Taking pictures of strangers
From a discussion on my last picture tookapic.com/JudithO/12931-74-... it seems it is not just me feeling "weird" taking pictures of total strangers (especially looking your way) even though they will be the thing making your picture better/ more interesting. So two things for discussion/feedback:
- what are the (legal) limitations of taking pictures of strangers and publishing them online?
- What can you do to be more "brave" and start taking pictures of strangers?
JudithO
Sometimes I see interesting people/ situations on the street/in the bus etc and never know if it's Ok to just take a picture. I guess you might ask but then the moment might be gone you try yo picture.
Also when shooting in public places it's hard to avoid having people in the shot sometimes, so it's the "how long do I wait for not having people in the picture" vs "can I use the picture with strangers in it".
Roger My mistake, I thought you were looking to do close ups of people in the street. For illustrating a street scene where people are part of the scene then including them is important. Shooting from a public spaces is allowed and no one can complain. There's a lot written on the law relating to taking photos of buildings and people and some of it is country specific so you need to do a few searches.
Here's one person I like...
Shenandoah
This is a good question, and definitely a difficult one to address. I don't know what's allowed legally, but I certainly feel strange taking people's pictures. And I feel strange asking because 1) I'm an extreme introvert and hate approaching people I don't know, and 2) approaching them will break whatever moment they were in that I wanted to capture in the first place.
I am especially worried about pictures that have any children in it. Children can have the most pure joy that make them perfect subjects, but parents can be funny about strangers taking pictures of them. It was just a week or so ago I saw a scene of a young boy playing in his yard with a sprinkler, and it looked perfect. But I was not even going to attempt it.
Another one I feel weird about is strange dogs. I go a lot of places with "dogs must be on leashes" rules, but people let their dogs run free. I'm afraid if I take a picture, they'll think I intend to report them. I really have no desire to do that - dogs just get some of the best expressions when they're chasing sticks or plunging into the reservoir.
Sometimes I'll get people or dogs with telephoto, so I can be far enough away that it isn't obvious I'm taking pictures of them. But otherwise, I mostly avoid those subjects.
I really don't know how to get the confidence to capture those images, or the processes necessary to do so legally and in a way that makes others comfortable.
JudithO
Yes, exactly ... you don't want to destroy the moment you are trying to shoot. Not sure if I would be brave enough to ask for permission as well ;).
Still need to find some time to look into the "legal" side, if I find something useful I will try to post it.
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Roger I've often thought about why people want to take photos of random people in the street. If you want to try this then it's easier if you go with someone else.