Disqus - Latest Comments for DaveMurray

Re: Leica II Model D

DaveMurray — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 12:06:31 -0000

These screw Leicas are perfect for street photography especially when you use the retractable lens 5cm.

Re: Leica II Model D

DaveMurray — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 12:03:22 -0000

I looked on our local Thursday flea market and found myself standing next to an old guy holding what looked to be a Leica 2. He asked the stall holder (a real Del-boy type) how much? £135. Is it a real Leica? "Don't know anything about it " he was told. I asked the old guy to show me the back of the camera? He turned it over and there was a serial number. I said "it's a Russain copy and worthless " I told him that real Leicas have it on the top and pulled my 1935 model 111 from my pocket. As we walked away, Del - boy shouted "f**k off! "

Re: Jupiter-8 1:2 50 – ЮПИТЕР-8

DaveMurray — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 11:52:25 -0000

Someone gave me my black Jupiter 8 and I put a 50mm adapter ring on it and started using it on my newly acquired 1955 Double-stroke M3. I find it prefers mono work to colour. Colours tend to look a little washed out, however, well stopped down, mono is great. Deep blacks, good greys and accurate highlights. I managed to find a fairly deep black metal lens hood and forced a rubber ring to the front of the lens barrel. The hood now pushes onto that. I'm convinced that stopping down to at least f8 plus the hood and FP4 gives you the chance of at least approaching the quality of the old Canon breecklock lenses for the Canon F1. I used these from 1991 to 2007.

Re: Elmarit 1:2.8 / 90 Leitz Wetzlar Leica

DaveMurray — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 11:38:47 -0000

I started my portraiture business with this lens and a 50mm f2.8 Elmar and two M3 bodies. I've not noticed flare and bokeh can be used creatively if care is taken selecting your background.

Re: Leica’s New Limited Edition Camera is Covered in Ping Pong Paddle Rubber

DaveMurray — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 15:54:35 -0000

Leica are doing some funny things - Titanium M6 with Ostrich skin covering - the meter less M-A for enhanced creativity et al and the Leica a-la-carte that can have your signature engraved on the top? Yet for 'grip' nothing beats the vulcanite of M3/M2/M1/MD&M4. The grip on my pair of M4-P bodies is much slippier and I use the handgrips with them as well as wrist straps.

Re: The Best Lens for Street Photography

DaveMurray — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 15:40:11 -0000

I tend to use a 3.5cm f3.5 Summaron lens on a Leica 111 made in 1935. In use, the lens is very compact and I made a wrist strap from the cords from a carrier bag. I keep the camera wound and the lens set on the hyper focal distance setting, relative to the aperture in use. I wait until my subject is about 15 feet (the length of a Rover 75) away then camera comes up to my eye, click and back in my pocket and carry on walking. Never any problems from police, security guards, 'concerned members of the public' etc. I also have a Leica 40mm f2 Summicron attached to an M4-P body that's also a good outfit for street. That body has the Leicameter atop. For street photography I recommend the Gossen Sixtomat Digital meter. It's very small, takes 1 AA battery and on its cord slips into a shirt pocket. I wish I had been able to use one years ago!

Re: The Death of Ian Tomlinson: A Photographer's Account

DaveMurray — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:20:29 -0000

When John-Charles De Menezes was murdered on the London underground in July 2007, many people told me that this time the police had gone too far and that there would be prosecutions and imprisonment. I disagreed and, as we now know, the murdering officer has not even been named. The same thing has happened here except, as we note, this time he has been named. I am firmlyof the opinion that police officers behave as badly as they do because THEY KNOW FULL WELL THAT THEY WILL GET AWAY WITH IT!
The IPCC is a joke. We see complaints about rogue officers being investigated by members of their own force, the so-called 'professional standards department.' Does anyone out there really expect such a department to find against their own force, leaving it open to a claim for thousands of pounds worth of damages? No, that is the bottom line.

Re: Independent reporter attacked as he investigated voting fraud | The Wire | Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Tue, 04 May 2010 09:58:50 -0000

I fear that I will be accused of being racist by mentioning that my research into voting fraud has revealed that 90% is as a result of Asian/immigrant activity. The vast majority of voting fraud actively benefits the LABOUR Party! Independently verified data supplied to me clearly demonstrates that it is nearly always Black/Asian candidates who benefit from this kind of fraud and the fact that the reporter mentioned in the above story was attacked by two Asian youths bears out the facts mentioned here.

Re: PCC raps two papers for snap of children - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:59:40 -0000

It is very difficult to know where to join the line. As far as the law stands, it is not unlawful to take and publish photograph of a child provided said photograph is not an indecent one and that the publication of the photograph does not identify a child who is involved in any legal proceedings. That said, this professional photographer had a unique experience a few years ago when attacked by a young male teacher who ran out of a primary school after seeing him walking past on the other side of the road carrying a camera! The County Council later stated that the teacher acted having "perceived a risk of harm" to the children inside the school. When asked to clarify the "perceived risk of harm" they sent two pages of a government-issued document that prohibited teachers from looking a internet porn at school and taking indecent photographs of children. When challenged again, the Council said that they could not help me any further. They refused to give me his name, thus preventing me from prosecuting. The police refused to help and conspired with the Council to obstruct me.

Re: Paul Lewis: Police tried to discourage our story - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:06:05 -0000

Absolutely spot-on, highlander, see the excellent work of Alex Turner on the monaxle site.

Re: Paul Lewis: Police tried to discourage our story - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:02:57 -0000

Lets not be silly about this, the police do an important, necessary and sometimes quite dangerous job. However, all this taxpayer and his chums want is that they do the job properly. As a professional photographer, I am well aware of the immense pressures being brought on photographers, both pro and amateur, when using cameras in public places. Many of us cannot agree entirely just why the police are taking this attitude. First we were paedophiles, then terrorists and now we are being recognised as important evidence gatherers. If it were not for the US guy and the Guardian, this case would have been swept under the carpet. The threat is real, we must remain vigilant at all times. As someone said recently: "People take photographs everyday, what if one of them captures a police officer killing an innocent person?" My reply to that is that it may very well result in a police officer/murderer being brought to justice, and that has got to be in the substantial public interest.

Re: Legal threat doesn't stop Sunday Mirror Venables story - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:08:54 -0000

It only requires one Editor to take the bold step of defying these draconian and unnecessary laws to open the floodgates and sweep them away for good. Once this has happened, these laws cannot be used any more. In this country, we are hidebound by all sorts of restrictions and caveats that even the Freedom of Information Act 2000 has had no impact whatsoever upon.
Freedom from tyranny has always been achieved by tremendous courage and that is what is needed now. Publish and be damned!

Re: MEP jailed after Sunday Telegraph expenses expose - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:45:18 -0000

This case amply demonstates the absolute importance of complete transparency in public life. Although MPs & MEPs etc have long shouted about privacy and wave the Data Protection Act about, we know full well that the Telegraph revelations were just the tip of the iceberg. For every Tom Wise, there are at least 100 others who have got away with tens of thousands of taxpayers money. Money that many of us hand over each May when the tax demand comes in

Re: Judge allows identification of sex case school - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:04:50 -0000

It is entirely appropriate that schools and dirty teachers are named in full. Hopefully, this may have a 'chilling effect' on teachers and may, possibly, act as a powerful deterrant. The point is that in so many cases, teachers and school staff are the first to start shouting about 'child protection issues' but are also the ones that are doing dirty things with their pupils.

I was attacked and indecently assaulted by a young male teacher who ran out of my village school 3 years ago when he saw me crossing the road, 100 metres away holding a tripod-mounted camera. The police refused to take any action against him and Derbyshire County Council said that he acted 'to protect the children in the school, having perceived a risk of harm.'
When challenged to identify the 'perceived risk of harm' the Council sent me a page from guidance issued by the Government that said teachers should not take indecent photographs of children. When I pointed out that this simply did not answer my question, the Council said that they felt they were unable to assist me further. They refused to provide me with his name at first, wrongly citing the Data Protection Act. In fact the disclosure exemptions do not apply in cases where legal proceedings are contemplated (section 35) and their refusal meant the 6 months deadline for me to prosecute him (Stuart James White aged 32) had passed.
I am 57, disabled, and a former local councillor.

Re: Met Police changes press photographer guidelines

DaveMurray — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:20:23 -0000

This is to be welcomed, however, the plain fact is that police officers will still spout their own view of police powers and photographers rights. They will continue to arrestthose who refuse to allow them to view images or provide name and address. They will continue to fall back on 'suspected breach of the peace,' 'harassment,' 'child protection issues,' etc etc. I can only suggest thatfellow snappers carry around photocopies of these pages and push them under the noses of these very badly trained coppers. On another note, I had a few days in Oxford last week and observed a good many people taking photographs with no police interference whatsoever. Perhaps police officers in the city of the dreaming spires have been better trained than most.

Re: Court summons for 'BBC bias' licence fee refusenik - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:55:55 -0000

If John Kelly has such serious concerns, why does he not do as I did more than 11 years ago and give his television set away? I had to put up with years of harassment from TV Licensing but eventually managed to stop it by threatening them with an injunction under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. I have never missed the television. A fortnight before my licence was due for renewal they put it up to over £100. I though, I don't watch this: I put it on for news and weather and that is it! So I gave it away. I have radios and newspapers and I manage without it. For £156 I can feed my dog and me for a year. There should be more 'refuseniks' yes, but they should give the set away. They have no credibility if they continue to watch when they are refusing to pay.

Re: BBC gets anonymity order on rape case man overturned - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:45:49 -0000

So long as the BBC present the facts of this case in a fair, neutral and unbiased way, I see no reason at all why this man could not be named. I campaigned for two years to have the name of a Derbyshire teacher, Stuart James White, disclosed to me after he ran out of a primary school and attacked me. He also made a grab at my groin area, making this incident an indecent assault. Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Police both cited the Data Protection Act to avoid disclosing his name for more than the period at which I could prosecute him. They are still refusing to give his address to prevent a trial on indictment or to enable me to sue him in the County Court. The Information Commissioner over-ruled them on the name, stating that the name of a member of staff was not personal information (Freedom of Information Awareness Guidance No.1.)

In a seperate matter, I applied to Humberside Police for the names, ranks and collar number of two 'undercover' police officers who unlawfully seized two camera films from an amateur photographer in Hull more than a year ago. They claimed that he was 'suspected of taking photographs of sensitive buildings' (absolute tosh!). Humbug, (my term), replied that the Data Protection Act restricted disclosure to me. An internal review by the Force Solicitor, Debra Kemp upheld this nonsense. The Information Commissioner ordered the immediate disclosure of the details of PCs 934 Gareth Walker and 218 Allan Cowley.

It is when things are kept undercover that wrongdoing takes place. Openess must trump unnecessary secrecy, said the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, when taking up his post.

Re: Kate Moss says she is 'not public figure' in privacy bid - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:21:36 -0000

I think we should all bear in mind that she used to be very closely associated with that appalling Pete Doherty.

Re: Police face prosecution for obstructing photographers - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:10:21 -0000

I am delighted to see that Lord Carlile has stated that police officers can be prosecuted. The system for making complaints about the actions of individual officers is greatly flawed. The investigation into a complaint is carried out by the 'Professional Standards Department of the very Force the rogue officer belongs to. It therefore follows that, by denying that the officer has misbehaved himself, the Force avoids paying damages and escapes liability. The effect of wider awareness by amateur and professional photographers alike, is that we are able to challenge interfering police officers directly, as we are now aware of our rights and, more importantly, the limits of their powers. An important point to bear in mind is that under PACE s3 (3), a constable can ask for your name, address and date of birth, but you are not obliged to give it. This is an important point as many, entirely innocent photographers (me included) now have highly damaging information logged on the Police National Computer - such as 'stopped on suspicion of taking photographs of children.' If applying for a range of jobs, including working as a volunteer in a charity shop, you are asked to consent to an enhanced criminal records check by the CRB. An enhanced check shows up everything relating to you including the reason why you were stopped. This highly damaging information is almost impossible to erase or correct. Many have tried and have discovered that the police fight 'tooth and nail' to ensure that it is retained. A constable cannot arrest you for refusing to give your details unless you are being arrested to be charged with an offence. That offence must exist. I make sure that when I go out with my cameras, I have nothing on me that gives my name or address as a constable will discover this on a staop and search. If it is not there, it cannot be found.I am looking forward to my next brush with the police, there is a lot of money waiting for me at the end of it with the real possibility of seeing the officer concerned appearing in the dock of a criminal court with me as private prosecutor.
A good tip is to look on the Home Office website for the truth about police powers in relation to stop and search, dowload a copy and carry it with you. Do not believe what the police tell you, they are all dedicated liars, backed up by a corrupt headquarters administration.

Re: Max Mosley: Journalists who breach privacy deserve jail - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:11:37 -0000

The similarity between Max Mosley and Mark Oaten MP is that they were both figures in the public eye, as such, they were expected to observe some code of decency. The difference is that Mark Oaten faced up to his downfall with the grace that restored his credibility and it does not surprise me that he has now commented the way he has. Mosley, regrettably, does not have the moral fibre to do this. If he was a gentleman (yes I know it is considered 'old fashioned') he would have simply accepted this and kept quiet. Neither men were behaving in any way that can be considered reprehensible by todays standards (no paedophile activity etc) and today's public are very broad minded. There is nothing wrong at all with using prostitutes, it's their money after all. Mosleys's fun did not harm anyone, he should have exercised a little more caution that's all. Both knew that, perhaps, the day might come when they would be found out. However, I am mindful of the saying that today's news is tomorrow's chip paper.

Re: Guardian loses Fol bid to name misbehaving judges - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:59:04 -0000

Despite the shameful refusal of the department to reveal this information (information of a type that the FOIA was intended to facilitate the disclosure of, surely.) it should be remembered that there are ways and means of discovering most facts that are withheld from us. Fact is, someone, somewhere made a complaint. If the Press were to ask, en masse, the complainants would certainly come forward. I feel that, in most cases, the complainants would be disatisfied to some degree with the procedure or outcome of their complaint. The regrettable death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests has shown us all just how ready the public at large are to contact newspapers and to post information on blogs, websites etc. The attempts by the Met and the IPCC to force the Guardian to take down the site that showed the truth of this disgraceful episode is a lesson to us all. The technology is out there for us all to access on the high streets and retail parks. Use it!

Re: Suzanne Breen back in court today for sources battle - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:21:48 -0000

This case has echoes of the BIll Goodwin case: In 1996, the European Court of Human Rights held that the court order and £5,000 fine violated his right to freedom of expression under article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The refusal by police to allow Breen and her legal team to see the evidence against her is particularly worrying. However, the House of Lords ruled yesterday that control orders against terrorist suspects were invalid as the suspects were prevented from seeing the evidence against them. The House of Lords also ruled that an accused has the right to confront his accusers in the case of R v Davis (Ian) published 19 June 2008. Lord Bingham of Cornhill stated that it was a long established principle of English common law tha, subject to certain exceptions and statutory qualifications, the defendant in a criminal trial should be confronted by his accusers in order that he might crossexamine them and challenge their evidence.

Further, the European Convention on Human Rights, article 6, states that a person has the right to a fair trial. In the Breen case, how can the authorities maintain that this is in any way fair?

Re: Journalists undermined by FoI delays, report finds - Press Gazette

DaveMurray — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:35:09 -0000

It is not just central government that use unreasonable delaying tactics to deny important information to those seeking it: After I was attacked and indecently assaulted by a young male teacher near Barrow Hill Primary School in July 2006 (he had seen me walking along the road carrying a tripod-mounted camera) Derbyshire County Council delayed providing me with his name for more than 6 months. The effect of this was that I was prevented from prosecuting him for assault in the Magistrates Court. Summary prosecutions have to be brought within 6 months. The Council falsely stated that the Data Protection Act prevented them from naming him. The Information Commissioner's office stated that my request should have been processed under FOI, not DPA!
As a result of that matter, the Commissioner's office now produces a list of Data Protection Act myths and realties on it's website:

Myth: "The Data Protection Act prevents the release of offenders details to victims."

Reality: The Data Protection Act is not a barrier to disclosing relevant details where civil proceedings by the victim are contemplated.

The fact that I was contemplating criminal proceedings against my attacker make no difference. Derbyshire County Council have perverted the course of justice.

Re: Press Gazette - Photographers claim police are exceeding their powers

DaveMurray — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:48:22 -0000

On 12 July 2006, I was attacked by a young male teacher who ran out of our village school, having seen me walking across the road 150 yards away, holding a medium format camera mounted on a folded tripod. At the same time, the stupid old bag of a secretary nipped round the corner where police officers, unseen by me, were dealing with an accident. I demanded to see the teachers ID, although I am deaf and 57 and he went back to get it. The police officer approached me and accused me of taking indecent photographs of children (in an empty playground) and demanded my details, which I gave. When I complained about the teachers attack, he just shook his head and pointed for me to go in the opposite direction. When I complained, I discovered that the old bag had previously approached the officers with offers of refreshments. The Police insist that the officer acted correctly and the school, while not denying the attack, state that the teacher acted 'appropriately'. The County Council refused to release the teachers name, so preventing me from bringing a private prosecution - in fact, by doing this, they perverted the course of justice. Never have I found such corruption.

Re: Security minister grilled on police treatment of journalists

DaveMurray — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:32:44 -0000

My research so far has indicated that individual police officers know full well that there are restrictions on their powers when it comes to taking photographs in the street. They ignore these restrictions as they are aware that police forces rarely uphold complaints. The fact that, except in the very gravest of cases, any investigation will be by the Professional Standards Department of the force concerned, means that the same force will avoid any situation arising where they have to pay damages. Hence individual officers will readily abuse their powers and spout all sorts of spurious reasons why we cannot take photographs.
Until the case of Ian Tomlinson at G20, I had felt that the entirely unreasonable interference was to obtain our details to put on the PNC. Now, despite the Terrorism Act, it is clear that officers are afraid that someone will record them misbehaving in some way. The case of Ian Tomlinson shows that, far from being afraid of this Terrorism Act, we should get out there with our cameras and make sure that the police know that we are monitoring them! Never has there been more justification for turning the tables on them.
They started this, we will finish it, and it should be remembered that there are far more of us than them!