Hi guys, ok, I have a photo shoot with someone soon and wanted to do a roof top theme. How are people about allowing photographers and models on their roof tops to shoot? I'm talking tall skyscraper like buildings? Would I need a clearance? Or should we sneak it? LOL

Thanks.

Every roof top I've shot on was cleared with building management many weeks before hand

But I hear the grab and run method works too

If you want truly professional and well done shots, I would get clearance.  Why take the risk?  Why shoot with a set time limit, knowing you might be asked to leave at any moment.
People are often quite open to letting you shoot.  "Civilians" find our work interesting and seem to want to help.  Now in a bigger market like NYC or LA, you will not find this attitude as many are jaded.  But also, in these markets people know people and someone always knows someone that has a building with rooftop access.
Make it legit, then you won't have to quit...early.

Well over here in Florida I have been looking for a location to shoot on a roof top. But every place I asked I was turned down because they think you can get hurt up there and they all seem to have a policy not to let anyone on the roof but repairmen. I did find one place the had an open door to the roof and when I walked around I found myself standing right infront of the security office window. Soon I was being walked out by two security guys.

I am still looking..

Mike

Every rooftop I shot on was basically a sneak job.  Credit cards slipping electric locks, escape bar doors bricked open, stairwells all the way up.  Always at night, so the chances of getting caught ware small, but the penalties potentially pretty high.

Never did get caught though.

-D

hmmm, thanks for the info guys. My worry is getting turned away. Much like the other poster stated, I'm sure they don't want to be liable if something happens. I guess I'll check around and see....Thanks, just thought there was a certain method people go through, lol.

As a commercial/industrial electrician, I've spent some time on many a rooftop. Some are neat environments for camera work; some are way too "clean" and boring, while others are way too dangerously messy with nails, pipes, wires, rodents and pidgeons (and the messes they leave behind) and other nasty things your model probably wouldn't wish to touch!

If you're after the tall high rises, you're probably out of luck, because of the obvious liability issues, as well as security concerns. You might have better luck asking around some older apartment houses, where security might be not so tight.

If you do succeed, I'd make an odd suggestion - take a third person up there with you, simply to watch out for where you and the model are in relation to the edge and any other hazards. Some rooftops have no "parapet" of short wall around the perimeter, so the possibility of simply backing up and over the edge is higher than you realize. Would someone REALLY walk off the edge!?! (as though they were some sort of death-wishing moron?) Yes - someone was simply measuring a distance with a long tape-measure attached to something and were walking backwards across the roof. Yes, they found the edge; no, the didn't live to laugh. Take someone with you to keep an eye out for your safety.

RB

My experiences before 911 was pretty easy and I just went up on the roof )if the access was open) and shot.. but these days security it tight. The last shot I did was last year on the top of Birmingham tallest hotel, The roof door was open, I went up for a city shoot scene, and the security guards came about three minutes into the shot. Turns out I tripped an alarm as well as was on video. I told then what I was doing, they asked for ID and let me finish the shoot.

they got tall skyscrapers in TN?

you'll never get permission (insurance), and if you sneak you are subject to being arrested for tresspassing

i hardly even let any other photographers shoot at my rooftop any more (oh wait thats cuz im territorial, that belongs in that other thread LOL)

It depends.  I've done a couple of rooftop shoots, but it was on the roof of the building where the studio was.  The studio owner told me that, in theory, he didn't have access to the roof, but actually people used it all the time, so I did.  I had no problems, but it depends on the landlord.