MrPhotog

For these kinds of stories, you usually need to be the one buying the drinks. 😎

IDguy Loc: Idaho

I'm not interested in photographing people I don't know. People other than family only appear in my images for perspective or because I was too lazy to remove them. However I agree that people in public do not have right to privacy.

Klickitatdave Loc: Seattle Washington

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I'm sure y'all have heard the expression "comparing apples to oranges". Those are both fruits, they are round in shape and they are good to eat- they are not all that different. Some folks are comparing orange juice to motor oil - not a tasty mix and have very little to do with each other.

The average photo enthusiasts, fine art photograhers, or even most commercial photographers are not photojournalists or working news photographers. Of course, they all make photographs, photograph places, things, and people but the circumstances, ethics, conditions, and challenges they work under in entirely different. A photojournalist operating in a war zone, covering political or racial unrest in dangerous innercity conditions, shooting the aftermath of automobile accidents, fires, and disasters, and attending crime scenes and active police operations, is not "grandpa" taking pictures and birthday parties, the animals athe zoo and pretty flowers in botanical gardens. I can attest to this because, in my career and personal life, I have done BOTH."In my role as Grandpa or if I am out shootg for my own pleasure, I am not concerned with "the public's right to know" so I won't cross prohibitive lines, trespass, stomp across the flower beds, or disturb folks who don't want t be photographed. I ask permission. I have no editor breathing down my neck, no deadline, and a competitive news service to " out-scoop".

As a commercial photographer- well that is a very different ball of wax. The business and legal issues can be complex. If you are dealing with professional models, well know talent, high-profile sports figures,popular entertainers, and publishers, only God knows how many other legalities there are- many issues with model release forms, copyright, exclusivity royalties, advertising agencies, consumer-protection laws, property releases for certain locations. Do your homework and have a friendly neighborhood lawyer on retainer!

delder Loc: Maryland

A thought of mine:
My "Street Photography" is more focused on the OBJECTS I run into than the people who happen to wander through my scene.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Including some Pulitzer Prize winners.

GAH1944 Loc: SW Mich.

--------no expectation of privacy if they are in a public place-----------------

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Interesting that you should consider the "scene" to be yours rather than theirs. After meditation I believe the circumstance to be your picture of their scene,

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Interesting encapsulation of this entire discussion.

gwilliams6

Actually one of my colleagues at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Tom Gralish did win a Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for his photo story of homeless living on the streets of Philadelphia, and YES he did ask permission of those homeless people living on the streets.

I myself have won awards photographing life on the streets, and in every case I got permission to photograph my subjects on the street.

Know the facts. Responsible photojournalists and documentary photographers dont prey on street people for their stories, without getting permission. We are pledged to respect the human dignity of all our subjects .

I was an elected National Executive Board Member of the NPPA, the National Press Photographer's Association, and we have a code of ethics that govern all our still and video news photographers across the USA and their ethical behaviors as journalists.

And as a Six-time Pulitzer Prize Nominee and three times a finalist, I happen to know the Pulitzer board would never award a Pulitzer Prize to any photographer that didn't identify and have permission of their subjects ,unless it was covering a breaking news scenario where obtaining permission was not possible.

And BTW, Pulitzer Prizes in Photography are only awarded to work published in newspapers and legitimate news media, and no legitimate news media would run such a Pulitzer worthy street photo story without permission of the subjects, again unless it was a breaking news situation where obtaining permission isn't possible.

I love UHHers who dont really know the truth of what they presume to be so, LOL

Cheers and best to you.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Thanks for the lesson.

delder Loc: Maryland

I can tend to agree with your viewpoint.
My practice is to try to AVOID identifiable individuals in my general photograpy. I DO respect their right to be in the Public Spaces that I am photographing.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Schoee Loc: Europe

You have to remember that applies in a few countries but NOT everywhere