London Eye

[IainGlasgow]

Does anyone know if its true that the London Eye is protected property and therefore you cannot sell any photographs of it? I have been advised as such by (an American) stock photography website to which I submitted a photo of it at sunset.

I was under the impression that in the UK you can photograph and sell a photograph of anything (except of identifiable people, which requires a model release or something like a military installation - don't want any of us to end up in Guatanamo Bay lol) you take from a public place, including buildings even if they are on private land although if you are on private land you may need permission of the landowner to take photographs. Only architectural drawings are copyright protected. I took the photo from Westminster Bridge which I'm fairly certain is public thoroughfare.


There's alot of talk just now in photography circles about people being cautioned or moved on by police or security guards for taking photos in the street (and in some cases even asked to produce a licence to take photographs which apparently is not required nor does such a thing exist), even thought they are doing nothing wrong and their activities are perfectly legal. Generally its people with professional looking cameras and tripods rather than those using compact cameras or mobile phones that are being picked on.

I'll point out that security guards have no authority to confiscate cameras, film or memory cards or order you to delete photographs and if they attempt to do so that is assault. Infact as ordinary citizens they have no more powers than anyone else. Only the police can do that and only if they have reasonable grounds for suspition.

[IainGlasgow]

Further to my last post there is anecdotal suggestion that the UK Government is considering legislation that would make significantly restrict the taking of street photography and documentary photography (whatever that means exactly). There are however no official government sources that have alluded to such legislation as far as I'm aware but given some of the authoritarian laws we've had introduced by this government it would not be much of a surprise if it was brought through.

There is a petition against this at Petition to: Stop proposed restrictions regarding photography in public places.

I am not certain if such a law would be UK-Wide or only apply in England, perhaps someone more knowledgeable in legal matters can clarify for us.

[Tarambanacs]

HI Iain,

I'm no expert on the matter but I think you can sell photographs of the London eye - if you go to any stock shot library like alamy you'll find hundreds of them for sale. Also I work for an ad agency as an Art Director (while I try to make the jump into photography) and we have used some ads with photos of the London eye .....

Osc

[SteveF]

As I understand it, the law in the UK says that you are allowed to take pictures in public places but.

If you/your equipment causes an obstruction then you can be moved along by the police or security agents. Public liability insurance also comes into this equation and they can use the lack of it as reason to move you along as well.

Although you can take pictures of private property from a public place, as in a building/structure/animal etc., in order to use the images commercially they will need to be property released in the same way that pictures of people need to be model released.

As for permits to take pictures, that's at least partially true. We don't see much of it up here in the cold dark North, but it is a fact that in some parts of London, Trafalgar Square and the Royal Parks for instance, you can't take commercial pictures without a licence. They are obtainable and expensive. This isn't my own experience, just something I happened across whilst doing some research.

[M-i-t-c-h]

Slightly OT but i herd somewhere that the London Eye is the second most photographed landmark in the world, second to the pryamids.
I think it was based on photographs published, via flickr etc....

[octdigg]

I wouldnt be suprised if you cant take photographs of the london eye. Just in the same way you 'cant' take photos of the underground. However, i've never seem them doing much to stop you though!

[hank_freid]

You know that i have been working in an office where image processing is done. I saw many photographs of the london eye. our company has its library. And they are in favor of selling it but it is 4th month when no client is there. So you are requested to place your collection on net for sale. I did like this and all photographs have been sold