I fought the law - and the law won

This morning my assistant Sharon and I visited the Westmoreland Mall to see if there were any good sales. As always, we brought our cameras along and were shooting some photos while we shopped. I met some really cool people and grabbed some snapshots. Afterwards, I told them if they wanted a free copy of the photo to email or call me and I’d be glad to send them one.

We’d been in the mall for a few hours and had just shot a photo of a nice lady when a security guard called out to me. The exchange went like this:

Guard: Sir, Sir!
(I turn around)
Me: Yes?
Guard: You’re not allowed to solicit on Westmoreland Mall property.
Me: I’m not soliciting anything.
Guard: Didn’t you just take that woman’s photo?
Me: Yes.
Guard: You’re trying to sell photos and that is soliciting.
Me: I’m not selling anything. I told her that if she wanted a free 4×6 she could call or email me.
Guard: You’re not allowed to do that.
Me: I’m not allowed to give people free photos?
Guard: No. You’re not allowed to take photos inside the mall.
Me: I take photos everywhere, no one has ever said it wasn’t allowed.
Guard: Well, I am. Cameras are not permitted inside our mall.
Me: What about the dozens of people at center court with their digicams and camera phones taking photos of Santa, the train and the children?
Guard: YOU are not allowed to take photos so stop immediately.

I didn’t feel like causing a scene, so I put the lens cap on the camera and we left. I’ve always been a big fan of the Westmoreland Mall and go there at least once a week even though it’s about an hour from Somerset so it’s disappointing to be treated like dirt by their security.

Now, I just hope after today I don’t end up on Santa’s “naughty” list.