Photography Ethics

[Anne112]

Something happened to me a few days ago in downtown Omaha. I have had traumatic life events happen to me lately, so I was crying walking in an area with no one around on my way to the downtown area.
I wasn't having a fit, just crying to myself, so Im surprised anyone noticed. I see a car with some young adults stop at the building in front of me, so I was going to cross the street. I just decided to compose myself and look away. This arrogant, self absorbed, insensitive girl dressed like Punky Brewster or trying to accomplish that "artsy" look I guess..with a camera starts pointing a camera and when I gave her a nasty look, her friends (dressed conservatively) looked embarassed and apologized. Being a photographer myself, I saw her take the photo and hear the clicks. I don't believe I looked homeless and was dressed in conservative JCrew/Gap style. I did not want to stand out, and I definitely did NOT want my photo taken at that time. My question is: Do you think it is ethical to photograph people without their consent? Especially if they have fallen on hard times? I have no respect for people who do this, and it really shows me they are more concerned about their career and image instead of showing sensitivity to their subjects.

[Coyote]

Good question. Even the Paparazzi have been taken to court over ethical lines (taking pictures of famous people's kids), but when you are in the public, I think anything is fair game (unless you are Randy Johnson in NY) ... even if you are on private property and the picture is taken from a public place. The only other recent case has been taking pictures on National Parks endangered(?) areas (can't remember the exact locations...) for commercial uses.

[Anne112]

suppose i should feel flattered:) thanks for the reply. As photographers and artists, i was just wondering if you would still have respect for this kind of person. Even if it produced a great image.

[Coyote]

suppose i should feel flattered:) thanks for the reply. As photographers and artists, i was just wondering if you would still have respect for this kind of person. Even if it produced a great image.

I think the works of most photojournalist are trying to 'paint' a story, that would be lost except for that image, even in the moments of tragedy. There was a recent pic of a white man embracing an African-American youth neighbor after a tornado, an epic picture taken in a moment of great suffering, only to tell a story if compassion. There are vivid photos of victims of the holocaust... Starving thousands in Africa...

There are good lawyers, and ambulance chasers. There are good photojournalists and those who... Just add a profession...

[jessep28]

If the photographer and subject are in the public right of way, I would assume that anything is fair game. There's very little expectation of privacy in such a setting. However, it would be the professional courtesy of the photographer to ask the subjects' consent before taking or publishing a photograph.

[Anne112]

Thanks for the thoughts. Exactly what I was thinking, but couldn't find the words: "Ambulance Chasers" Someone on here wrote that it wasn't against the law. Well, of course not, but it's obvious ethics and the law are not the same thing.

Enjoy your weekend!

[Linkin5]

If you're out in public you are fair game, no question.

[iamjacobm]

If you're out in public you are fair game, no question.

Unless your a building obviously.

[Candleshoe]

If you're out in public you are fair game, no question.

I had some time to kill last July at the Adams County Fair and took some "street candids" of some of the people who were strolling through the fairgrounds. I then posted half a dozen of the more interesting ones to the "Nebraska Through The Lens" group on Facebook. My criteria was that they should have some sort of the event and how people dress or hang out at a county fair. I got tons of good comments and a lot of shares and tags from people who recognized their friends. By and large, it was a pretty popular posting until one thirty something female who was standing in the queue for a concert along with a dozen or more identically dressed younger ladies (short shorts and cowgirl boots) accused me of perving her. Why she singled herself out of the crowd I don't know, but she thought it was borderline criminal. Next thing you know, the thread got deleted. An admin of the site messaged me that he saw nothing wrong with the set, but didn't want any drama to get started...

Still, I love good street candids that tell a story or capture a moment and will continue to take them. I'll just be more selective where I share them.

[Coyote]

If you're out in public you are fair game, no question.

I had some time to kill last July at the Adams County Fair and took some "street candids" of some of the people who were strolling through the fairgrounds. I then posted half a dozen of the more interesting ones to the "Nebraska Through The Lens" group on Facebook. My criteria was that they should have some sort of the event and how people dress or hang out at a county fair. I got tons of good comments and a lot of shares and tags from people who recognized their friends. By and large, it was a pretty popular posting until one thirty something female who was standing in the queue for a concert along with a dozen or more identically dressed younger ladies (short shorts and cowgirl boots) accused me of perving her. Why she singled herself out of the crowd I don't know, but she thought it was borderline criminal. Next thing you know, the thread got deleted. An admin of the site messaged me that he saw nothing wrong with the set, but didn't want any drama to get started...

Still, I love good street candids that tell a story or capture a moment and will continue to take them. I'll just be more selective where I share them.

The admin on that group can be a little sensitive and defensive... especially when people post pics of Nebraska hunting expeditions...

[Linkin5]

If you're out in public you are fair game, no question.

I had some time to kill last July at the Adams County Fair and took some "street candids" of some of the people who were strolling through the fairgrounds. I then posted half a dozen of the more interesting ones to the "Nebraska Through The Lens" group on Facebook. My criteria was that they should have some sort of the event and how people dress or hang out at a county fair. I got tons of good comments and a lot of shares and tags from people who recognized their friends. By and large, it was a pretty popular posting until one thirty something female who was standing in the queue for a concert along with a dozen or more identically dressed younger ladies (short shorts and cowgirl boots) accused me of perving her. Why she singled herself out of the crowd I don't know, but she thought it was borderline criminal. Next thing you know, the thread got deleted. An admin of the site messaged me that he saw nothing wrong with the set, but didn't want any drama to get started...

Still, I love good street candids that tell a story or capture a moment and will continue to take them. I'll just be more selective where I share them.

That's too bad, I really like candid shots of people out in public, especially when you look back on those pics decades later.

It seems like there's always that crazy person that is constantly on the defense and jumps to the worst case scenario.