Photographing the public in public displays - Legalities and more?

Hello,

I'm curious about something. I've recently educated myself (or at least
barely tried) on the subject of photographing or videotaping the
public....something I don't care much about. I respect every tom, dick and
jane's privacy in this regard.

BUT, I wonder what rules or laws there might be in regard to photographing
and/or videotaping folks participating in a parade or a major sporting
event? I understand how the laws may very well differ from state to state in
the US. But wouldn't people taking part in a major parade be subject to
losing their rights to some extent in as far as being photographed by anyone
other than the major media? I mean as long as the photographer isn't
profiting from these photos or videos?

I'd appreciate any experiences or constructive comments on the subject.
Thanks in advance.

In article rDccf.2119$Y97.1605@trndny05,
"WhoTurnedOffTheLights" wrote:

Hello,

I'm curious about something. I've recently educated myself (or at least
barely tried) on the subject of photographing or videotaping the
public....something I don't care much about. I respect every tom, dick and
jane's privacy in this regard.

BUT, I wonder what rules or laws there might be in regard to photographing
and/or videotaping folks participating in a parade or a major sporting
event? I understand how the laws may very well differ from state to state in
the US. But wouldn't people taking part in a major parade be subject to
losing their rights to some extent in as far as being photographed by anyone
other than the major media? I mean as long as the photographer isn't
profiting from these photos or videos?

I'd appreciate any experiences or constructive comments on the subject.
Thanks in advance.

Free legal advise is worth exactly what you pay for it. I am not an
attorney, but it seems to me that any participant in a public event on
public property has no reasonable expectation of privacy. Still, I doubt
that gives you or any other photographer the right to use a photo of
someone for commercial purposes, such as an advertisement, without
getting a signed agreement from that person.

"Shawn Hirn" wrote in message
...
In article rDccf.2119$Y97.1605@trndny05,
"WhoTurnedOffTheLights" wrote:

Hello,

I'm curious about something. I've recently educated myself (or at least
barely tried) on the subject of photographing or videotaping the
public....something I don't care much about. I respect every tom, dick
and
jane's privacy in this regard.

BUT, I wonder what rules or laws there might be in regard to
photographing
and/or videotaping folks participating in a parade or a major sporting
event? I understand how the laws may very well differ from state to state
in
the US. But wouldn't people taking part in a major parade be subject to
losing their rights to some extent in as far as being photographed by
anyone
other than the major media? I mean as long as the photographer isn't
profiting from these photos or videos?

I'd appreciate any experiences or constructive comments on the subject.
Thanks in advance.

Free legal advise is worth exactly what you pay for it.

Granted and well appreciated.
I think I might post this message within a LEGAL NG.
Thanks by the way.

http://www.krages.com/

This attorney has written extensively about photographers' rights and
his book is worth getting.

As a fundamental rule, though, you have the right to photograph anyone
anywhere as long as they do not have a reasonable expectation of
privacy there, such as washrooms, their own homes, etc. Selling those
pictures is another matter and might have some strings attached.

As a photographer you have the same legal protections as any member of
the press. That does not necessarily protect you from people who break
the law by assaulting you, smashing your equipment, or threatening to
have you arrested. But it helps.

WhoTurnedOffTheLights wrote:
Hello,

I'm curious about something. I've recently educated myself (or at
least barely tried) on the subject of photographing or videotaping the
public....something I don't care much about. I respect every tom,
dick and jane's privacy in this regard.

BUT, I wonder what rules or laws there might be in regard to
photographing and/or videotaping folks participating in a parade or a
major sporting event? I understand how the laws may very well differ
from state to state in the US. But wouldn't people taking part in a
major parade be subject to losing their rights to some extent in as
far as being photographed by anyone other than the major media? I
mean as long as the photographer isn't profiting from these photos or
videos?
I'd appreciate any experiences or constructive comments on the
subject. Thanks in advance.

The question may be more complex that you are thinking. It is not only
a question of what photos may be legally taken, but also what uses may be
made of them.

Some very general comments.

If you are on public property and those you photograph are also you can
usually legally take the photo.

If you ask someone to be in the photo or even to just turn this or that
way, all bets are off.

It is not wise to photograph children when you can identify them as
individuals, or for that matter to photograph them at all.

Use of identifiable images for any commercial use requires a model
release.

If you really want to know, get specific details and consult a local
attorney.


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:15:21 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

If you ask someone to be in the photo or even to just turn this or that
way, all bets are off.

Why?
All they can do is refuse or comply.

--
Bill Funk
Replace "g" with "a"
funktionality.blogspot.com

"cjcampbell" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.krages.com/

This attorney has written extensively about photographers' rights and
his book is worth getting.

As a fundamental rule, though, you have the right to photograph anyone
anywhere as long as they do not have a reasonable expectation of
privacy there, such as washrooms, their own homes, etc. Selling those
pictures is another matter and might have some strings attached.

As a photographer you have the same legal protections as any member of
the press. That does not necessarily protect you from people who break
the law by assaulting you, smashing your equipment, or threatening to
have you arrested. But it helps.


Thank you Christopher and everyone else. But it's funny, I would've thought
this to be an easier issue to target than others. Considering how I
mentioned Specifically, Parades and Major Sporting Events. Alas, I would be
off now to post this question in a legal Newsgroup.

"Bill Funk" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:15:21 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

If you ask someone to be in the photo or even to just turn this or that
way, all bets are off.

Why?
All they can do is refuse or comply.



If you walk up to a stranger in the street and ask if you can take their
picture, they could comply but that doesn't mean they know what your
intentions are thereafter.

Of course if they're marching in a Major Parade
then I'd think they would know that they're going to be videotaped and
photographed repeatedly....Say, a hundred thousand times or more?

In a city such as mine, virtually every single parade is covered by the
local media....Of Course, some more than others with attendances usually
surpassing beyond half a million.

On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:35:39 GMT, "WhoTurnedOffTheLights"
wrote:


"cjcampbell" wrote in message
roups.com...
http://www.krages.com/

This attorney has written extensively about photographers' rights and
his book is worth getting.

As a fundamental rule, though, you have the right to photograph anyone
anywhere as long as they do not have a reasonable expectation of
privacy there, such as washrooms, their own homes, etc. Selling those
pictures is another matter and might have some strings attached.

As a photographer you have the same legal protections as any member of
the press. That does not necessarily protect you from people who break
the law by assaulting you, smashing your equipment, or threatening to
have you arrested. But it helps.


Thank you Christopher and everyone else. But it's funny, I would've thought
this to be an easier issue to target than others. Considering how I
mentioned Specifically, Parades and Major Sporting Events. Alas, I would be
off now to post this question in a legal Newsgroup.


Parades and major sporting events are very different things.
Parades are, for the most part, very public, while major sporting
events aren't.
Public events can be shot to yoru heart's content, while the sporting
events very often have limits placed on all sorts of things by the
owners of the event. Like photography.

--
Bill Funk
Replace "g" with "a"
funktionality.blogspot.com

On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:42:13 GMT, "WhoTurnedOffTheLights"
wrote:


"Bill Funk" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:15:21 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

If you ask someone to be in the photo or even to just turn this or that
way, all bets are off.

Why?
All they can do is refuse or comply.



If you walk up to a stranger in the street and ask if you can take their
picture, they could comply but that doesn't mean they know what your
intentions are thereafter.

So?
If they don't know, but want to know, they can ask. I don't have to
answer. They don't have to say yes. I can still take their picture.

Of course if they're marching in a Major Parade
then I'd think they would know that they're going to be videotaped and
photographed repeatedly....Say, a hundred thousand times or more?

In a city such as mine, virtually every single parade is covered by the
local media....Of Course, some more than others with attendances usually
surpassing beyond half a million.

So what's that got to do with asking someone to be in the photo or
turn this way or that?


--
Bill Funk
Replace "g" with "a"
funktionality.blogspot.com