photography and the law. UK section

Original katomi · Aug 20, 2019

The is not intended as a one stop go to but more as a point in the right direction.
The hope is that people will post relevant links at the area, country where they live.
Street photography.
Photographer's Rights And The Law In The UK - street shooting, privacy and children

The link below is about UK rail and photography. I do stress that this UK only as other places have different rules.
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/commu...sts/guidelines-for-taking-photos-at-stations/
Please post if you have more up to date information

stk · Sep 6, 2019

In Norway the general rule is that you are free to take pictures in public places, you can even take pictures of private property as long as you are on a public place. Public places are defined as areas that are open for public traffic/passage, or areas where this is the norm, even if the area is privately owned.

You do however have to comply to police, fire department or ambulance personells if they ask you to move for them to do their jobs, or if you are putting yourself in danger. They can not demand that you delete any pictures you've taken.

The exceptions are:

* In criminal cases you are not allowed to photograph the charged on his/her way too or from the court, or inside the court without their permission.

* The government can set restrictions along the boarder, both for taking pictures and carrying a camera. This rule is however old (made during the cold war), and probably not something to be concerned about.

* Some military areas will have restrictions.

* You can not take pictures in a way that frightens or violates others peace.

In places like shopping malls, airport, restaurants and so on the owner can demand you to leave if they don't like you taking pictures, but you can not be sanctioned for this.

If your pictures contains other persons, you can not publish them without permission.

There are also some exceptions from this rule. You are free to publish without consent if:

* The picture is of current and public interest. In practice, this means that the image has news value.

* The person is not the main subject.

* The person is part of a congregation.

I hope this is understandable. English is not my first language, and some of the legal terms are written in a way that is even hard to understand in Norwegian. Anyway, take this is a guideline, not facts.

petrochemist · Sep 6, 2019

stk said:
In Norway the general rule is that you are free to take pictures in public places, you can even take pictures of private property as long as you are on a public place. Public places are defined as areas that are open for public traffic/passage, or areas where this is the norm, even if the area is privately owned.

You do however have to comply to police, fire department or ambulance personells if they ask you to move for them to do their jobs, or if you are putting yourself in danger. They can not demand that you delete any pictures you've taken.

The exceptions are:

* In criminal cases you are not allowed to photograph the charged on his/her way to or from the court, or inside the court whiteout their permission.

* The government can set restrictions along the boarder, both for taking pictures and carrying a camera. This rule is however old (made during the cold war), and probably not something to be concerned about.

* Some military areas will have restrictions.

* You can not take pictures in a way that frightens or violates others peace.

In places like shopping malls, airport, restaurants and so on the owner can demand you to leave if they don't like you taking pictures, but you can not be sanctioned for this.

If your pictures contains other persons, you can not publish them without permission.

There are also some exceptions from this rule. You are free to publish without consent if:

* The picture is of current and public interest. In practice, this means that the image has news value.

* The person is not the main subject.

* The person is part of a congregation.

I hope this is understandable. English is not my first language, and some of the legal terms are written in a way that is even hard to understand in Norwegian. Anyway, take this is a guideline.

That sounds pretty close to my understanding of the law in the UK. (I don't think your English skills have added any confusion, they seem much better than a few Native English I've met.)

I gather it's illegal to take photographs in a court here even when the court is not in session.

I think the rules like a great many laws have been deliberately written to be hard to understand & have numerous obscure exceptions, since lawyers make their money arguing the fine points of whether a particular example is 'in the public interest' etc.

Jeff15 · Sep 6, 2019

I do try to avoid any situation where my photography could be miss construed, any time I want to shoot people in the street I use a long lens so that they don't know...But let's face it in most places its common sense.