As a keen amateur photographer, it is always good to know your rights regarding where, what and who you can and can’t photograph in public. There are many questions unanswered, such can you photographic people in public or on private land, and the law regarding police and security. Below is a helpful guide on photography and the law that I have put together which may answer some of the questions you have and help you snap away at ease.
Do you need to get permission to take photos of people in public places?
You would more than likely not be breaking any laws when taking photos of people in public places, but be aware that the UK laws are very uncertain regarding this matter . I would advise you that everyone has the right to a private life so show a little respect when photographing people in public.
Further information can be found on the Equality & Human Rights Commission website.
Copyright and trademarks
There is nothing worse as a photographer than someone stealing your shots without your permission. I would suggest that you have a copyright mark to protect your images, as this will stop people stealing your photos without permission to use it or to take credit for it. You can add a copyright mark to your images on Photoshop on a similar photo editing package.
Did you know that it is illegal take a picture of a bank without having written permission from the bank?
Further information regarding copyright you can visit the UK Copyright Service website
Public or private land?
You do not need permission or a permit to take photos in a public place, so the next time someone tries to tell you otherwise you can set them straight. You can also shoot an image of a private building as long as you stand on public land. Please be aware though that some public places have bylaws preventing commercial photography, such as Trafalgar square, Parliament Square and some Royal Parks. If you are just taking photography for pleasure and there is no commercial gain, you have the right to snap away. This does not mean you won’t get stopped on a street corner because you have a SLR camera. Although, if this was to happen I would advise you to be polite, but also be aware of your rights. If you’re on private land taking images and the owner asks you to leave then you should leave or this would be classed as trespassing. They are also allowed to use reasonable force to get you off their land, but this doesn’t include grabbing or smashing your kit. It is also a crime to commit trespassing on railways or military property.
Taking photos on public transport?
Trains – If you want to take photos at train stations for personal use, then that is fine. However, if you want to take images for commercial use then you would need to contact the train operator beforehand to obtain permission. Flash photography is banned on trains in both cases.
The Tube/metro – Again, you can take photographs for personal use, but if you wish to spend more than 15 minutes or want to sell them, you would need to apply for a permit via the tube operator and no flash is allowed.
Planes – All airports are classed as private property and the usual restrictions apply. You can take photos for personal use in the terminal lounges only. Most airports do have viewing areas outside the airport boundaries so can you take images of aircrafts.
Further information can be found here
Do police have the right to stop you from taking photos?
Police in the UK have no right or power to stop you taking photos in a public place, but there are other laws that they then can stop and arrest you for such as the official secrets act.
Further information about the police and photography can be viewed on the Metropolitan Police website
Further information
http://photographernotaterrorist.org/bust-card/
The law does change frequently so it’s always worth doing further reading regarding the law just to ensure you have the most up to date information. The last thing you want is to be unaware of a certain situation until its too late.