I Love Taking Pictures, but These Kentucky Spots Have Strict Photography Rules

I guess you can say I have some photography in my blood. My great-grandfather opened a photography studio a century ago in downtown Owensboro. His daughter, my grandmother, continued to run the business after he passed away. On the other side of my family, my dad had every type of camera imaginable back in the day, up to and including those gigantic old movie cameras that weighed a ton.

As you can see, I inherited the "bug." The shutterbug. I always have my eye out for the perfect subject, which can be anything. But in Kentucky, I can't just open the camera app and start clicking willy-nilly. There are places where you can't take a picture.

Lexington Cemetery*

This one gets an asterisk because the photography prohibition is conditional. If you're a professional, forget about it. And that's a relatively recent change, so if you're not from the area, you might not know that.

I'm not a professional, but I would have gotten away with snapping this picture anyway, had the rule been in effect when I took it. This beautiful monument is part of the crypt of former Secretary of State Henry Clay.

No Photography on Railroad Tracks*

It's another asterisk because there are also conditions here, too. Unless you are passing over a railroad track or crossing at the right-of-way at a public or private crossing, you cannot be on the track. It counts as third-degree criminal trespass. So yeah, that means no photos on the track unless you're gutsy enough to stand on the crossing and get your shot. (We don't recommend it.)

The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky*

That will be your third and final asterisk. The magnificent arboretum is a target destination for wedding, prom, and graduation shoots, among others. Once again, if you're a professional, you'd better get a permit, or it will be a quick exit. Otherwise, we amateurs are given free rein.

And, of course, there are the general bans, like taking photos on private property; please get the owner's permission. Also, you shouldn't take images of people without their permission. And you certainly shouldn't post them if you do.