Okay time for a another stupid question from me

If i'm out and about shooting like I do and I get a stranger in shot is it okay to use that shot without their permission? I thought I had a handle on these reading your articles and stuff but have just been told NO and i'm confuddled again. please help a bear with very little brain. Is this just a know it all (not from here BTW in the real world) who just wants to make out they know it all or did I get the wrong end of the stick as they say??? Thanks :banana

 

I get really confused as well but it depends what you want to use the photo for. If it's for your own personal use, it's fine. If you want to put it on a stock market then it would help to have a model release but not necessary. As long as your not infringing their privacy then it should be ok. The only difference would be if it's a child then it gets to a gray area so i just avoid any children i don't know getting in my shots.

 

Thanks Sarah,
I do know about the kids laws as I'm CRB checked myself (used to work in a school and I until recently co managed a girls football team). It's just the general people i get confused over. Mind you I don't know how everyone else gets on but I get fed up with getting everything ready for a shot only to have people come and stand in front of you! Okay london you expect it but not in our local park! Agghhhh we seems to have a lot of Russian people appearing round here who all want to ask questions in russian?!!! Wouldn't mind but i'm down to using a little point and click until I get my camera replaced so what is so interesting I have no idea as they speak no English! Maybe they were telling me I had stood in something awful?
I shall have to sort out some model release forms to stash in my bag just in case, thanks

 

Asking this on the Amateur Photographer forums will get a more accurate answer but for people out and about I think the rule is that if, for example, you have a 'picture of man waiting for bus', that is fine. The issue is if you misrepresent what he was up to. I could sell this without a model release form: http://www.flickr.com/photos/reactivefilm/2378523306/]web page but could not say it is, for example a homeless woman on drugs.

 

Gosh how quickly things move on and change eh! I mean the post I made, LOL. Loved your shot by the way, tend to get a bit too involved with people in london (nearly was there myself as a kid). Would end up giving away everything I had on me but the shot really gave me a tear in my eye.

 

Not sure if you are still looking for an answer, but as far as Im aware as long as you are not on private property and as long as the person is not eh main focus of the photo then it is okay to do what you want with the image