**I’m going to become a photojournalist, but am unsure of the rules. Can I photograph people on the street without their permission? What about children in a public place? Do I need to get their parents’ permission? And is it illegal to photograph police doing their job?
**
The general rule is that anyone can photograph or video another person in a public place, as long as there is not a reasonable expectation of privacy. You can’t take photos, for example, in a public changing area. Nor can you photograph anywhere where your presence would ruin the enjoyment of others.
This might include photographing lovers over a candlelit meal in a restaurant. You need to have a legitimate reason for taking the photos. In your case, a genuine photography project would be fine.
As for children, this is a sensitive issue, so I would seek permission of a parent or guardian. You cannot take photos in a playground or classroom without the school’s permission. You also cannot use any photos you take
of people for commercial purposes, like a travel brochure, without negotiation.
As for the police, you are free to film police doing their job in a public place or with a landowner’s permission, but your presence cannot hinder their work.
You need to be extremely careful that your photo doesn’t show a member of the public in a light they might consider defamatory, such as seemingly being arrested, when they were not.
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