Street shot postings

Jeff · 25th July 2005, 00:25

When posting pictures from the streets without people knowing about it, please respect peoples privacy and make faces unrecognizable before posting the pictures here or they will be removed.

Jeff.

xam · 25th July 2005, 03:03

sorry about that!

Heelfan · 10th August 2005, 23:10

Hi Jeff!

Whilst hugely respecting your monumental contributions as Webmaster etc., can I ask you to reconsider that "No faces in streetshots" ruling, in the light of the following:

Readers may be interested to know that a special thread already exists for this topic. It was begun sixteen months ago in July 2003, and contains a pretty exhaustive in-depth debate on the ethics and law re. street-shots.
It's called "Streetshots" and I've just brought it back up to the very top of "For Everybody" for you and others to peruse.

For my part:

In British (and other European) we can all take shots of others, including faces, and publish them, as long as the subjects are photographed in a public place.

However, as soon as one person wishes to take a photograph of another on private property, then that's different, and to remain legal, permission must be obtained.

I agree with the law as it stands. It has evolved over many decades, and I think it is very fair, sensible and even-handed in these respects.

Basically, before going into any public place, each of us decides what to wear and whether to dress soberly or outrageously. Now, once we step out into in the public domain, we stand up to be counted. We have gone public, which can and often does include people snapping away with their cameras. So to me, it is entirely irrelevant whether I am seen first-hand, or via a publically taken photograph. It's all equally PUBLIC.

As Firefox says, it would contravene certain laws to cause a nuisance by sticking a camera up someone's skirt, or subsequently publishing the photographs in a way that would cause defamation or malignment to the subject.

But apart from that, as an enthusiastically up-beat and optimistic sort of chap, I assume that each of us should be PROUD to be seen in what we wear, otherwise why wear it? Also, if photographed, why not feel even prouder still! The one thing that gets up my nose is the growing Nanny State where we can't do this and we can't do that and our children can't have school photos taken any more etc. etc. etc. etc. If it gets to the stage where we can't even photograph a fashionable person walking along a public street, then it surely it would be time for us all to think about topping ourselves!

It would sadden me if we are to be prevented from doing something on this board that is fully legal and acceptable under the law.

Cheerfully yours, Heelfan

Firefox · 15th August 2005, 22:23

I think the law depends on what country you are in. While pics taken in public places England are perfectly legal even if the face is shown, that may not be the case everywhere. With the English pics, you can't use them for any commercial purpose (advertising) without getting a signed "model release" from the subject

Also, it's not legal to post pics in such a way to defame or libel the person in question, or show them in some unfavourable light. So, tread carefully :P

Jeff · 16th August 2005, 05:21

Whether it is legal or not doesn't matter.

Whereas moviestars and other celebreties make a distinct choice to be out in the public everytime they hit the streets, you're average jane-or-john-doe does not. And making pictures on the street of people is one thing, publishing them throught whatever medium you can think of is something completely different.

If people go for a walk down-town, they don't expect to be up on the internet the next day. While some maybe don't care, others will, and imho we should respect that.

I for one make the assumption that most people wouldn't like to have their pictures published without their knowledge and thus think you should have peoples permission before publishing their pics with them recognizable.

Firefox · 16th August 2005, 18:29

There are the shots of movie stars at some premier or public party and then there's a different category sometimes called "candids" where the star is photographed secretly when they were shopping or in a park or on the way to the premier etc. It's an interesting thought that if you asked the stars whether they would like the candid shots published, they would almost certianly say no, just the same as a member of the public.

Although the stars have a public image, they also have a private life too. Many of the shots we see around are the unofficial ones taken without their consent. In this way there's no difference between the celebrities and members of the public if you follow the same argument of consent.

Bubba136 · 17th August 2005, 03:25

This forum's management can make and publish a policy about street shorts where they can say --"it is the policy of this forum that when taking street shots of people that are not aware that they are being photographed, or have not consented to being photographed, or having their photographs published or otherwise used, all face shots or other significant identifying characteristics or features will be deleted or blacked out." Or, something like that.. simple solution and will eliminate all questions concerning legality.

Dawn HH · 17th August 2005, 03:34

I'll go along with something of that sort, Bubba.
Cheers---

Dawn HH

Firefox · 17th August 2005, 14:11

I've posted my opinion in the other thread http://hhplace.org/hhboard/viewtopic.php?p=87332#87332 so I won't repeat it here.

But you will note there that I've argued it makes no difference if you blank out the face. If you follow the strict moral argument, you would still have to ask the person if you could use the image of their body/clothes. They can easily be identifiable by their clothing, their shoes, and the context of the street scene so (if you follow the moral argument) you must still ask even if you use the shot with face blanked, or other features removed.

Personally, I would be against any restrictive policy on the grounds explained in the other thread.

Ellen-Jay · 18th August 2005, 16:20

I've expressed my opinion on street shots previously. So let's keep it simple.

Jeff has the right to make the rules here. Those that don't like the rules have the right to leave.

Ellen-Jay