taking random shots of strangers?

Question

I for one, find it very hard to take photos of strangers, or just kids in the park. I mean, do you have to ask that person's permission if you could take his/her picture..? There are also times when that person doesn't know but after i take the picture, someone behind me will be staring at me oddly, thinking "is this person a stalker ?".
Help me please, this can probably boost my confidence as an aspiring photographer.

Answer 1

You can take anyone’s picture without their knowledge or consent adult or child. As long as their in a public place such as a city street, a park or most any place so long as they have no reasonable expectation of privacy. Generally if you have the right to be there you have the right to take photographs. The sources cited below will give you much more information. Have fun and take some great pictures.

Answer 2

That's a hard question - on one hand, if some random person wanted to take my picture, I'd want to be able to say 'yes' or 'no', and I'd want to know what the picture was for and who is taking it. Also, you don't want park security, a security camera, or a policemen getting involved because you look like a stalker...If you're just practicing with lighting and other camera features, I'd ask permission. It may be illegal not to.
However, children may not like a stranger taking pictures of them (many children don't like cameras, period), and the pictures will look more natural and interesting if the subject is just playing naturally, and not posing. And many people post images online of their vacations, photos for MySpace, or YouTube videos, in which people don't know they're being filmed, or at least aren't aware that the pics are being posted online. You probably wouldn't get in any serious trouble if you didn't ask permission.
I'd ask permission of the subjects, just to be on the safe side, but make sure you explain yourself and what the pictures are for, to make the subjects feel more comfortable.

Answer 3

Thank you!I am so glad to know I'm not the only one out there who likes to take pictures of random strangers.Me and my pals have worked out a system.They go near the people I want to photograph and pose,like I'm going to take a picture of them.I point the camera as if I'm going to,but I turn it away and take a picture of the random strangers instead.No one's noticed yet...You should try it,it really works.
This is a photo of James Dean I felt I had to share with another artist)

Answer 4

In the history of photography there are several photographers that you should take a look at for their candid street shots of Americans: Diane Arbus,Weegee, and Robert Frank. Although each photographer had a distinct style and method of photographing, each were able to overcome that taboo and natural aversion that most people have to photographing strangers in public and created bodies of work which have served as visual metaphors to the national character of Americans.
Regardless of laws concerning the legality of taking photos of people in public, it is a cultural taboo as well as an invasion of a persons private space to take their photo without their permission. However if you want a photo which is true to the character of that person then unfortunately you are going to have to divorce yourself from your cultural taboo's and take their photo. As you know people put on a facade when you ask permission to take their photo, immediately they will straighten up and put on a smile. Although this is totally fine for a photo album, if you are trying to create an image with meaning and cultural value then you are going to have to break the rules. Good art is often times not about being safe, it is about questioning the rules and values that we hold near and dear to our hearts and presenting to us, the public, a visual metaphor for who we are. On occasion a good image can change everything, it can even change a war. Just look at this photo by Eddie Adams http://www.yale.edu/yale300/democracy/may1text/images/Vietnamshooting.jpg Taking photos of executions is something which we find taboo in the United States, but this didn't stop Eddie Adams from taking this photo. In a way this photo was sort of the nail in the coffin in terms of our decision to pull out of Vietnam.
Although I doubt your photos will be ending wars, all images have power to them. If there is artistic merit to your vision and you believe this vision outweighs and transcends the negative aspects of invading someones privacy then by all means continue what you are doing. However, don't think for one second that you will never be confronted, at some point you will, it just goes with the territory. Maybe the reason why you don't have the confidence to continue photographing strangers is because you are in fact questioning the artistic integrity and merits of the photographs you are producing. If you believe in what you are doing, you won't need someone to tell you it is ok for you to continue what you are doing.
Below are some links that you should look at. I would suggest you look up Diane Arbus and Robert Frank if you get the chance, perhaps you can find confidence there.

Answer 5

You are allowed to photograph anyone if they are on public land. You have to be careful if photographing someone outside of a court for instance, but other than that you are breaking no laws.

Obviously you also use your common sense and if someone is looking at you strangely then i would not take their picture. Also, I dont think it is too wise in the current climate to photograph children in the park.

I think the bigger issue is how you itend to use the picture. As I work for a newspaper, my pictures are property of the paper and i tend to have wider access to subjects.

There is lots of information regarding photography laws on the net. Hope this helps a bit.

Answer 6

You should always ask for permission to shot them. If you are posting the pics on a website-- it is legally required.If you have a digital camera you can sometimes go up to them and show the picture you just took of them and get their okay,if they say no you can delete it in front of them.I've done this in the past and it works okay....

Answer 7

if a person is in a public place you can take their photo without their permission

however, it might be wise to ask first or otherwise use a telephoto lens from a safe distance

one world class art photographer who got started this way was Bill Henson

Answer 8

Not a wise idea to be taking pictures of people, especially if they're unaware of it or underage.