Sunday, April 20, 2008

Marathon from another perspective


Marathon, originally uploaded by - di.

Privacy laws and etc create all kinds of problems for photographers unwilling to sprint after the subject and ask them to sign a release form ...

Sitting on the grass, pre-marathon, I liked this perspective and the idea that no releases were required.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice legs, but did you see the knees? All pulled up in stress! They need vacation, and soon!
Lut

Di Mackey said...

4 days until Turkey for you ...!

Shall I do a before and after photograph with your knees, Lut ;)

Veronica said...

They're running on public streets and you can't photograph them?

Interesting media laws...

Di Mackey said...

Lol, can you imagine me photographing 'them'???

I always zoom in and photograph 'him' or 'her' and it's when there is a single subject you start to get into trouble. Apparently if there are more than 3 in a public place, it's okay ...

Sigh, okay okay - I have read some but it is tiresome having to become a lawyer just to be able to take photographs.

I was complaining to Erin that I've been shouted at for photographing a fountain (public fountain) that had some kind of ownership restriction on it. I've been told there are some buildings and it has been suggested that graffiti is tricky because I wasn't the artist.

Mostly I carry on but perhaps I should go back to my notes and try and get through the pile of 'thou shalt nots' ...

The Littons said...

More on the legal aspects here.
The architect who designed the building where I work claims that no-one is allowed to take photographs of it (despite the fact that it's a public administration building and tourists pose in front of it every single day).

Anonymous said...

I'm afraid Di's correct: Belgian privacy/media laws in general stipulate:
[Dutch: 'Je mag geen personen fotograferen zonder hun toelating. Foto’s waarop personen geportretteerd zijn mogen niet gepubliceerd worden zonder voorafgaande toestemming.
Uitzondering: Foto’s gemaakt van publieke persoonlijkheden, op openbare plaatsen en bij actuele gebeurtenissen.']

English: permission is required to publish someone's personal photo. These restrictions do not apply for 'public personalities', for shots made at public gatherings or shots illustrating current events.

But still, it can be tricky if you look at all the details and exceptions.

In general, non-commercial low volume blogs published by non-professionals are hardly affected unless the subject really objects.

The Littons said...

Exactly, Peter. "These restrictions do not apply [...] for shots made at public gatherings". Therefore, if you're running a marathon, you're at a public gathering, and are therefore "fair game", no?

Di Mackey said...

'Fair game' indeed but my problem is that I'm always far more interested in the individual.

Occasionally you'll see me taking a group shot but I find them kind of boring so opting out and photographing the legs felt like an interesting 'take' on the crowd scene :)

But thanks guys, I was almost sure I was right.