He Takes Pictures Of People On Bicycles
Posted In: amsterdam, bicycle photography, city cycling, cycle chic, cycling, dutch bicycles, fietsen in amsterdam, people on bicycles, Photos, street photography, urban cycling
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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.”
