Hi,

Just a quick tip that might help photographers here.
If you can, take 2 sd cards with you (your regular, and a secondary one).
When you get on site, before beginning your shooting, put your secondary sd card in your camera and take few photos. They don't have to be great (blurry, underexposed, etc...). When done, Switch back to your real sd card and put the secondary somewhere with easy access (your pocket for example).
If security comes, quickly switch back your sd card and hide your real one (make sure not to lose it though).

If security ask you to delete photo, then do it, but it will only be crappy images. Same if they ask you to hand over the card, just do it. It will show cooperation, and might help you get out of troubles.

Also, if security didn't come, still switch the card before leaving the site, just in case they're waiting for you outside (you won't have time to make the switch then).

Hope it could save some pictures !! ;)

Legally even LEOs can not ask you to delete images.
I've shown images to LEOs and the FBI.
If you're detained or arrested they will find the card anyway and the images might save you from more serious charges as they have myself on 3 occasions.

In general do not shoot things you know you should not shoot like occupied residential dwellings from private property or LEOs while evading them.
Security guards... just run.

Posted by blackhawk Legally even LEOs can not ask you to delete images. I've shown images to LEOs and the FBI. If you're detained or arrested they will find the card anyway and the images might save you from more serious charges as they have myself on 3 occasions. In general do not shoot things you know you should not shoot like occupied residential dwellings from private property or LEOs while evading them. Security guards... just run.

The thing is in urbex, you often find yourself on private properties (and taking photos of it). Even if it's abandoned, it belongs to somebody.
I'm not sure that in that case, they can't ask you to delete them.
Or they can threaten you to sue you for trespassing if you don't delete them.

Anyway, you're doing something you're not, so usually you're not really in a favorable position to argue.

Also it might create some unnecessary tension between LEOs and you or security guards. Showing you understand you did something wrong and cooperate might save your ass, and avoid going to court (even if you may win, you will still have to pay for lawyers, etc...).

Also what do you mean by images saved you from more serious charges?

Since you're already tagged for trespassing the photos are irrelevant other than showing why you were there.
Cops don't care about your cam or images and will not make you permanently forfeit them unless you did something really criminally stupid with them.
They may look them over... so what*?
Don't get too clever for your own good...





*think -before- you slam the shutter release ie don't take pictures of cops hunting you or people in compromised, embarrassing situations.
When street shooting people it's better if they know you are there.

You can also upload them directly to the net as you take them. There have been many cases where law enforcement has deleted pictures and video footage from phones and cameras. So a lot of people do this with video when they encounter police in general. Even if the cops delete your camera/phone footage, they cannot delete it from the net.