Hi Ammit,
By the look of things the Bereau of Freelance Phatographers knows and understands that taking photographs in public places can be frowned upon.
It's not that you don't have the right to take photographs, it's that you don't have the right to take the wrong photographs.
In this day and age, there is heightened security for many reasons, but as the thread starter stated that he was taking photographs where there were children, this security is doubly heightened.
I think a quick phone call to the town hall in the right department, not to ask for permission, but to inform them what you intend to do (remembering to note the name of the person you speak to) goes a long way and after the first call, subsequent calls are easier because you get to know the person in the department.
As long as we understand why law officers, be them security guard, police officer or whatever, need to question photographers, then the whole process becomes more pleasant.
I hope you got some good shots and leave the address of the website so we can check out your work!
Best regards,
Steve
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ammit
Hi, i must say here that this is from the bfp site of which i am a paid up member (bfp) bureau or freelance photographers.
This is what the site says:
BFP acts to protect photographers' rights
As more than 200 MPs put their signatures to Austin Mitchell’s Early Day Motion condemning police harassment of photographers in public places, the Bureau of Freelance Photographers (BFP) launches a major initiative in an attempt to tackle the problem on the ground.
As part of its campaign for photographers’ rights, every UK member is being issued with the BFP “Blue Card” – a card that asserts photographers’ rights to take pictures in public places. The card may help members who find themselves being stopped from taking pictures in public places. In such circumstances, the Bureau feels that members may find it useful to show the card to the particular police officer, security guard or other official. The card is written in simple language; it is short and to the point and has been legally validated. It is small enough to be slipped into a camera bag or pocket.
But will it work? Will the card have the desired effect? BFP chief executive John Tracy says: “With the increasing number of photographers – both amateur and professional – being stopped by police officers from legitimately taking pictures, we felt we had to do something. We have written to the police, we have lobbied MPs, but ultimately, whether a photographer is prevented from taking pictures, is down to the individual officer on the ground. We feel that the card, if used with tact and discretion, may have the desired effect of emphasising to an officer the fact that photography in public places is a legitimate and, in 99 cases out of 100, legal activity.”
The organisation is asking members to “report back on their experiences of using the card – whether positive or negative”. John Tracy adds: “We will report on these experiences through the Newsletter and if the majority of members find that the card does help, all well and good. If, on the other hand, the majority find it doesn’t work, or even exacerbates the situation, we will report that too. “But personally, I don’t think the latter will be the case. I think it’s more likely that, in some circumstances, members will find the card helpful and, in other circumstances, they won’t.”
Meanwhile, the BFP campaign continues. We hope to be part of a delegation being put together by Austin Mitchell to see Home Office minister Tony McNulty to urge that clear instructions be issued “to make it clear that there is a right to take photographs in public places”.
I have the card mentioned but have never had to use it nor do i know of any new laws which forbid the taking of pictures in public places, as long as you have the concent of a unknown person that may be caught in the shot.
Ammit
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