manual zoom lenses)
GL-1
Enough accessories to make my wife and credit card choke
FCP (on a G-4 Quicksilver and G-4 Powerbook)
Premiere
After Effects

Learned a lot from this site. Looking forward to learning more.

Doug

Ken Tanaka · June 12th, 2002, 10:07 PM

Looks like you have quite a good list of gear and s/w.

Has it become a nervous proposition to shoot footage around DC these days? I would imagine that anyone with a video camera is automatically considered a suspicious character.

Doug Thompson · June 12th, 2002, 10:24 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Ken Tanaka : Looks like you have quite a good list of gear and s/w.

Has it become a nervous proposition to shoot footage around DC these days? I would imagine that anyone with a video camera is automatically considered a suspicious character. -->>>

Since 9/11, anyone with a camera (still or video) is subject to suspicion.

On September 11, I was shooting in DC and my scanner went crazy when the Pentagon was hit. My quickest route to Virginia was to hit I-295 near the Washington Navy Yard. Traffic was already backing up and I noticed heavy security at the gate to the Yard, which was guarded by a young female marine. I rattled off about a half-dozen shots with my D1 and headed for the Pentagon.

The next day, I found a card stuck in my home door from an investigator from Naval Investigative Service (NIS), asking me to call. When I did, the investigator asked if I drove a black Jeep Wrangler (he had the license number). When I confirmed it, he wanted to know if I was in the vicinity of the Navy Yard on September 11. I confirmed that and then he wanted to know what I did there. I told him I was stuck in traffic and took some photos of the main gate, adding that this is what I do for a living. He then wanted to know if the photos were published and where he might see them. I gave him the web site address for the photos. He then verified my SSN and hung up.

It wasn't until later that I realized that he had tracked me down through the license plate on my Jeep, which was registered to my farm in Southwestern Virginia, 300 miles from Arlington. Yet his card was stuck in the door of my condo in Arlington.

On 9/11, I was at the Pentagon for six hours shooting the fire, damage and rescue efforts and wasn't bothered once by any military or civilian personnel. A week later, I was shooting long lens shots of the damage (with the capitol in the background) and had both MPs and Virginia State police drive up to examine my credentials.

Bottom line is you don't shoot near the Pentagon, White House, Capitol, Union Station or the three DC-area airports without getting clearance first. The Pentagon requires all photographers to have escorts. If you stop on Virginia 110 (a public road that runs north of the Pentagon) and shoot the Humvees with machine guns, odds are you will get pulled over and your film, digital card or videotape confiscated.

It's a different world here. It's getting to where the various credentials required for access weigh more than my camera equipment.

Doug

Rob Lohman · June 13th, 2002, 02:48 AM

Welcome aboard Doug! Good to have you with us. This story
sounds a bit surreal, but it might be understandable. It is
illegal to photograph military bases here I think, not sure though.

davidisrael · June 13th, 2002, 03:51 PM

that's a different Washington, DC than I've had occasion to see --

I feel like I'm in the lap of peaceful luxury, since tonight I'm simply going to shoot an outdoor avantgarde dance performance (8pm at the Sculpture Garden, Hirshorn Museum, free! - if anybody's kicking around), and all (I think) I'll have to dodge are some poss. tentative raindrops, but not (I think) a lot of regulations . . . .

:-) d.i.

Doug Thompson · June 13th, 2002, 06:38 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by davidisrael : that's a different Washington, DC than I've had occasion to see --

I feel like I'm in the lap of peaceful luxury, since tonight I'm simply going to shoot an outdoor avantgarde dance performance (8pm at the Sculpture Garden, Hirshorn Museum, free! - if anybody's kicking around), and all (I think) I'll have to dodge are some poss. tentative raindrops, but not (I think) a lot of regulations . . . .

:-) d.i. -->>>

David:

Yeah, there's a peaceful side to DC, but that's not where most of my assignments take me. When I'm shooting on my own, I look for neighborhood festivals, antiques shows or a bluegrass festival in Floyd County, Virginia , but the assignment editors who pay the bills want DoD, Humvees with armed guards and drive-bys in Southeast.

I am working on a project called Our America, which is a 10-year study of the first decade of the new century. Those who are interested can find the details at http://www.ouramerica.org and let me know what they think.

Doug

June 12th, 2002, 06:24 PM	#1
Doug Thompson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Floyd, Virginia Posts: 99	Inside the Beltway. . . Looks like my neighborhood is well represented here. And why not? It's a good neighborhood (even with security and dirty bomb threats) Professional photographer/photojournalist with 38 years behind a still camera. Recently added video to my menu of offerings to clients. Also own a political news web site called Capitol Hill Blue. Video Equipment: XL1-S (with both automatic and manual zoom lenses) GL-1 Enough accessories to make my wife and credit card choke FCP (on a G-4 Quicksilver and G-4 Powerbook) Premiere After Effects Learned a lot from this site. Looking forward to learning more. Doug __________________ Doug Thompson http://www.blueridgemuse.com

June 12th, 2002, 10:07 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Welcome Doug! Looks like you have quite a good list of gear and s/w. Has it become a nervous proposition to shoot footage around DC these days? I would imagine that anyone with a video camera is automatically considered a suspicious character. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

June 12th, 2002, 10:24 PM	#3
Doug Thompson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Floyd, Virginia Posts: 99	Re: Welcome Doug! <<<-- Originally posted by Ken Tanaka : Looks like you have quite a good list of gear and s/w. Has it become a nervous proposition to shoot footage around DC these days? I would imagine that anyone with a video camera is automatically considered a suspicious character. -->>> Since 9/11, anyone with a camera (still or video) is subject to suspicion. On September 11, I was shooting in DC and my scanner went crazy when the Pentagon was hit. My quickest route to Virginia was to hit I-295 near the Washington Navy Yard. Traffic was already backing up and I noticed heavy security at the gate to the Yard, which was guarded by a young female marine. I rattled off about a half-dozen shots with my D1 and headed for the Pentagon. The next day, I found a card stuck in my home door from an investigator from Naval Investigative Service (NIS), asking me to call. When I did, the investigator asked if I drove a black Jeep Wrangler (he had the license number). When I confirmed it, he wanted to know if I was in the vicinity of the Navy Yard on September 11. I confirmed that and then he wanted to know what I did there. I told him I was stuck in traffic and took some photos of the main gate, adding that this is what I do for a living. He then wanted to know if the photos were published and where he might see them. I gave him the web site address for the photos. He then verified my SSN and hung up. It wasn't until later that I realized that he had tracked me down through the license plate on my Jeep, which was registered to my farm in Southwestern Virginia, 300 miles from Arlington. Yet his card was stuck in the door of my condo in Arlington. On 9/11, I was at the Pentagon for six hours shooting the fire, damage and rescue efforts and wasn't bothered once by any military or civilian personnel. A week later, I was shooting long lens shots of the damage (with the capitol in the background) and had both MPs and Virginia State police drive up to examine my credentials. Bottom line is you don't shoot near the Pentagon, White House, Capitol, Union Station or the three DC-area airports without getting clearance first. The Pentagon requires all photographers to have escorts. If you stop on Virginia 110 (a public road that runs north of the Pentagon) and shoot the Humvees with machine guns, odds are you will get pulled over and your film, digital card or videotape confiscated. It's a different world here. It's getting to where the various credentials required for access weigh more than my camera equipment. Doug __________________ Doug Thompson http://www.blueridgemuse.com

June 13th, 2002, 02:48 AM	#4
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Welcome aboard Doug! Good to have you with us. This story sounds a bit surreal, but it might be understandable. It is illegal to photograph military bases here I think, not sure though. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

June 13th, 2002, 03:51 PM	#5
davidisrael New Boot Join Date: May 2002 Location: washington dc Posts: 24	wow that's a different Washington, DC than I've had occasion to see -- I feel like I'm in the lap of peaceful luxury, since tonight I'm simply going to shoot an outdoor avantgarde dance performance (8pm at the Sculpture Garden, Hirshorn Museum, free! - if anybody's kicking around), and all (I think) I'll have to dodge are some poss. tentative raindrops, but not (I think) a lot of regulations . . . . :-) d.i. __________________ David Raphael Israel Director Other Shore Productions / Other Shore DVD

June 13th, 2002, 06:38 PM	#6
Doug Thompson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Floyd, Virginia Posts: 99	Re: wow <<<-- Originally posted by davidisrael : that's a different Washington, DC than I've had occasion to see -- I feel like I'm in the lap of peaceful luxury, since tonight I'm simply going to shoot an outdoor avantgarde dance performance (8pm at the Sculpture Garden, Hirshorn Museum, free! - if anybody's kicking around), and all (I think) I'll have to dodge are some poss. tentative raindrops, but not (I think) a lot of regulations . . . . :-) d.i. -->>> David: Yeah, there's a peaceful side to DC, but that's not where most of my assignments take me. When I'm shooting on my own, I look for neighborhood festivals, antiques shows or a bluegrass festival in Floyd County, Virginia , but the assignment editors who pay the bills want DoD, Humvees with armed guards and drive-bys in Southeast. I am working on a project called Our America, which is a 10-year study of the first decade of the new century. Those who are interested can find the details at http://www.ouramerica.org and let me know what they think. Doug __________________ Doug Thompson http://www.blueridgemuse.com