Someone was photographing my horses - doing some research?

[now_loves_mares]

The farmer who owns my field told me that last Monday one of his workers saw someone taking photos of my horses

. Apparently they were in a white van with lettering, but he was too far away to read it. Of course it could be innocent but I am now terrified, especially as he subsequently heard that there are reports of thefts to order in Scotland, and photos being posted on the internet.

Anyone in Central Scotland or similar heard about this? Anyone know what websites they might be on (assuming that it was dodgy and not just someone taking arty shots in the frost).

I'm at work all day and now scared every night that they won't be there

 

[Natch]

have a look on geograph, apparently that is suspected to host photos of horses etc that might be stolen to order.

Try not to worry too much, if it was frosty it could have just been someone taking arty shots. is it worth asking the farmer to have a word with his workforce to get reg details if they see this sort of thing happen again?

 

[michaelj]

Get Binocs in the tractor

 

[henryhorn]

It's highly likely they were taking photos for geograph, which is a plan to map the entire country by photographs taken by volunteers.
I was livid earlier this week to see a part of my farm which is totally private from where the photo was taken appearing on there, and wrote to the site.
You should read what they say about H and H, according to them we all over react to having our horses on photos on a public forum linked by our postcodes, horse stealing is incredibly rare they reckon and I had several email conversations with their admin.
Their claim was if the photographer was trespassing they will take appropriate action but on seeing who it was I know her well, and feel I can't offend her despite being peeved myself!
I still can't understand why they don't see posting pics of horses with their postcode immediately on the page isn't a guide for theives, and made the suggestion that how would they like their children's pics plus postcode up for public viewing?
A good idea in some ways but I really don't think just anyone should be able to post parts of anyone's home with their postcode like this. After all the fuss about the data protection act this seems ludicrous!
I'd like to bet this is what your photographer was up to, there are huge numbers of people involved, just look at the site.

 

[michaelj]

Their admin is an arse.

 

[Brontie]

IM guessing your Adeiladau fferm Ty Coch HH?
I think its stupid, and if i was in any of the photos personally I wouldnt be happy, THere it was easy for me to find your yard which could be fairly dangerous.
Omg, My house is on there.
I would be worried, with them taking photos especially of horses.

 

[michaelj]

What language is that Nick?

 

[T_K]

Did they happen to notice if the van had red lettering on the side?

A white VW T5 van with red lettering driving along the footpath at the back of our farm in a few weeks ago.....we have a tiny mini shettie and a piebald colt foal in the fields along the footpath so I was immediately worried.....I walked into the shetties field, she wasn't there...luckily she was in the stable so I walked over to the gate of the colt's field and watched the van as it turned round and drove back up the footpath again....the van then sped off at the end of the footpath(which turns in to an access road). The footpath is wide enough for vehicles up until the point they turned around....and it is possible that sat nav had sent them there(as it does if you put in the farm's postcode), I was just a bit dubious at the time.

 

[CrazyMare]

I'd never heard of that Geograph before....my hacking is on there, the yard opposite and the gravel works, but thankfully not my yard despite the fact we have a foot path through it.

I frequently tell walkers off though...

 

[Brontie]

[ QUOTE ]
What language is that Nick?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure, It was very easy to find HH, (Sorry I was being nosey) And thats the area it came up with?

 

[now_loves_mares]

Thanks, hadn't heard of Geograph before. Had a look but can't see my field or house but is probably just a matter of time. Will keep an eye out though.

 

[henryhorn]

Sorry that isn't us at that address, we do have lots of pics up as we had a website and I have a blog, but I get to choose what goes on them, not a stranger wandering round my fields..
It just seems a bit odd with all this data protection that you have no control over images....

 

[NeilM]

I have looked on Geograph before JIC, and I'm glad to say our whole area was photographed in 2006 / 7 by a local couple. The OS square we are in has a main road running through it, so the photos are all taken left and right of the main road and are well away from our land.

We have motor access to our field down a footpath and just lately we have had a spate of saloon cars driving down, trying to turn round in the mud (where the path narrows) and reversing out. It had not occurred to me that Sat Nav might be causing the trouble, but as I've been misdirected a few times myself, that could explain it.

 

[hellybelly6]

I live in Scotland and in May time, a couple were taking photos of a particular horse in our field, not of the scenery, a coloured pony and ignoring the others.

When challenged it was obvious that they knew about horses from they way they were around the horse and the questions they asked.

The couple were in a silver BMW type of car.