Those storm chasers might be crazy, but in their defense, they are doing it in the name of science...or just to get cool pictures of ominous, billowing clouds and the possible cow being tossed around by a tornado. I know I don't want to be anywhere near a crazy storm, let alone a little drizzle when I have my cameras on me.
Michael Galindo of Houston TX is one those nutjobs weather chasing enthusiasts who volunteers for the national weather service, taking pictures of oncoming storm systems. Last month he was doing just this, taking pictures of some looming clouds on the side of the road like he usually does. A month later he received a little visit from the FBI. Not knowing what he had done since he had a clean record, he was a bit confused. They questioned him about the pictures he took which had apparently been taken near a local refinery. Workers at the building had spotted him taking pictures and called the cops, but he left before they could question him and that's when the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force was called in as precautionary measures. Yikes. Galindo explained that he volunteers for the weather service and that he wasn't aware that the refinery was even there. After asking him a lot of personal background information, the FBI deemed him "not a terrorist" and their response was to "be careful next time". Good advice. Interestingly, the visit happened only a couple weeks after the city of Houston released a video depicting photographers as a suspicious threat for terrorism. If you read your photographers rights, it states: "Commanders of military installations can prohibit photographs of specific areas when they deem it necessary to protect national security. The U.S. department of Energy can also prohibit photography of designated nuclear facilities although the publicly visible areas of nuclear facilities are usually not designated as such." Unfortunately, taking pictures of "sensitive" areas on public property can still incite suspicion. We have to question the illusion of safety when it comes at the price of our basic freedoms. The war on photography is real.