Hypothethical Question -

Simplicius

I was passing Dublin Airport today and needed to make some calls that needed me to jot down figures, so I had to stop. As I was waiting for a call, a large SUV all black pulled in ahead .. I was there a further 20 mins when two guys all in blackleather, helmets on a motorbike, passed then turned back and pulled up to the SUV's window. I had camera in footwell, grabbed it and my imagination ran away with me.. pillion passenger ...gun... shot of a lifetime...

needless to say they just asked directions or something and drove off .....:rolleyes:

but I have been wondering, if you captured something like this ... do you

A: immediately hand film over to Gardai when they arrive?
B: get it developed and go to press ?

I assume you should immediately hand it over but where does the law lie in this situation? if you took it to press first then handed it to Gardai.

Paulw

Film or digital?

If it's digital, process the files and send jpg to papers. You then have the original jpg or raw files to give to the Gardai.

I don't see an issue.

Fajitas!

You're a witness, hand it over to the Gardai first.

To be honest, morally, I don't know how I'd feel about giving it to the press.

humberklog

That would most definately go into my little private book (well...large bugeoning album at this stage). Something for the grandchildren.

Simplicius

Paulw wrote: »

Film or digital?

If it's digital, process the files and send jpg to papers. You then have the original jpg or raw files to give to the Gardai.

I don't see an issue.

It would be film in my case .... but theory is the same.

smelltheglove

Arrange to email to gardai or ask can you download before handing the card over as you have personal images same with printing of film hand film over after printed.

Paulw

Simplicius wrote: »

It would be film in my case .... but theory is the same.

I believe that with film, you'd be required to hand over the film (unprocessed), and let the Garda lab generate prints/negatives, so you wouldn't have the ability to get the image to press.

trooney

Blackmail the perps. I always find, in every situation in life where there is a quandary, blackmail is our friend.

trishw78

I'd be more worried about them remembering the reg no. of my car. But yes give it to the gardai first, papers second, sell the car, move home.

Ghost Train

I'd say hand over what you have to the gardai (if they ask for it) and maybe get it back from them if you can, if its digital and you have a way to copy it first you could do that... or if there was justification to leave the scene because you felt in danger you could try that and check the images before giving them to somebody

Fajitas!

Here's another hypothetical situation.

Your other half/brother/father doesn't come home from work today. You're getting worried, and start ringing around. Noone seems to have heard anything. The Gardai get back to you, and tell you to hold tight, they want to talk to you in the morning. It doesn't look the best.

Come the morning, and you get a phonecall from your mother/sister/friend to look at the newspaper. There's a picture of someone you're closely related to being shot.

Case of mistaken identity or not, that's not how you want to find out.

But yes give it to the gardai first, papers second, sell the car, move home.

Are you serious? You'd willingly hand over to the papers, knowing how easily it would get back to someone - Knowing that you'd have to sell your car and move your house? For a few quid?

Regardless of the moral implications above, you're willing to put your life through that much turmoil?

trishw78

I wasn't necessarily going to ask for money or even a credit for the photo's, I'd just want people to know who the scumbags were.

Fajitas!

Two guys on a bike with helmets pointing a gun into a jeep, with the reg most likely blocked out?

To me, that's not worth upsetting my life to the point of moving house over.

kensutz

As if they guys on the bike would look around and take note of the reg plates of cars nearby. :rolleyes: Most would just pull up to the car, shots fired and scarper.

trishw78

one guy shooting, one guy driving you can be sure he's keeping an eye for witnesses

kensutz

Unlikely tbh.

Fenster

If they're willing to shoot up some people in broad daylight, what is to stop them from shooting you and taking your camera?

trooney

Fenster wrote: »

If they're willing to shoot up some people in broad daylight, what is to stop them from shooting you and taking your camera?

Another reason why you should always insure your gear

Fajitas!

So yer kids can cash in on a new camera?

Wile E. Coyote

trishw78 wrote: »

one guy shooting, one guy driving you can be sure he's keeping an eye for witnesses

I always keep an eye out for witnesses when I'm in those sort of 'hypothethical' situations.

trooney

Fajitas! wrote: »

So yer kids can cash in on a new camera?

Almost

Trojan911

Simplicius wrote: »

I assume you should immediately hand it over but where does the law lie in this situation? if you took it to press first then handed it to Gardai.

Not sure on the legal aspects of it but I can't see an issue with handing the images over later to investigators they are, after all, your property. But in answer to your question yes I would sell first..... Images like that would be a "nice little earner"...

I always have my laptop with me so I would transfer the images to the laptop straightaway. I would establish who the victim was as the bigger the name the bigger the sale.

Then I would contact the Red Tops picture desks and negotiate a price through them with the editor, after that is done, caption them & upload as normal to the buyer.

You can always put the originals onto a disc & then contact the incident room.

Be aware that your camera/CF card may be seized if you approach Gardai at the scene, you will lose any chance of making a sale to papers etc.

sprinkles

Guards first, without a doubt. For both a moral reason and a practical one. If it's a well organised hit they would surely be able to trace you through the papers so I'd think long and hard about giving them the scoop! Unless it was for serious cash and could guarantee my anonymity.

Even then, I have to agree with Fajitas, it's not the way the bereaved family/friends would want to be informed of the death of their loved one (ala Princess Di or indeed any high profile celeb death, or even more recently the Brian Lenihan v TV3 fiasco - imo there's an obligation on everyone to treat certain situations with the respect and dignity that you would like to be treated with). So perhaps you could hold onto the copy until the guards have informed the family.

smelltheglove

Fajitas! wrote: »

Your other half/brother/father doesn't come home from work today. You're getting worried, and start ringing around. Noone seems to have heard anything. The Gardai get back to you, and tell you to hold tight, they want to talk to you in the morning. It doesn't look the best.

Come the morning, and you get a phonecall from your mother/sister/friend to look at the newspaper. There's a picture of someone you're closely related to being shot.

It happens!!!

My dads and his wife have been together a good few years. Before they were married they had been on hols to America, returned home and went to her parents home to say hello. His wives brother came in, hugged her, told her he loved her and went off out. He was due in court.

My dad starts work at 3am delivering. He gets first copy of papers whilst having breakfast. Front page of one tabloid shows a body upside down in the river liffey, someone close to him mentions the cool runners which made my dad pay more attention to it. It was his brother in law. I didnt know the family well then so dont know the ins and outs but to cut a long story short my dad had to get to his wife and her parents before they got to see the papers and let them know. They had not been alerted by the Gardai. They were lucky enough that my dad was out and about hours before hand, who knows how the story would have turned out had they stopped by the shop on the way to work....

Fajitas has raised a very valid point here, never thought to mention this story until reading that.

the_syco

Write out a statement of what I saw, print the digitals, and burn them onto a CD, and give all three to my local Garda station.

sineadw

TBH I can't believe this is even a discussion..

Borderfox

He'd know

http://www.kwce-tv.com/images/quincy6.jpg