R.W. Norton Art Gallery: "No pictures please"
By: Kimberly Rusley
Updated: March 17, 2013
When it's time to take pictures in Shreveport, where do you go? The R.W. Norton Art Gallery's garden serves as a popular spot.
Unfortunately, that's about to change, because commercial photography is no longer allowed to take place on their grounds.
"Hopefully, I can find another creative place to shoot," says D'Angelo Williams, owner of VIP Photography.
Williams has been in photography for six years now, and the garden is a favorite for some of his customers.
He uses the area two or three times a month.
Although he doesn't know why the decision was made, he thinks maybe some photographers abused the open area.
NBC 6 reached out to the art gallery today, but we were told staff would not be commenting publicly right now.
The only information they're releasing is a brief statement on their website: "Effective immediately, no commercial photography (photography for hire) or commercial enterprise of any kind will be permitted on the museum grounds. Private photography will be allowed only until such a time as the museum's new fence is erected and functional. At that point all photography on the grounds will be prohibited with the exception of legitimate school-affiliated educational photography classes which have made advance appointments."
Scarlett Hendricks has been in photography for 20 years, and said she understands.
"It is a private property that's been open to the public, so as an artist and photographer, maybe now, we'll beautify some of our own public parks," says Hendricks.
In her two decades of snapping pictures, she's used the gallery's gardens several times. Thankfully, she has her own studio to shoot out of.
"Well I don't really know what the reason is," says Hendricks. "I can only guess. And it would be that there's so many photographers now."
Both say the museum should charge a fee for professional photography, and definitely set guidelines for professional photography.
Williams says he hope the gallery considers that as an option, so he won't lose one of the most beautiful backdrops in Shreveport.
