That's my understanding - with a couple of caveats. The rule of thumb is, as long as you are on public property, you can take pictures of anything and anyone in view - provided that person or property owner does not have a "reasonable expectation" of privacy. So yes, you can take a picture of the apartment building across the street if you think the architecture is kind of cool, and the sunset back-lights it nicely. However, you can not use your 500mm telephoto lens to snap pics of the blonde in 3C getting out of the shower.
Aside from the "reasonable expectation of privacy" exception, there is also one for national security. You cannot walk up to the fence line of a military base and start snapping pics of the base layout. Military, nuclear power plants, other "sensitive" installations are off limits - even what is visible from public property.
That may be the out they try to use on this guy. However, it'd be a hard sell that what he was doing was a national security issue. At what point does it become a national security issue? If I snap a pic of family at the airport when they get off the plane is that ok? Probably. If I'm an aviation buff and I want a pic of a big Boeing in a climb-out for a desktop background is that ok? Probably. But if what you're doing starts looking more like recon and intel-gathering rather than more mundane interests... I can see a distinction, but I don't know how you would legally define and defend one.
“You cannot walk up to the fence line of a military base and start snapping pics of the base layout”
Well. . .that just made criminals out of all those tens of thousands of plane spotters. And heck, airshows and picture-taking. . .oh, and Google Maps and Street View?
Seriously, there is no restiction that I know of if you are on public property (or your own property) and take pictures of things in plain view.
Since when? I want documentation.
“You cannot walk up to the fence line of a military base and start snapping pics of the base layout. Military, nuclear power plants, other “sensitive” installations are off limits - even what is visible from public property.”
Unless you’re a member of the Beijing Press Corps, in which case nothing will happen to you. I’ve heard the stories of what goes on when they have Fleet Week in port cities.