Have you been trying to think of creative ways to use your skills with a camera for the good of your community? Well look no further! In Jacksonville, FL a vigilante photography group calling themselves, "Photography Is Not a Crime" is doing just that.
The group's target is a local school's bus drivers. The group contends that the school isn't properly maintaining the buses meant to carry students from their homes to the school. This allegation comes after there was an accident involving a school bus in the area last month. While no kids were killed, at least one was seriously injured and several more sustained injuries. The bus drivers, before beginning their route, are required to do several maintenance inspections and record their efforts. One of the members of the group, PINAC, alleges they are not bothering with the inspections. The school board now intends to sue Jeff Gray, the PINAC group member, over his allegations. Their claim is that he used "guerilla tactics" in his pursuit of these records.
Sure, this isn't the glamorous career shooting weddings or models, but it is still photography, right? Well, only technically. While I appreciate the overall sentiment of, "Photograph Is Not a Crime" in that he was only trying to ensure their kids were safe, I can't say I'll be taking up their tactics and actions.
What are your thoughts? Is Jeff Gray a hero or a villian? Will you be leaving the studio this weekend, and heading to the streets in an attempt to catch some crime in action?
via [WJXT New4Jax]
I have no issue with what he's doing. He didn't call them out, even though he had footage of them skipping their inspection.
as well as the hit and run ;-)
It's the perfect use for photography/videography.
i'm cool with it. just wants them to do their job.
I wish more people would use their photography/videography for issues like. Little things like that would make a huge difference in our society
Not sure if you consider this post as a huge difference or not. But I believe it is, especially with the story it started out with to have caused an accident possibly due to failed and fraudulent inspections.
I definitely agree with you, I just mean with issues like this, more people should do more like the guy who documented this
Wait - those motherfrakkers know they're in the wrong and try to shift the blame on the photographer who proved it? That's insane. I hope the court rips them a new one.
It's like being cought red handed dumping a body on private property and trying to get away with it by saying the proof was gathered illegally by tresspassing... -_-.
People are such idiots..
I find it criminal that a bus driver backed into a car, dented the fender, and left the scene of the accident as if nothing happened! I hope it was his car that he bashed.
By "his car", I meant I hope that the bus driver bashed the bus driver's car, not the photographers or some other non-bus driver owned car.
I really want to know what happened to the blue car as well!
absolutely no issues with this guy,
he was well spoken, polite at all times.
He was up front and professional.
This is something that the schools health and safety department should be doing and enforcing, its saddening that it takes a member of the public to do this.
I hope that the schools management viewed this and took the appropriate actions towards the drivers and compensated the damaged car owner.