Just the other day, I was talking about my apprehension when photographing in public spaces. Well, it seems my apprehension is not unfounded; today I was taking photos at the Union Train Station subway station when I was approached by two sheriffs inquiring what I was doing.



"Huh?", I'm thinking to myself. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Instead I responded that I was taking photos of the arriving/departing trains and the crowds. I was politely but firmly informed that "all photography is prohibited for security purposes." I showed my badge and they left me alone.



What I don't understand is why is photographing the subway a security issue? See, this is precisely what I was trying to avoid. However, I couldn't leave well enough alone. On my way back to the office, I snapped photos of a food vendor, you know the kind, similar to the hot dog cart vendors?



Lo and behold, no sooner had I snapped than I was asked by two people why I was taking photos? What were they for? Were they in them? I'm serious folks, how do you take photos in public spaces without being approached by your subjects?



I mean, sometimes I just want to shoot an inanimate object, I could care less if people are in the shot. They are not my focus, but short of stopping everything for me to get the shot, what am I to do?



Feedback , please!