Amy Winehouse paparazzi ban - and our Sienna Miller tale
Amy Winehouse has won a landmark ban on paparazzi photographers who have been snapping her outside her home in London - The Guardian reports on the ruling today.
Here at Morgan PR it reminded us of our foray into playing paparazzi that saw us threatened with arrest for photographing that other paparazzi favourite Sienna Miller. We were on holiday in Canada and stumbled upon Sienna as she filmed part of a movie called 'Camille' with Spiderman foe James Franco at Niagara Falls.
To begin with were didn't spot Sienna Miller and just joined the crowd complaining that the film crew had taped off the best spot for viewing the falls; especially for an 'unknown' actress. It was then I spotted Sienna, wearing a bright red wig.
Along with 300 other tourists I was taking photos, even if I was one of the few who knew who she was. Although perhaps I stood out with a relatively long lense that was getting up close and personal with Sienna Miller.
Then this bear-like security guard lumbered up and ordered just me to stop taking pictures. He first claimed I was putting off the actors - which was surely slandering their professionalism. However, he then tried to argue that I was stealing their intellectual property!
As the crowd gathered around us I countered that they were surely filming in a public area, but he growled if I didn’t stop he’d call over the police who were nearby, they’d arrest me and explain it 'downtown'!
As attractive as a trip 'downtown' would have been, and an interesting comparison with me experiences while a press officer for Thames Valley Police, I pre-empted him and called a couple of nearby officers over – who quickly reassured me I was free to take photographs.
The security guard just glowered and wandered off leaving me free to take photos – it was then the police asked me if I knew who the actress was? Clearly Sienna was more famous in our tabloids than across the Atlantic back in 2006.
My confidence about taking photos in a public place has been shaken somewhat by the court ruling won by Amy Winehouse today however, and as ever, the devil is in the small print.
While she sought thethe injunction to prevent photographers chasing and photographers her near her home and specifically it bans tenacious paparazzi agency Big Pictures from following Winehouse. It also refers to any "persons unknown" seeking to photograph the musician outside her home and in other public places if they have pursued her.
Which effectively means that any photographers could face prosecution if they follow Winehouse by any means or approach her within near her home. For any photgraphers, this would mean anyone with a camera.
While I wouldn't wish the wrath of the paparazzi on anyone - professional photographers and chancers with digitial cameras alike, it does make you wonder how the law can stop people taking photographs in public places?