Photographers and their legal rights

Groups and individuals can become touchy when you start snapping pictures in public places, or in places that are actually private but appear public. Almost every photographer who has shot pictures at a public event, or in mall, or on a crowded street, can attest to being confronted at one point or another.

Which begs the question – what are my rights as a photographer? The answer will vary from country to country (and perhaps even from region to region within your country) but in many democratic societies (such as the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, etc) will have similar laws.

It would be redundant for me to reprint or rehash the laws here, but since there are several good discussions already online, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t point you in the right direction. Here are some excellent resources and some topical discussion regarding your rights as a photographer.

Canada

Photography Laws in Canada (ambientlight.ca)
Photographers Rights @ Photojunkie

USA

The Photographer’s Right PDF (krages.com)
The Law, In Plain English, For Photographers

UK

Photographer’s Rights in the UK

Regardless of where you’re located, the most important points to stress are:

A) You have the right to take a photograph where ever you are, though you must remain aware if you are on private property (like in stores or malls) as this will require special permission.

B) Nobody has the right to confiscate your camera or ask you to delete a photograph. Once you’ve taken a picture, it is yours.

C) You can take pictures of anybody in public. Be aware of common courtesy however, and don’t hound people (that’s harrassment).