A bunch of bills were proposed in the 105th Congress to require permits for photography and filming; I believe none of them passed.

Eventually, some version got through and became Public Law 106-206 (16 USC 460l etc.) – it states that still photography with neither actors nor props (ie, nature photography), on areas normally accessible to the public shall require neither fees nor permits.

The minion who told your brother he needed a permit or it was “illegal” was plain wrong about the law.

(They do want fees and permits for filming ads, movies, and the like, or for anything likely to cause damage by going out of normally accessed areas, etc.

But they want you to stay on the !@#!^ trails even if you’re not a commercial video studio, so that’s not terribly unfair.)

The real problem here seems to be uninformed employees trying to enforce a law they don’t actually know.

That’s right. The land that has been purchased and maintained with our tax dollars and set aside for the enjoyment of all Americans can only be seen in person or purchased through the lens of authorized, highest bidder, royalty paying companies.

He had the same thing happen to him at the Washington Monument, which is also in a National Park. This time they told him that he couldn’t that kind of camera at all, because it was assumed that he was taking professional photos.

The rentacop was repeating bullsh*t.

There is even a flikr group that deliberately photographs federal buildings in DC just because they can.

http://www.nowpublic.com/photography_banned_downtown_silver_spring_maryland