On The Street

I really love street photography.

Most of the time people do not have a problem with me clicking away, now and again I will encounter someone who is really not too happy about me taking picture’s either of them, buildings or so called places of national security (i.e post office)!

Very often I will delete a picture if someone is polite, if they are aggressive or abusive, I will keep the shot.

And, I can and will keep it, in the UK there are photographers who earn their living taking pictures of famous people, many of whom would rather NOT have their picture taken. There is little that they can do about it! Many have tried and many have failed.

To the man in the picture who did not like me taking his picture he got the stock answer.

“I am in a public place, I am earning a living”!

What he fails to realize is that everywhere he goes he is being photographed, filmed and recorded, there is no way out if he is in the city, on the roads, even in bars, clubs and super markets, he IS being recorded.

I will continue to take photographs on his and your behalf. Because the moment that the law tells me I cannot. Then nor can he, nor can you. If this ever happens, you will be living in a police state.

Incidentally it would be so easy for me to covertly make images of everything I see. Overtly? Is there really a problem?

You may well find many argument to ‘protect’ your privacy or you may be like most people, who are simply not interested in a ‘street’ photographer.

It is very strange though. On the way home the bus driver was going too fast. The motorcyclist who overtook the bus on the A52 was riding dangerously. And, the young man who was driving his BMW at crazy speeds along the urban street, they all seemed to be endangering life. Either their own or possibly a young child or an old person crossing the road. Did anyone complain?

No, of cause they did not. Were they breaking the law? Possibly.

Does their carelessness impinge upon the right to live in a safe environment?

It does.

Does taking a picture of a stranger impinge upon his or her rights or freedom? ‘No’ it does not. The very fact I can and will continue to photograph people in public places, ensures the very freedom they, feel they have a right to protect.