Street Photography Is Restricted… Now What?
Street photography has many sub genres and styles. From gritty documentary to fine art. Some photographers like myself prefer to hide faces however others only focus on people’s faces. In my opinion having identifiable people in photos is perfectly ok as long as the intentions are good. However more and more countries around the world now have laws which prohibit you from taking people’s photos without their specific consent. Obviously there is a lot of variability between countries. Some only prohibit it if you intend to publish online or in a book where’s others outright ban it. In some countries you might get a dirty look while in others you can get arrested. So in this blog we will have a discussion regarding this topic and I will share with you some things I personally do to make sure I don’t end up in hot water, especially when abroad. We will also discuss what type of photography we can do when we end up somewhere with strict laws. Of course if you don’t travel and you live in somewhere like the UK where you can take a photo of anyone then this blog is probably not for you. On the other hand if you are going to a new location and intend on doing photography in a public place, then do carry on reading.
Research
The first thing you need to do is research the local laws so you know clearly where you stand. Make sure to cross reference anything you found and check the dates as these laws can change frequently. For example when I was going to the Emirates, the law originally said that I can’t directly point my camera at people and take a photo of their face. But if i was taking a photo and someone walked into it, then it seemed ok. However earlier this year that changed to now include anyone who wanders into your photo. Further to this, you want to research any local customs or general do’s and don’ts. In some countries it might be common to tip anyone who’s photo you’ve taken while in other countries it is always best to ask first. This one might be difficult but try to find out how far you can bend any rules and what are the repercussions if you are caught. Let’s be honest if we are in a cool location, we have the best light, our intentions are good and we see an incredible photo, we can easily go into autopilot and start taking photos. So it would be good to know what to expect. In some countries people will just ignore you as they assume you’re a tourist while in other countries they can call the police on you. Travel photography, blogs and social media has been around long enough that you should be able to research these things before you go. Or better yet, find local photographers online and get their thoughts.
Adapt & change your approach
If you do find yourself somewhere that has such rules, then you will need to adapt your approach if you want to walk away with good photos. If you insist on having recognisable people in your photos or even take photos of people in close proximity then you will have to make that happen by either having a model with you, asking a stranger if they can be in the photo or even paying someone to be in your shot. For example my Dubai Creek photos included my mum as the model. My approach didn’t change, I was still looking for good compositions and light, but rather than waiting for someone to walk through and potentially get in trouble, I just got her to be the subject. This is the best way especially if you travel with your partner, family or friends. I guess another way of looking at it, is that you’re getting both cool street photos and memories of your loved ones.
Another thing you can do is ask random people to be in your photos thus getting their permission. This is generally OK and it’s exactly what happened in Abu Dhabi when my friend asked a local girl to walk through the scene and she was more than happy. However in some countries be prepared to pay people for their time. Especially if you’re going to a country where you are perceived as a wealthy westerner. Is there anything wrong with that? In my opinion no. You are helping locals financially, have creative control over the subject within the scene and don’t have the worry of them stopping you or seeing that you took their photo. I don’t want to burst your bubble but the majority of these ‘wow’ photos taken in Asia of a farmer crossing a bridge or the fishermen at sunrise are staged with the locals being paid. Now I know this might not sit well with some people… so if this is not your cup of tea then try to take photos where people are either silhouetted or their face is totally hidden. For example look at my style of photography… in most cases people are there to ground the image, provide a sense of scale and to have a familiar object for the viewer to connect to. Going a step further, who said you need to have any people in your photos? I know this will trigger some people but street photography does not need to have people in it. Focus on still life and on the beauty of the location.
I will be honest and say I am not the best at that, however a friend of mind Preet who’s based out in Dubai is great at this. His photos of Dubai have a street feeling yet don’t involve any people.
Summary
So in summary, if you’re going to a location where you have such privacy laws, then the best course of action is to research and adapt to fit within those rules. Sure now and then you can bend the rules a tiny bit but do your due diligence and read the room beforehand. If you do get stopped and someone asks to delete the photo, I always comply and delete especially if i am in a foreign country. You don’t know who they are and you don’t need the headache. Personally I can see both sides of the story however at the end it all comes down to respect and empathy.