I’m used to being hassled when I take photos in a commercial location without asking first. Large chains, in particular, have well-trained employees who diligently enforce rigid corporate policies against in-store photography, so it’s pointless to ask.
And, sadly, I’m used to being hassled on the street by people who are profoundly ignorant about the right to take photos on public streets.
I left the new Trader Joe’s on Diversey when asked not to take photos in the store. While taking photos outside the store someone, presumably a TJ employee, rushed out and yelled at me that he was “going to call a cop.”
Notes to Trader Joe’s: Train your employees better about photographer rights. Don’t let them waste Chicago police officers’ time educating them on the subject – which they will. And hire a sign painter who knows you’re on Diversey Parkway, not Diversey St.
The TJ’s was larger than other locations I’ve visited, and it was busy mid-afternoon on a weekday. So far, the reviews at Yelp have been almost uniformly positive.
Hahhaaa. Did Joe Askins tell you a mom at Chi Che Wang Park in West Lakeview/ Northcenter walked up to us when we were video taping the neighborhood intro to the 1808 W. Diversey video? (Us standing outside the park fence and 50 yards from anybody). She asked if we were taking pictures. Then called us “creepy”. We politely told her we were filming a real estate video (she turned her back and walked her 50 yards away before I could slap a card on her).
Then, I asked Joe Askins how I looked on camera for the shot and he said straight faced “like a pedophile”. I totally lost it.
I’m still laughing over that one…Zekas, you just told us the story of moms yelling at you when taking neighborhood photos right before that happened.
To add to my comment above…the abuse I take for my clients! Ha.
I’ve had many amusing encounters with hyper-ignorant moms.
Perhaps the funniest was in Kenilworth, on a block visible from the main drag – Kenilworth Ave.
Half a dozen homes had huge banners plastered on the exterior – “Congrats to Sears Grad Ashley” etc.
When I stopped to take a picture a mom accosted me and told me I was invading her privacy as I stood in the street taking a photo of this typical North Shore scene.
As if posting a 30-foot banner on your home is the best way to ensure your privacy!
I had an experience like this once when I was working in Europe. We were doing some research on grocery chains and while in France, we were approached by a store manager for taking pictures. He wanted me to delete all the photos off my digital camera, so I swapped memory cards and pretended to delete all the pictures. Then we were escorted out of the store. Good times… good times…
As a Trader Joe’s part time victim (oops, I meant to say crew member – I forgot – every employee LOVES Trader Joe’s + its a privilege to work here) I may say that the employee handbook says that persons are not allowed to take pictures either in the store or over the store from outside. Hard to enforce now that everybody has a cellphone with camera. Of course, Trader Joe’s rules over employees have no force over you, Intruder Joe.
Keep up the good work.
This Trader Joes has some employee problems.
They also called the police on a friend I was with because they said he was talking to female staff, or employees (they couldn’t get their story straight). The funny thing is, I was with him and he didn’t talk to anyone.
So they tried to say he had done it in the past. After telling them he hadn’t even been in the store in like 8 months the guy said, “I know!” Like they were paying way too much attention to him.
The interesting thing is, even if my friend was talking to women in the store, is that a crime worth calling the police over? not shoplifting. Not threatening people, or grabbing or groping them, or causing a commotion – nope. Talking to women in the store is forbidden under Trader Joes law!
This store is ridiculous. At least the staff are.