Street pics and 'rules'?

Robbo

Robbo

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Thought I would start a new thread rather than hijack the 'punked' one.

Basically I have seen a lot of people on here taking pictures or random people in the steets etc, urban togging is it? :thinking:

Anyways, are there any limitations to this?

Me personally would hate to be getting photographed without knowing it. Then to be either printed off or used some were without knowing it. Or put up on a forum like talk photography without knowing and to be discussed, I know it should only be the picture, not the person. But still I would feel like privacy had been invaded.

Of course everything from public area etc is ok. but if I stood outside your house, on public road, can I shoot pictures through your window of what you are doing?

PLEASE NO ARGUMENTS! OR I WILL CLOSE THE THREAD

Just want to know if there are any rules or 'unwritten rules' in this style.

Thanks
 
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I also agree with you, i'd hate my picture being used without my permission, and yet i'd happily take other peoples pictures and use them Lol :s

Steve.
 
Is that the sound of a can of worms being opened I hear :lol:


Personally, if I was doing this sort of photography (I don't, I don't have the balls, if nothing else :lol:) I'd always try to get someone's permission after taking the shot, simply because I don't think I'd be particularly happy with someone spreading round a picture of me without asking, as stupid as I know that is :)
 
Robbo said:
PLEASE NO ARGUMENTS!
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:lol:

grum said:
Oh lordy....
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:thumbs:

Huge can of worms, but from someone who was out on a street yesterday taking pictures of people without their permission....My rules are if someone wants a photo of them deleting, it gets deleted straight away.....otherwise, it's game on if both I and them are in a public place! :thumbs:
 
Slimbert said:
but from someone who was out on a street yesterday taking pictures of people without their permission....My rules are if someone wants a photo of them deleting, it gets deleted straight away.....otherwise, it's game on if both I and them are in a public place! :thumbs:
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That's sounds very fair tbh
 
Will Its not always (or even often) possible to ask permission after the shot is taken. Aren't you asking for forgiveness after the event anyway?, in which case your implication is what you're doing is wrong.

Robbo No rules a such, but I'd never take a shot that I thought could reasonably breach someones comfort zone. Without wishing to take this of track, you live in the UK, the most recorded society on Earth, how can you be worried about your picture being used for purpose unknown
 
boyfalldown said:
Will Its not always (or even often) possible to ask permission after the shot is taken. Aren't you asking for forgiveness after the event anyway?, in which case your implication is what you're doing is wrong.

Robbo No rules a such, but I'd never take a shot that I thought could reasonably breach someones comfort zone. Without wishing to take this of track, you live in the UK, the most recorded society on Earth, how can you be worried about your picture being used for purpose unknown
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I agree with the last bit, but I don't think a CCTV is going to put menin a portfolio and possible profit from me..... You haven't watch crime watchers yet have you??? Lol
 
Robbo said:
I agree with the last bit, but I don't think a CCTV is going to put menin a portfolio and possible profit from me..... You haven't watch crime watchers yet have you??? Lol
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Can you profit from it? I thought you needed model releases before you could use pictures of people for commercial purposes? (I'm clueless TBH, so this may be *******s)
 
Robbo said:
I agree with the last bit, but I don't think a CCTV is going to put menin a portfolio and possible profit from me..... You haven't watch crime watchers yet have you??? Lol
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about making a profit from CCTV, and without wishing to pull of track further, I'm fairly sure there are a heap of companies making large profits from it.

Its difficult to profit from a true street photo, and being in a personal portfolio, I don't think there's an issue. (I have a fair few strangers in mine ;)
 
Will H said:
Can you profit from it? I thought you needed model releases before you could use pictures of people for commercial purposes? (I'm clueless TBH, so this may be *******s)
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no legal requirement in the UK..........but in reality it would be hard to sell with no model release
 
Re the question the OP asked, my understanding is that if you photograph in a public place, someone who is in a public place, all is well and dandy (legally) If you stand on the street and attempt to photograph into my home you are not contravening law but you are invading my privacy and might be considered antisocial. If you photograph me at a private event and you are also within that space you would need permission to do so (take the photos and publish same, that is)
 
Robbo said:
Of course everything from public area etc is ok. but if I stood outside your house, on public road, can I shoot pictures through your window of what you are doing?
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Why would you want to take photos of people through their windows when they are in the privacy of their own home? Common sense comes into play here. There is a massive difference between taking photographs of people who are in public areas and taking photographs of people who are in their own homes. In my opinion morally it's wrong to be doing that. Ethically it's definitely questionable.

I'm not sure I can remember any newspaper using photographs of people who are in their homes without permission. Does anyone have any recent examples?
 
TinaC said:
Re the question the OP asked, my understanding is that if you photograph in a public place, someone who is in a public place, all is well and dandy (legally) If you stand on the street and attempt to photograph into my home you are not contravening law but you are invading my privacy and might be considered antisocial. If you photograph me at a private event and you are also within that space you would need permission to do so (take the photos and publish same, that is)
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:agree:

There were several articles about street photography in Amateur Photography recently, including snippets of a letter written by the Chief Constable for the Met police. They said pretty much the same thing. All is fair unless you are on private property.
 
TinaC said:
Re the question the OP asked, my understanding is that if you photograph in a public place, someone who is in a public place, all is well and dandy (legally) If you stand on the street and attempt to photograph into my home you are not contravening law but you are invading my privacy and might be considered antisocial. If you photograph me at a private event and you are also within that space you would need permission to do so (take the photos and publish same, that is)
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If you dont want anyone looking through ya windows..close the curtains..simples..:)
 
Took a rowing boat out today with the kids on the River Stour from Flatford. A couple of guys took pictures of us from a bridge. Think we may have added a touch of interest in their pictures. Didn't mind at all, and as we got nearer to the bridge said hello to one another etc. If I was a Daily Mail reader I might have thought they were paedos.
 
KayJay said:
I'm not sure I can remember any newspaper using photographs of people who are in their homes without permission. Does anyone have any recent examples?
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Not sure on papers, but how does google get away with street view? That allows me to see right inside my parents house, who one of them happens to be stood there.... Always wondered how they got away with street view
 
Robbo said:
Thought I would start a new thread rather than hijack the 'punked' one.

Basically I have seen a lot of people on here taking pictures or random people in the steets etc, urban togging is it? :thinking:

Anyways, are there any limitations to this?

Me personally would hate to be getting photographed without knowing it. Then to be either printed off or used some were without knowing it. Or put up on a forum like talk photography without knowing and to be discussed, I know it should only be the picture, not the person. But still I would feel like privacy had been invaded.

Of course everything from public area etc is ok. but if I stood outside your house, on public road, can I shoot pictures through your window of what you are doing?

PLEASE NO ARGUMENTS! OR I WILL CLOSE THE THREAD

Just want to know if there are any rules or 'unwritten rules' in this style.

Thanks
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Errr isn't this called a peeping tom?;)
 
Public place, totally legal... nothing more to be said really.
 
swanseamale47 said:
Errr isn't this called a peeping tom?;)
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But if I am stood on public path what's the harm? Obviously it's wrong yea lol

I work for industrial sites and cameras and photography is strictly prohibited on site, one step off site onto public land and I can get the same pictures of the plants and they can't do anything.
 
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I've been out street photographing and caught a girl snapping a pic of me while I was taking pic with my camera.

Didn't bother me a bit.
 
Ok... To actually answer the question:
I personally don't shoot: alone children, people eating, people distressed. I draw a wavy line with poverty / homelessness - if I feel I'm exploiting their situation, I won't press the shutter.
 
gingerweasel said:
Public place, totally legal... nothing more to be said really.
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There's a lot more to be said. People don't like having their picture taken uninvited by total strangers, and that makes it wrong. Just because it's not illegal doesn't make it right.

Possession of a camera isn't a license to abuse people. If you do it, sooner or later you'll get into trouble of one sort or another.
 
when someone is in their house they do have the right to privacy however if they are cleaning windows with their boobs you are well within your rights to photograph them from a public place.

If someone asks you not to photograph them and you continue then they would be within their rights to phone the police and you can get done for breach of the peace.
 
HoppyUK said:
There's a lot more to be said. People don't like having their picture taken uninvited by total strangers, and that makes it wrong. Just because it's not illegal doesn't make it right.

Possession of a camera isn't a license to abuse people. If you do it, sooner or later you'll get into trouble of one sort or another.
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I sort of agree with you - but sort of don't. (Sorry thats a bit woolly). Taking a photo of a total stranger as they break into a car? I know its not what you meant, but at the same time, they won't like it - but it wouldn't stop me.

At the same time, if the camera was obviously causing distress or someone asked me to delete shots of them I probably would do so or not take the shot in the first place.


I agree with you its not a license to abuse, but you can take street photos without abusing ;-)
 
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Robbo said:
Not sure on papers, but how does google get away with street view? That allows me to see right inside my parents house, who one of them happens to be stood there.... Always wondered how they got away with street view
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Me too.
 
Robbo said:
Not sure on papers, but how does google get away with street view? That allows me to see right inside my parents house, who one of them happens to be stood there.... Always wondered how they got away with street view
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You can request to have the view of your home/business removed from street view.
 
My personal opinion is anyone in public is open to have their picture by me. I take the picture, I own the copyright. I've had conversations with security and police in Lobdon and each of them have ended with me not showing them my pictures and carrying on until I am finished. This is usually buildings to be fair.

I don't take pictures of kids, that's my only "rule". If a kid comes into frame U put the camera down.
 
gramps said:
You can request to have the view of your home/business removed from street view.
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I never get why - I seem to be in a minority but I think street view is a great part of the social history. Why should you wish for that removed? You can't see inside most houses using it anyway.

There is as many people who talk my parents attitude to it and actualy be pleased to be on there.

I think the only reason there is any form of backlash against street view is the amount of survaillance in this country and the privacy caimpaigners use this as a proxy for the real source of the issues

Hugh
 
because its taken from the street and they are not trying to peer into your home. you have windows people can see in everyday remember

Robbo said:
Not sure on papers, but how does google get away with street view? That allows me to see right inside my parents house, who one of them happens to be stood there.... Always wondered how they got away with street view
Click to expand...
 
While you might be in a public place that doesn't give you the right to photograph into private places (people in a public place are fair game)

It's called invasion of privacy, while some public figures are considered ok to shoot (because they have placed themselves in the public arena) other people have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their own homes. You could find yourself arrested for harresment or sued if you go around shooting through peoples windows, or worse filled in if you shoot through the wrong persons window. I'd advise caution personally.
 
Street view replies....

Yes people can see in every day walking past, if you stood and stared as long as you can on street view that's called perving.

Just because they aren't tryin to peer into your home doesn't mean the images don't allow you to. If I took a picture of your lovely house for decorative reasons that's ok? Or i could take the same shot and have a perv into you house from it.

Street view to me is a massive invasion of privacy, I would love to see anyone walk around the street with a camera taking a picture of every single house and not get question.

Street togging. Just because they are in a public place does not mean they won't feel invaded, as quite a few people on here say they would. I believe in public place free shooting, but I believe each person still have a right, just because the person is on public property does not make them public property.
 
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Robbo said:
Street view replies....

Yes people can see in every day walking past, if you stood and stared as long as you can on street view that's called perving.

Just because they aren't tryin to peer into your home doesn't mean the images don't allow you to. If I took a picture of your lovely house for decorative reasons that's ok? Or i could take the same shot and have a perv into you house from it.

Street view to me is a massive invasion of privacy, I would love to see anyone walk around the street with a camera taking a picture of every single house and not get question.

Street togging. Just because they are in a public place does not mean they won't feel invaded, as quite a few people on here say they would. I believe in public place free shooting, but I believe each person still have a right, just because the person is on public property does not make them public property.
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the majority of houses you can't see into on street view. Your opinion that its a massive invasion of privacy is your opinion, not a fact, in my opinion street view is a fantastic project. There just two different opinions neither is wrong.

At the moment form a legal point of view, you have no expectation of privacy in a public place. for heaps of reasons I think thats right. However, I do understan your comments and as said earlier, approaching with tact is the way forward
 
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It is absolutely vital that we, as photographers, record the life in the streets of Britain today. These pictures will all become little historical documents and of immense interest in the future.
 
I quite like the difference of opinions coming out.

Makes menses things for both side which have good arguments for and against.

Also I like the tact of some of the street toggers have mentioned.
 
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