street photography and the law

fulcanelli

TPF Noob!
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Greetings. I do some non-professional street photography in the U.S. and am concerned about the law. I'm shooting in a large urban setting, on public streets, people just being people. I can't seem to get a good definition of the law on this. While I'm walking/driving around capturing images, it wouldn't be practical to acquire a model release for each shot I fire off, and quite frankly, some or even many will not work, or be used. And these days, I doubt that many people would agree to sign.

I've been asked to leave malls, and learned fast that the turf is off limits to photographers. It's funny...I was at one that caters to a rather affluent crowd, and didn't realize that I wasn't allowed to shoot. My auto-flash (digital) no doubt alerted the authorities and I was approached immediately. They were pleasant enough about it, but still insisted I stop. Many of the customers at this mall walk around with cell phones, cell phones with picture taking capabilities. How easy would it be to take a picture with a phone!

But back to my question, I am strictly an amateur and just like shooting and sharing my photography. Does anybody have hard information on the legality?
 
it is legal to photograph people in public in the US, there will
be a ban on photography on the NYC subway. It is illegal to
photograph bridges in NYC.

If you want your work to be published you will need to have
a model/property release in many cases, there is no need
to worry for personal use

public_photo.jpg
 
so if i take a photograph of a person in a public space, do would I have to have their permission to have it published?
 
Hey Doxx, I'm a long time admirer of your works! :thumbsup:

Do you have a press pass while you photograph in the streets? I know you dont need it, but how would you respond to a cop query?

When can we see your new pictures?
 
Hey Doxx, I'm a long time admirer of your works!
thank you!

no press pass over here :roll: Actually it happened to me a few
times that a cop stopped me. Once I photographed close to a bridge
and he informed me friendly that it is against the law to photography
bridges in NYC. I took the pic anyway. :lol:

Another time a cop stopped me photographing at the parking lot
behind our local police station. I told hime the truth - I'm an amateur photographer testing film (outdated slide film for cross processing)
for a color study.

One time a cop stopped me coz they were looking for a convict in
the neighborhood. :lol:

new pics are soon to come, I just have to prep them for the web..
 
doxx said:
so if i take a photograph of a person in a public space, do would I have to have their permission to have it published?

most publishers won't accept pictures of people without a proper release

So you mean to say the photojournalists get the releases from all the people, say a disaster struck area?
 
Although they worked in other times, do you think Henri Carter Bresson or Gary Winnogrand ever got a model release signed? As I understand it, they never did.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top