He Takes Pictures Of People On Bicycles

19/03/2010 16:56 by Amsterdamize

Long story short: yesterday I ran/rode some errands, I went all over town and naturally I took the opportunity to shoot some pictures for the blog. People were out and about, all very nice. Another way of making use of a cargo bike AND keep an eye on your baby sister/brother Dutch doctors insist and prescribe this & Betty Page is aging well Tourists stop and wonder how we do it... Some people actually stop pedaling to browse on their iPhone & Wesley Sneijder Alike "I wish I had a bicycle.." This is how our Cycle Chic young hatch in Amsterdam The twist in this all too familiar story started to unfold after arriving at Museum Square, always a place for nice urban scenes, for example: Two unleashed She has her heart in the right place & flat Serious conversation For a few of these pictures I had sat down on the brick path. I got up, walked to my bike and just as I was about to pedal off, a voice from behind the fence authoritatively asked: "Sir, what are you doing?" I looked back, stopped and with one foot down, ready to roll on, I said: "What do you mean?' - "You can't take pictures. Are you taking pictures of this building?" [The building being the US Consulate] "No, that is of no interest to me." [His fellow walkie-talkie-man joined him] - "What are you taking pictures of?" "I do street photography, I take pictures of people on bicycles." - "Did you take pictures of that?" [He points at the police surveillance booth next to one of the bike paths, 30 meters away] "No, that is also of no interest to me. If it shows up in one of my pictures, it's purely incidental." -"Right..." [I can tell he is still sizing me up..] "Sure. But regardless, this is a public place, just like the rest of the city, there's no avoiding people taking pictures." - "This is a security matter, we have to ask." [He lifts his walkie-talkie and pushes the button] - "Central, this is [...], the subject is taking pictures of people on bicycles." "We're clear?" - "We're clear." "Have a nice day." - "You have a nice day, too, sir." I rode off to the intersection up ahead, passing the police booth. I gave 'them' an only half-sarcastic wink and a smile, but the poor sods were behind tinted windows. At least I'm out in the open. A risky business, apparently, but they will have to pry this camera from my hands, dammit. I continued: "That's a nice Bentley, but you still have to wait" And in conclusion more fittingly: "We were here first, and we're going to be here last."

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