raz

Old guy, long hair, 3 day growth, sandals. Well dressed woman, couple of gold rings, nice makeup. Would either of those two examples give you a different impression? (there is a point to my question - I'll get to it in a bit)

I bet you one hundred dollars you wouldnt have taken the photo if you saw kids being in the moment with kites in Aus because someone might get creeped out. After this thread, I wouldnt either. Pretty sad, isnt it.

OK here's a question (so many questions, so little time :D ) I've got a group shot where the entire focus is on one person. Why? Because I like her scarf. Nothing creepy about that, right, but is it OK that it's a crowd shot even though she's the only one in focus? Great thread, by the way. :D

Sure I totally understand that. Would it make a difference to you if the person taking the photos was male or female?

Well that's the thing, isnt it. A moment captured you and you took that photo. Now every time you look at it it's going to give you a personal story. Is that wrong? Even if you sold the photo, is it wrong that you didnt ask her or her parents for permission first and get her to sign a release after? (not legally because she's hardly going to sue you, but morally?)

So according to Staranais that was OK because I think it's different if I'm part of a crowd or something and a photo is being taken of the whole crowd. but if it was a single kid does it suddenly become wrong and an invasion of privacy? Not having a go at staranais - just using as an example.

I dont. I only ask if they know I'm there with a camera but then the moment is lost. If they notice me after I've taken the photo I'll show it to them and send it to them once i get back home, but most of my photos are of people and they'd never even know I'd taken it.

Because people are fantastic subjects, especially when the photographer wants to portray emotion. Looks at sports photography as an example - can you get better than the look on an athlete's face as they cross the line to win a gold medal? OK maybe that's a bad example if comparing to everyday stuff but think of a kid looking at a bug or a blade of grass and being totally in the moment. Would that be a bad thing if you saw a beautiful photo of your kid doing that?

Well getting back to the OP, if someone takes your photo walking your dog down the street, no you dont get paid for it unless the person with the camera says - hey can I give you 10 bucks to take a photo of you walking your dog down the street. Models are paid for their time and how much money their image will make for the company employing the photographer.

I hide - so the photo is candid, otherwise it becomes a snapshot. I defy anyone to take me to court for taking their photo without permission.

Sure for sure. I'm not having a go at you, I'm just really curious because when I take photos of people it's to document my own feelings so I take photos of people doing ordinary stuff, like making a cup of tea or looking at a rain cloud or just telling their kid not to drop icecream on their shirt. Just day to day stuff.

Interesting... why are there so many photos in magazines and newspapers of crowded areas then? Is it different because they are generally reporting on something to do with the image rather than just displaying it for art's sake? I don't understand. :D Amazing, isnt it. I could take a photo of someone in the middle east lying in the street with their leg blown off and sell it to a newspaper without the victim's permission, but I cant publish a photo on the net of stranger happily walking her dog down a Sydney street. The world has gone insane

This is you, isn't it Raz... :D :D :D Yes it is. Be a Lert, not alarmed.

I havent taken any photos of you and I'm unlikely to but I get what you're saying. Where do people draw the line, though? Street photographers are actually documenting their feelings so I hate to say it, but the subject is actually the last thing in the equation. Do you ever look at historical photos of some nameless person? If you do, you are then invading their privacy, are you not? But the photo isnt about them - it's about the photographer's feelings at that one moment in time. Disagree with me all you like - it's actually making me question myself and my need to shoot people when I travel.

It's a bit hard to ask permission when you take...say 50 or 100 photos in a very short period of time. The people are all gone. It's not like street photographers take 1 photo then run up to the person and say 'hey I just took your photo. Do you mind if I post it on the internetz?'

If I took a photo of you dropping a piece of paper in the bin and you actually noticed me taking it, would you think that was weird? To me that moment in time might be saying something. To you, you're just dropping a piece of paper in the bin so therefore, I'm a weirdo? It's not like I know your name, where you live and what you ate for breakfast. I'm just capturing a moment. How can you tell if someone is taking a photo for 'no reason'?

What about in scenario A? Having your/your dog's photo taken by a camera phone from a person in their car at the lights? I'm assuming we're talking about different things here... 'Street photography' as you've described to capture moments for whatever reason for a persons own collection of photos. And photos that can potentially specify whom, with what dog, where, and when to then be posted online 'for the sake of it'. I totally understand what you mean, Tatelina. But how do you know? Weirdo guy with camera taking a pic at the lights. OK that would really creep me out as well but if I'm not doing anything unusual like letting my dog poo and not picking it up I might think he's a painter who is taking a quick snap of me being happy chappy with my dogs to go home and paint something.

dont worry, rave. I dont actually take street photography in Australia. You're safe ;)

Unfortunately it's come about for a reason and I totally understand what you're saying, Jaxx. Pretty sad, though. I think I get away with taking candid photos because I'm female but if a guy did it, probably different?

How would you know? The person who asks might be a creepy weirdo just as much as the person who doesnt ask. What's a creepy weirdo anyway? Paparazzi who make money out of snapping celebs? Rock spider who takes photos of little kids at the beach? Ordinary Jo Blow who takes photos to capture a moment? Serious questions. I'm not making fun here. What makes me different in taking street photography to 'a creepy weirdo'? What are the boundaries?

I take photos of children because they express an emotion so clearly. Would you ever know where the photo was taken? Nup. How sad is it in this day and age that someone cant take a photo without suspicion because a few little creeps have stuck their phone up a girl's skirt to take a photo of her underpants. Privacy and confidentiality? How on earth is that being breached if someone takes a photo of a kid walking her puppy? As I said earlier, you wouldnt have a clue if I took your photo walking your dog down the street.

They were you and Howie. I was actually thinking the judge was pretty hot ;) I just went back for a perve - this thread reminded me of them. Remember that Scandinavian guy? I wonder if he spent the entire day judging a whippy specialty wondering if all those people on the sidelines with big cameras were going to suddenly ask his permission after the event 'Hey Scuse me...I took some photos of you because you have nice soft hands with a dog...should I delete them?

I didnt ask if I could take candids of you at a show, Poodie. I seem to recall getting some beauties of you and that sexy little beast called Howie ;) I would ask before plasting them up, though. There is one in particular that I just love and when I look at it I remember exactly what I was thinking when I took it.

If someone is taking a photograph of you and your dog, how on earth would you know they are not just capturing a moment that speaks to them? Most of my photos are taken while I sit back out of view and snap a moment in time that means something to me. You would never know that I had taken the photo and I'm certainly not going to ask you to go back and retrace your steps with the same look on your face that attracted my attention in the first place just so I have your permission. I dont take photos to expose people or take the piss out of them on a forum so is it a problem if I take street photography?

I do it all the time. You'll have to shoot me, Jaxx. ;)