So on the way home tonight I went to Redmond Town Center to take some pictures. I actually got 4 really nice shots (others will follow in the future) before a guy from Security came up to me. This is how the conversation went:

Security Guy: What you doing?
Me: Taking a picture.
Security Guy: What of?
Me: That over there (pointing in direction of camera)
Security Guy: I’m afraid you can’t photograph here.
Me: Why not?
Security Guy: Well it’s to do with security, you know, ever since 9/11
Me: So your worried that al-Qaeda will see my picture and bomb Red Mango?
Security Guy: Well no but you can’t have any shop signage in your pictures
Me: I don’t, here look through the view finder
<He looks, see’s there are no shop signs – clearly doesn’t know what to do, this has never happened before>
Security Guy: It’s just that my manager, oh
<now another security guard turns up, a girl, clearly his boss>
Security Girl: Hello Sir, what are you doing?
Me: I just told him
<I point to the 18 year old spotty security guard I was just talking to>
Security Girl: It’s just that you can’t take pictures here unless you photograph your family.
Me: Why?
Security Girl: It’s private property and we have a policy that says so
<Now passers by are stopping to ask what’s going on>
Woman: What’s going on?
Me: They won’t let me take pictures here, apparently it’s a terrorist concern since 9/11, I can only photograph my family
Security Girl: I didn’t say that
Me: No but he did
<Me pointing to 18 year old spotty>
Women: I can pretend to be your wife if you want
<People are laughing now>
Security Girl: Look she’s not your wife and we don’t allow professional photographers take pictures here
Me: I’m not professional, I work for Microsoft
Security Girl: Sorry your going to have to give me your images
Me: No I don’t, it’s not sign posted anywhere and you don’t have the right, call the police if you don’t believe me
<now passers by are booing the Security Guards>
People: Let him take his pictures…
Security Girl: No it’s private property
Me: Where does your property line finish?
Security Girl: Over there by the road
Me: So can I go and set up there?
<She is really getting pissed off with me now and I’m starting to laugh>

At this point I start packing up, and leave people behind me arguing with the security guards.

Needless to say, no more camera visits to Redmond Town Center 🙂

What can I say, I love toast and thought it was time for props: