It’s hardly a small-town attitude; I recently had two run-ins with rent-a-cops on a single night of shooting here in the big sofisty-cated city. I used to take an apologetic, super-deferent attitude during these encounters, but the more I read about cases like Ms. Scheier’s (or this one, or this one), the more confidently I assert the artistic upper hand, and behave as though my rights were inalienable. Generally, if you start to talk about light and composition and perspective — in the scene, definitely not in your camera — they say their piece and then leave you alone. Although the temptation to pick a fight is strong, in the meantime the light is fading as fast as your ability to concentrate technically on the photo. Ms. Scheier’s settlement notwithstanding, it’s often not worth it.