http://www.modelmayhem.com/sidebphotography Me and the book
Note - I am trying to redact (cover up) her tush with my hand, hoping this photo does not fall under 2257)
I work in a highly-regulated industry (big pharma) and have read my fair share of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs). They are dry, boring, dense, confusing, and too often vague. Stephen's book helps make the CFRs concerning nude photography (2257 and other numbers) understandable. His interpretations are down-to-earth and well thought out. As a small time photographer of nudes (very different than a nude photographer... I doubt too many models would like to see a nude guy behind the camera) I need this book and highly recommend it.
Here are my first impressions of 2257. Stephen, as well as a friend of mine who is in the UC Berkeley school of law summarized one aspect of 2257 well. It is a "chiller." It will chill the enthusiasm of the photographer since the burden of documentation is so high. Most will abandon the daunting project of CYA in terms of this law.
So, how compliant am I with 2257? After reading a bit of the book, I would say I am ok, but not bullet proof. The problem is that saying I am sort of protected is like saying I am sort of pregnant. I definitely need to get some things better organized and controlled. I am comforted to know that I have the basic model information documented and saved.
My big question to everyone is, "how do you fight it?" I can tell my progressive friends about it and they will agree that it is censorship and join the cause. The hard part is to make a logical, factual, and convincing argument to the fence-sitters and even the proponents of this piece of crap regulation.
How do you answer the statement and question, "This protects kids from being exploited into making child pornography. Are you for lessening their protection?" How do you logically (and succinctly since the fundamentalist mentals who support this love sound bytes) rebut this and go on the offensive?
Seriously, does anyone have suggestions for talking points when presenting this topic? I can always talk about my experiences, but I want to go beyond that and have a strong argument against this censorship law.
Thanks for the mention and positive comments about the book. If you would be so kind, please point readers to
ReplyDeletehttp://www.shaynes.com/2257_Book/index.htm
Glad you are finding the book valuable.
As far as 2257 protecting children, that is just nonsense. The people who abduct children and photograph them in abandoned buildings and secret basement prisons will not be giving compliance statements with these addresses. The purported targets of this legislation have no cause to worry - they operate underground anyway.
ReplyDeleteThose who are vulnerable are the amateur or weekend photographers who don't even know about this.
Don't even get me started. A photographer was afraid to photograph me topless a couple days ago because she heard something about the over 60 bill. I had to explain it only regards the state of Massachusetts (which we were not in) and has not been passed - yet.
When I think about what is happening, I get very depressed. It seems hopeless to try to hold back the gates of the Christian Right. And that, I am quite sure, would be the people responsible for this.
Protecting children is just an excuse to get nudity off the Internet.