Pixiq

The location of the checkpoint is vital to terrorists in Afghanistan and the wedding and party was clearly a ruse to effect espionage. Maybe now their cohorts will be able to use subterfuge to sneak into the cemetery.

OR

These guys were sticking out their chests and prancing around trying to pick up some bridesmaids. Poor grunts, they still don't understand that most girls don't like to be ordered around randomly just for some testosterone infused egos.

I don't question the photographer's right to take those photos. I do question the framing of the bridesmaids shot, however. The one on the right is already a head taller than all the others, and then the angle makes her head even higher such that she appears to be two feet taller than the bride. :)

Just kidding. Dumb MPs. Rabble rabble rabble...

I love the blog, Carlos. I check for updates everyday. Keep up the good work!

Too funny. Someone should write the commanding officer a letter.

Bad enough cops, now we have GI Joes misinterpreting the law as well. Except in very limited circumstances (and this isn't one) they have no authority over the civilian population. I think Connor should file an official complaint against them and sue for interfering in his business and loss of income. Since they stopped him from taking all his wedding pictures he probably was not able to charge his full fee.

Why are military thugs setting up checkpoints in civilian areas? Who were they stopping, and why? Their meddling behavior at the wedding is an outrage, but there may be a bigger one as well.

The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385) passed on June 18, 1878, after the end of Reconstruction, with the intention (in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807) of substantially limiting the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement. The Act prohibits members of the Army and Air Force from exercising nominally state law enforcement, police, or peace officer powers that maintain "law and order" on non-federal property (states and their counties and municipal divisions) within the United States.

The statute prohibits Army and Air Force personnel and units of the National Guard under federal authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within the United States, except where expressly authorized by the Constitution or Congress. The Navy and Marine Corps are prohibited by a Department of Defense directive, not by the Act itself.[1][2] The Coast Guard, under the Department of Homeland Security, is exempt from the Act.

In other words, I would write their commanding officer a letter, and show him these photos. These soldiers should be in deep trouble.

I appreciate our soldiers, and everything they do for us, but they need to follow the rules too. Civilian police is one thing. Having these issues with the military takes things to a whole new level.

Notice they didn't take them upon themselves to beat or shoot anyone though. At least they are professional in that manner.

do we or anyone have the names of the ones that told him this? Every military member has a last name on the uniform. can we get the CO's name, i for one would at least send one email to him/her!
and also, who was in charge of the wedding, did they know this happened and if they did, did they take any action?
if that was my wedding, i would have someones head on a platter!

I may have failed english in school, but wtf is that suppose to mean? '''''[The soldiers threatened to confiscate his cameras because there happened to be a military checkpoint in the vicinity.] DUHHHH. if he already went passed duh,,... CHECKPOINT-then he was kewl, if he didnt, then did the military jaskass that said that just move the checkpoint to where this photographer was standing? fking DUH????
.....and i may not be the smartest punk on the planet, but exaclty which installation are they protecting....duhhh, with M16's no less, and maybe even some grenades, and bazookas, and f-16's........LMFAO.

Photography like that wedding shot IS a crime! Pay attention to the horizon fercrissakes!

Foreign enemies of the Constitution are fairly easy to spot, but have you ever wondered what a domestic enemy of the Constitution would look like?

Those Marines can find out the next time they see a mirror. They're a disgrace to those uniforms, and to every Marine that has worn it in the past.

Begs the question, why are there standing armies and checkpoints in the USA? Hrmm, anyone ever read the Declaration of Independence? I wonder what some of the reasons were they broke away and declared independence in the first place?

Letter of complaint to the Commanding General, Military District of Washington, copied to everyone involved with funding for the military as well as the photographer's conressman and senator.

That person is Maj. Gen. Michael S. Linnington.

http://www.mdw.army.mil/leadership/Linnington.htm

I photograph in this area on a regular basis. The only reason I can think of a marine check point in the area would be on a Friday evening when there is a silent marine tatoo at the memorial. No way would I let them dictate what I could photograph in that area and it's popular for wedding photography there with a nearby wedding venue and views of the Capitol Mall.

The park police may hassle you next to the carillion and memorial since they consider wedding photography a reason to ask for a park police commercial permit that costs more than some photographers clear from a wedding.

The marines though have no such authority!

Last year I photographed a bridal party here on the 4th of July and actually posed them with the police and fire personal with motorcycles and fire trucks.

It's hard to imagine how someone would consider a bridal party a threat.

Regarding horizon on the photo, I believe that's the wall for Arlington National Cemetery and it's on quite a slope at that point.

The military people pictured are not Marines, they're Army.