CIRCLES OF CONFUSION - Discs of light formed by the lens from points of light in a scene being photographed.
I am a professional photographer based in Melbourne, I specialise in humanitarian photography and photojournalism.

13th December 2010

Photo

This was sent to me via email In Kuwait, it is illegal to use a DSLR in public if you’re not a professional photographer. That is the conclusion of three Kuwaiti government ministries – The Ministry of Information, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Finance – who opined that photography should be used for journalism purposes only. Whadda eff? If you’re an amateur or a hobbyist, you simply have no right to lug around a digital single lens reflex camera in public places, on the streets and in malls. It’s no go for you, Pedro, if you’re not a pro. Reporter Abdullah Al-Qattan of the Kuwaiti Times reports that young people in that Middle Eastern country are confused about what to do with their cameras if they can’t use them in public. They are also wondering why such laws are implemented in the first place. But before everybody rushes to conclusions (especially if you have Western upbringing), it might help to consider the Islamic tradition of prohibiting human images in any form of visual art. The proliferation of those big, black cameras is simply too much for conservatives to endure. This article is based on an article from the newspaper Kuwait Times that has now revealed it to be a hoax. Seems like Reporter Abdullah Al-Qattan like many reporters before him didn’t check out all the facts. http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MzAwMTg4ODg1 This story was jumped on by the global press. Photographers may indeed use their DSLRs in public. However, some common protocols are enforced, such as not using them at military bases or embassies. As public Enemy once told me “Don’t Believe the hype”

This was sent to me via email

In Kuwait, it is illegal to use a DSLR in public if you’re not a professional photographer. That is the conclusion of three Kuwaiti government ministries – The Ministry of Information, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Finance – who opined that photography should be used for journalism purposes only.

Whadda eff? If you’re an amateur or a hobbyist, you simply have no right to lug around a digital single lens reflex camera in public places, on the streets and in malls. It’s no go for you, Pedro, if you’re not a pro.

Reporter Abdullah Al-Qattan of the Kuwaiti Times reports that young people in that Middle Eastern country are confused about what to do with their cameras if they can’t use them in public. They are also wondering why such laws are implemented in the first place.

But before everybody rushes to conclusions (especially if you have Western upbringing), it might help to consider the Islamic tradition of prohibiting human images in any form of visual art. The proliferation of those big, black cameras is simply too much for conservatives to endure.

This article is based on an article from the newspaper Kuwait Times that has now revealed it to be a hoax. Seems like Reporter Abdullah Al-Qattan like many reporters before him didn’t check out all the facts. http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MzAwMTg4ODg1

This story was jumped on by the global press. Photographers may indeed use their DSLRs in public. However, some common protocols are enforced, such as not using them at military bases or embassies.

As public Enemy once told me “Don’t Believe the hype”