quick legal question

[412 Burgh]

Okay this is kind of a dumb question and I know there will be multiple answers varying from state to state etc. I was just wondering if I go to a public sporting event at my local athletic association am I legally allowed to take pictures of the game if they are kids and I don't have any family/friends on the team? Obviously I won't publish the pictures for profit or use them in a 'creepy' way. I just want to practice and take a step into sports photography

 

[KmH]

If the event is on private property, the property owner can set their own rules about doing photography.

Your best bet would be to check with the athletic association, however none of the kids, nor anyone in the stands, can have a 'reasonable expectation of privacy' when out in public, even on private property.

Profit has nothing to do with the issue of shooting youth sports, but publication does.

In general, photos put online in a personal web site aren't 'published'. Professional photographers get some latitude for self-publishing for self-promotional purposes.

If you want more details a good book to have on hand is A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases: Making the Best Business Decisions with Your Photos of People, Places and Things

 

[412 Burgh]

Thank you I'll look into the book!

 

[LRYoung]

I've done some research into model releases, and found it very hard to get a clear answer. However if what I have been told is true, the law only * requires* you to have a model release if you are using the photos for commercial photos, which means "implying that the subjects in the photo endorse a commercial product".

(The example commonly used it political biographies, find a biography that that is very critical to someone - it will still have their photo on the front cover, even though they almost certainly tried to stop the book being published)

As far as the first steps of taking sports photos goes. My advice would be ask permission (it gets you knows to people there), and be very friendly. Give, or even sell a few photos to the parents if they ask.