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| Photo: André Karwath |
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Information, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Finance have banned the use of digital SLRs in public places, according to
Kuwait Times.
The ban, which applies to the use of DSLRs on the Gulf state's streets and shopping malls, makes it illegal for anyone except journalists to use the cameras.
Mohammed Al-Eisa, who picked up photography as a hobby more than 10 years ago, told the publication that he has decided to take photos of animals or still life as they don't mind getting their pictures taken in public and don't cause a scene.
"I started facing problems the very first day I bought my camera," he added.
Another local Kuwait photographer, Mariam Al-Fodiry, has had similar issues, but because she is female, faces even more backlash, according to the Kuwait Times.
"Switching to abstract and landscape photography was one the options I considered after getting into enough trouble," Al-Fodiry said.
Tourists are to be affected by the new laws and must be aware of this before travelling to Kuwait.
Point-and-shoot cameras as well as camera phones can still be used.
is the kuwait police able to spot the difference between a DSLR and a point-and-shoot camera? or anyone using a camera will be anyway in trouble?
Anonymous says
Camera can be use to help solve the crime or it can be use as tool to commit a crime... the value of a person to be good or to be bad is is different from each other.. perhaps making photography banned from the public places is a fear of OR by someone to be photography while doing his crime...