CCTV versus Admiral Nelson in Trafalgar Square
Flickr's Andi808 shot this striking pic of a CCTV in London's Trafalgar Square that's seemingly staring Lord Admiral Nelson straight in the puss. Link (via Blackbelt Jones)
Flickr's Andi808 shot this striking pic of a CCTV in London's Trafalgar Square that's seemingly staring Lord Admiral Nelson straight in the puss. Link (via Blackbelt Jones)
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Gotta keep an eye on that one or he'll steal your wife!
He's ready for his close up.
Disgusting
Someone needs to stick a sign on it saying "Blair's Column." I guess technically Jacqui Smith's Column would be more appropriate but she's such a nonentity that you can't rely on tourists knowing the name.
our young mayor in pittsburgh wants one of these style systems. i couldn't be more appalled. also, i haven't seen much evidence that they actually stop much crime.
and Koodos to the photographer for bravery...The problems that could have arisen from his terroristic type of photography...scaaaary.
D-
I'll have to ask you to delete this photo.
The government has never conducted surveillance on Lord Admiral Nelson's activities through forced perspective.
our young mayor in pittsburgh wants one of these style systems. i couldn't be more appalled. also, i haven't seen much evidence that they actually stop much crime.
Ah, but in Pittsburgh a more pressing concern is whether they can stop the living dead. At least the documentaries by George Romero make it seem so.
It's not looking right at him. It's looking back and to the left. Back and to the left. Back. And to the left.
Back.
And to the left.
(How is this relevant, you ask?)
(It isn't.)
(And to the left)
"Live from Trafalgar Square, this is Admiral Lord Nelson reporting for the BBC. Thank you and good night."
So, this is cute, but it looks like the camera on the pole was added to the image. Perhaps it should say "created" and not "shot"?
Haesae @11: Perhaps it says "shot" because it was shot. What would be the point of faking this shot, since there are CCTV cameras in Trafalgar Square. Far easier to take a shot of a camera and the column juxtaposed than to Photoshop around with two separate pictures.
A certain amount of skepticism is healthy, but you shouldn't mistake doubt for fact.
Gainclone @9 - THAT is one magic loogie.
Naw, gotta be photoshopped. It's in London, right?
But the sky is blue, which all know to be impossible.
(Yes, of course I'm joking.)
That's kind of appropriate, really, since Trafalgar Square was the venue for the Met's first experiments with CCTV in 1961.
And also, according to a rumour that I heard the other week, it was the scene for the first attempt at counter-surveillance with a movie camera of sorts. In 1890, by anarchist Wordsworth Donisthorpe.
Chris A Williams
@7: that's a common misunderstanding about pictures like this. There's no perspective trickery going on there; that giant CCTV camera is on a pole exactly as tall as Nelson's Column and is in fact pointed directly at him. It was felt that exempting statues and other inanimate objects from constant surveillance sent the wrong message.
Her Majesty's Government apologises for any inconvenience.
@15: *And* Her Majesty's Government made special enormous cameras to look at them. Or perhaps Lord Nelson was considerably shorter than I thought.
By god Pauldrye, you're right. That camera has to be about 25 feet long! I bet is has some wicked telephoto capabilities.
I've been to England three times, including once just for vacation. I always figured my wife and I would go there for vacation some time, but the stories I constantly read about the "We Film You, You Don't Film Us" society have greatly sapped my enthusiasm for the idea. If I want to experience a police state, I can just stay home.
I've read somwhere that swamping London with cameras didn't lower crime. Though policy was not abolished and more are being installed.
IMO It's the wrong way around. To marginalize crime it's sufficient that "full time" criminals have really hard time living off crime, while acceptance to "crimes of opportunity" is low. If living in a gang is very risky and doesn't pay off so much - "invisible hand of the market" will marginalize pro criminals. Only a few of really good at what they're doing will remain.
On the other hand "regular folks" will not break law, becouse they think law shouldn't be broken. Still, some drunk guys will vandalize random propoerty once in a while, but mindset is a key here.
England expects every man to do his duty.
and the shotgun mike attached reveals: "Kiss me, Tony"
#12 @ Nelson.C. The perspective is off and the image has no metadata. There are several reasons each of those things could happen; I just find it curious.
Well, next time I'm in the square, i'll try find the correct angle and photo it for proof either way.
I put it on the map, it's totally "shot" not created ;)