Active People 2
No matter where I go in the world, I observe and take the time to photograph people who are active. These days I am a little more careful because some there has been bad press about perverts taking photos of children and women on beaches. Some photographers have been stopped by police because someone reported suspicious activity. In fact I saw a couple of guys with small camera with decent zooms who were making photos of young women on Fort Myers Beach when I was there in February. They were only taking photos when people weren't looking at them. I don't think it would take anyone very long to notice their suspicious behaviour and phone police if they watched these guys for any length of time.
When do I decide NOT to make a photo? Not very often, but sometimes and a lot more often than in the past. These days, if it possible, I usually ask permission to make photos and give people my business card. I tell them to email me and I promise to send them a copy. A few people have made contact later, but I never hear from most. Of the ones who have contacted me, most have given permission to use the photos once they see them.
A while back someone asked it it was legal to take photos of people and publish them on the Internet. While the laws in most countries are a little different, the basic rule is that if an individual has no reasonable expectation of privacy, photographs are legal and can be published. So, if you are on a public beach and I make a photo, I can legally use it as long as it is a story about a beach and people on it. It wouldn't be acceptable to use the photo in a totally different context, especially a negative one.
I read recently that one European country has now made it illegal to photograph and publish photos of people unless they give permission first. Photojournalists are very worried about laws like these because in many, if not most, cases it is not possible to ask permission before taking photos. Imagine making photos of protestors on a street and stopping one or two to ask permission to make a photograph and have them sign a model release before making a photo!
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