A Photographer's Rights

[Felix0890]

If you live in a big city, you know the frustration of being harassed by people who do not want to be photographed while in the streets. This is the #1 reason why I am iffy about taking street shots during the day when people tend to get rude and give you that look that makes you feel like a terrorist. After being questioned by a security guard at the Miami Metro Zoo for "suspicious behavior" (aka taking shots of animals at a zoo *GASP*), I had a talk with one of my law professors.

She pointed me to this. I've always thought that there were limited rights in public/street photography; that a person that did not want to be photographed had the right to go up to you and demand that you erase a shot that they thought captured them. I was shocked at how free we are to shoot almost whatever we want in public. So I thought I'd share this with you guys since there aren't many threads on this that I could find.

I have printed this out and now keep it folded in one of my camera bag pockets. I'll be whipping it out to any annoying people in the future. (Btw, I find it awesome that we can sue them for annoying us and being disruptive to our shooting. :lmao

-Felix

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...hoto-gallery/175219-photographers-rights.html

 

[battletone]

I wouldn't even bother to show it to anyone. Its a free country. If they start to get in your face I would call the cops on them instead.

As for the Miami Zoo, I would tell the security to get me the director of operations because I don't speak to rent-a-cops. Then voice your opinion to someone whose job involves the zoo actually making money.

 

[JamesMason]

Its a free country

Was that a Joke ?

 

[battletone]

Its a free country

Was that a Joke ?

You have to stand your ground if you want it to be. But there is no sense in arguing with a member of the general populace as they are generally not so bright...from a legal stand point.

Edit:
I see you are in the UK. Maybe things are even worse over there.

 

[ErectedGryphon]

... So I thought I'd share this with you guys since there aren't many threads on this that I could find.

The reason you don't find many posts on this, is because most people use forum etiquette, and search. If they find 1 or more post on the subject, they read them and see that it has been covered, then they contribute to the conversation.

By continually creating new threads on the topic, this thread for example, you clutter the search results, making good information hard to find. Usually because, the post gets flooded with irrelevant post stating this has been covered (this reply included).

In fact, this topic is not only covered in the forum, it has an entire Blog dedicated to this topic, with a link on the sites HOME page "http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/articles-interest/162431-photography-law.html".

Hopefully you didn't pay that law professor, for them pointing you to free advice.

 

[JamesMason]

Its a free country

Was that a Joke ?

You have to stand your ground if you want it to be. But there is no sense in arguing with a member of the general populace as they are generally not so bright...from a legal stand point.

Edit:
I see you are in the UK. Maybe things are even worse over there.

imho in most "FREE" country's free means the impression of being free. But anyway, this ain't the place for this kind of talk.

The usa seems to be very similar to the uk in the way of photogs being accosted and quizzed. And yea its always the low level drongos who think a badge makes them god that do. We have 'community support officers who's job it is to question photogs and hand out fines for dropping *** ends' Its great what my council tax is spent on.

 

[Felix0890]

The reason you don't find many posts on this, is because most people use forum etiquette, and search.

If you're gonna be a grumpy "back-seat moderator," at least be nicer and more useful like the real ones. Sorry that me not finding the posts you guys linked offended you so much. If any of the mods feel this is a waste of space, feel free to take it down, no hard feelings and my bad for not searching more. I send you, Gryphon, an e-hug and a wumbo e-cracker in hopes of turning that grumpy frown upside down. (>0.0)>[::] Oh and no dear, it's called being a student at an institution of higher learning which entitles me to ask my professors whatever I want. This is included in tuition. (psst . . it's called a higher education and it's worth it, try it. ) Lets keep the thread free of drama; send the rest of you grumpy remarks to me via PM if necessary.

Since I, and others apparently, find this topic interesting(especially on a rather boring Sunday ), I won't attempt to remove this one (also because I don't know how to delete my thread/post . . . >.>).

Battletone, I don't know about where you live, but here in sunny Miami, people think that due to them living in a "free country," that their freedoms are 100% legit and others' aren't. I'd feel better being able to whip that paper in their face and have it be an equivalent of a healthy daily's value of STFU. That's just me, though. Eventually I will just memorize the laws and recite them to any annoying people.

 

[battletone]

Battletone, I don't know about where you live, but here in sunny Miami, people think that due to them living in a "free country," that their freedoms are 100% legit and others' aren't. I'd feel better being able to whip that paper in their face and have it be an equivalent of a healthy daily's value of STFU. That's just me, though. Eventually I will just memorize the laws and recite them to any annoying people.

That paper doesn't actually state for certain what any laws are, and certainly doesn't cite any statutes (granted statutes are generally what isn't allowed). If someone pulled that out on me I would laugh at them because that paper doesn't mean squat. It is good reference for further research of local laws, so you have a general idea of what is usually legal. But that is it. I would think a law professor would have known that.

The only legal reference anyone will care about is either when the cops show up and one of you is told how its going to be....or when they get served papers for your lawsuit WELL AFTER they violated YOUR rights....assuming you didn't violate any of theirs.

 

[TJ K]

If you live in a big city, you know the frustration of being harassed by people who do not want to be photographed while in the streets. This is the #1 reason why I am iffy about taking street shots during the day when people tend to get rude and give you that look that makes you feel like a terrorist. After being questioned by a security guard at the Miami Metro Zoo for "suspicious behavior" (aka taking shots of animals at a zoo *GASP*), I had a talk with one of my law professors.

She pointed me to this. I've always thought that there were limited rights in public/street photography; that a person that did not want to be photographed had the right to go up to you and demand that you erase a shot that they thought captured them. I was shocked at how free we are to shoot almost whatever we want in public. So I thought I'd share this with you guys since there aren't many threads on this that I could find.

I have printed this out and now keep it folded in one of my camera bag pockets. I'll be whipping it out to any annoying people in the future. (Btw, I find it awesome that we can sue them for annoying us and being disruptive to our shooting. :lmao

-Felix

Ya here in sunny south florida i'm sure as you know people just aren't as friendly as in other places around the country and world. They are generally rude. Thank you for the link though.
tj

 

[DennyCrane]

I swear on my life I read that as "They are generally nude."

 

[decado]

... So I thought I'd share this with you guys since there aren't many threads on this that I could find.

The reason you don't find many posts on this, is because most people use forum etiquette, and search. If they find 1 or more post on the subject, they read them and see that it has been covered, then they contribute to the conversation.

By continually creating new threads on the topic, this thread for example, you clutter the search results, making good information hard to find. Usually because, the post gets flooded with irrelevant post stating this has been covered (this reply included).

In fact, this topic is not only covered in the forum, it has an entire Blog dedicated to this topic, with a link on the sites HOME page "http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/articles-interest/162431-photography-law.html".

Hopefully you didn't pay that law professor, for them pointing you to free advice.

I never even would have thought to search about photographers rights but just looking through the forum I found this post and thought it was very useful and informative to a new photographer such as myself. If you don't like reposts then don't read them or comment in them, it hardly affects you.