February 7, 2005

Stop taking photos of the bean.

Ironically enough, we're the last Chicago collaborative weblog to report on this, but since everyone else has written a blurb on it, you can just choose to read one of theirs.

Synopsis: The bean (officially, "the cloud gate") apparently is copywritten, and it is ILLEGAL to take photographs of it.

Well, just feast upon these pictures, and add one of your own.

I say as soon as that sucker is uncovered, we go on a full out photographic assault on it. And if you have any on your photoblog, provide a link to it in the comments.

posted in by roderick

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» Re:production from this Public Address 4.0
Noted for personal use: now, it’s an old story. I wonder about the productivity of considering photographs “reproductions.” A story about a photographer who was stopped from photographing the bean in Chicago generated a flurry of acti... Read More

Tracked on February 27, 2005 01:29 PM

Comments

Hmmm, I only have two of them: http://www.photovox.com/archives/90_120704.html and http://www.photovox.com/archives/88_120404.html
Posted by: roderick | February 7, 2005 07:53 PM

Breakin' the law... breakin' the law... I have so many photos taken in millennium park that I would probably get racked some major fines :) "They can make it illegal, but they can't make it unpopular." This whole thing makes me want to go there and shoot like 100 more photos, anyone wanna come with me?
Posted by: Archie FlorCruz | February 7, 2005 08:50 PM

BTW, does anyone have Anish Kapoor's email address? I wanted to ask him for permission. Thanks!
Posted by: Archie FlorCruz | February 7, 2005 09:00 PM

The Reader had an article last week about this. I believe you only need permission if you're a professional and plan to use the pics for commercial purposes. Students, tourists, amatuers, etc can take as many pics as they want. I know this takes away from the "fight the man" spirit, but I suggest we head to the bean en masse and fire away anyway.
Posted by: steven | February 8, 2005 09:23 AM

Hey, I'm game! ...and don't forget your tripods! I'll just get myself some super slow film and add a neutral density filter for good measure to get some daytime long exposures.
Posted by: Bill (aka mr bill) | February 8, 2005 09:54 AM

Here's some links of The Bean from my blog: http://www.outofcontxt.com/index.php/index.php?/weblog/the_bean_part_1/ http://www.outofcontxt.com/index.php/index.php?/weblog/dont_crush_that_bean_hand_me_the_pliers/ http://www.outofcontxt.com/index.php/index.php?/weblog/internal_examination/
Posted by: Bill (aka mr bill) | February 8, 2005 10:48 AM

Thats so odd cause I ALSO happen to have some picts of the bean: http://wetgecko.net/?date=20040920 and http://wetgecko.net/?date=20041212 (at the bottom) I love the bean. I really do. Wherever I go, the Bean is with me. And I with the Bean. And the Bean is like that for everyone! For ever! It is truly Great and Wonderous. Like steven said, I think there is a fair use thing. Just like you can make mp3s of CDs you own for your own use. You might have a case that even w/ a tripod and nice gear, you haven't done illegal (yet). But there are other examples of things being controlled before the crime has been committed - gun control, lock picks, etc. It is kinda fascinating. I'm not a lawyer and just making stuff up though. -Erik
Posted by: Erik | February 8, 2005 12:04 PM

[[But there are other examples of things being controlled before the crime has been committed ] And this is exactly the problem. If you walk into the park with a camera you're a "tourist" but if you walk into the park with a tripod you're somehow a "professional." My response to that? A tripod no more makes me a professional that the laminated "badges" on the security force jackets make them Chicago PD.
Posted by: phule | February 8, 2005 03:07 PM

"Man, you guys are going to JAIL!" The thing cost the city 400 million dollars and I can't legally take a freaking picture of it? Yea right. When they uncover that thing this spring I'm going straight to The Bean and take a nice refection pic of my ass and send it to Da Mayor.
Posted by: Ron Slattery | February 8, 2005 09:00 PM

make sure you write, "Love, Ron" on your ass. i don't have a decent picture of it, maybe make it our next meetup (after they uncover it) Love, Pablo
Posted by: pablo korona | February 9, 2005 06:24 PM

Here's one from a few months back http://five24.net/index.php/weblog/comments/379/
Posted by: Scott R | February 10, 2005 12:36 AM

To paraphrase a quote posted by Charlene at http://www.thelifearoundme.net/ "Buying a tripod doesn't make you a photographer. It makes you a tripod owner."
Posted by: Scott R | February 10, 2005 12:44 AM

here's a couple from last summer: http://www.photoloukey.com/archives/2004/08/cloud_gate.html
http://www.photoloukey.com/archives/2004/09/under_the_bean.html
Posted by: steven | February 10, 2005 09:42 AM

There was a recent ruling on a similar case in Cleveland. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame went after a photographer who did a poster of the building at sunset. Final score: Photographer 1, R&RHF 0. http://www.law.emory.edu/6circuit/jan98/98a0020p.06.html.bak
Posted by: Rance | February 10, 2005 10:10 AM

Gapers block has more info here
Posted by: Ron Slattery | February 10, 2005 07:48 PM

Oh man! The other photographers at Landmark Arts and I were talking about this just this past weekend. We should all show up with tripods at the same time. It needs to be a BIG group. At least 200 people. Something that will just overwhelm the security guards. If any of you kind folks would e-mail me and let me know if something gets organized, I'd be very grateful. alana(at)alanawaters(dot)com. ---That and I just got one of these Tshirts yesterday that say "SHOOT THE BEAN". Here's the link: www.cafepress.com/stopthebean
Posted by: Alana Waters | February 16, 2005 02:20 PM

Will do Alana. I've looked around and the Bean is supposed to be under renovations for five month, and that was in the beginning of January. As soon as I find out a definitive opening date, we'll definately plan something out.
Posted by: roderick | February 16, 2005 05:27 PM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanawaters/5190741/ Here's my bean.
Posted by: Alana Waters | February 21, 2005 07:51 PM

The Bean and shots of it have already become a visual cliche`. It is a rather cheap and facile gimmick. Although the Park District's attitude regarding privatization of the public square is disturbing/outrageous, the call for action here and elsewhere reminds me of the ridiculous protests which were aimed at the shooting of "The Real World" in Wicker Park. Just to put it in perspective, yesterday approximately 20,000 people died worldwide from the consequences of "extreme poverty." Today 20,000 more people will join them. Tomorrow 20,000 more. Meanwhile, the right to redundantly photograph an expensive reflective sculpture/surface in a public park comes to represent a symbolic opportunity to "fight The Man" and make a difference. I could spend the rest of my days photographing the enormous and microscopic world surrounding us and never miss not "capturing" the Bean.
Posted by: curt | March 1, 2005 10:48 AM

curt, no one said that we can't help the poor and starving also. Personally I love to volunteer and give to charity whenever I can. Everyone picks different fights, but because we are a photography based group and we are concerned about the depletion of our rights, this is a one we're choosing to fight.
Posted by: roderick | March 1, 2005 09:51 PM

If the bean can be entered, it is a building. Art is one thing, but buildings cannot be copywritten. Maybe all the bean really needs is a genuine legal challenge, rather than so much hand-wringing. KB http://www.photopermit.org/
Posted by: bjorke | March 2, 2005 10:39 PM