Street Photography & Getting Stopped
I want to start with a very important fact. I have been shooting for over 5 years seriously and for many more casually. In the last 3 years I have been doing this full time and shooting multiple times per week. Over the last 18 months or so I have been travelling and shooting in various locations. From Turkey to New York. From Porto to Abu Dhabi. In all this time I have only been stopped by a member of the public twice. By security, around 20 times mostly in the business districts of London. By police or officials, never. So although I am sharing some practical advice, chances are you might not even face this issue. But it is worth knowing.
Where are you?
The first thing you need to understand is where you are. If you’re shooting on a street in London, it’s very different to a shopping mall in Dubai. In some countries, it’s not wise discussing or arguing. Simply apologise, pretend you’re a dumb lost tourist and move on. Do your research.
Should you be there?
The next obvious question you need to ask yourself is should you be there. Did you knowingly (or unknowingly) enter a space where you know you shouldn’t be in?
Should you be taking photos there?
Equally you need to ask yourself whether you should be taking photos there or not. I don’t just mean whether it’s allowed or not. Consider whether photography might be questioned. For example inside an airport.
Who is around?
Finally who is around you? Although you might be in a public space, if you happen to be close to a playground or with kids nearby, you need to ask yourself whether walking round taking photos is smart.
By answering the above questions honestly, you put yourself in the best place to have a dialogue with whoever stops you. If you know you are in the clear, you have grounds to defend and reason your actions. However if you knowingly were taking photos somewhere that you know you shouldn’t, you don’t have a leg to stand on, so at least think how you can talk your way out of it.
Empathy
Even if you know you’re 100% in the green regarding location, you need to have empathy for the person who has stopped you. Most people do not even know what street photography is. Most people still assume that a professional camera means a professional photographer. So no wonder some might ask why you took their photo. Please have empathy for that and don’t be one of these arsehole street photographers who gets irritated and thinks it’s his or her right to photograph whatever they want.
Approached by general public
As mentioned earlier, many people don’t know what street photography is or why you took a photo of them or with them in the scene. If someone asks “did you just take my picture?”, the best way forward is honesty. Reply with something on the lines of “Yes I did, I am a local / travelling photographer and love to photograph this spot. I noticed you have a really cool dress, outfit, hat etc and it really compliments the scene. Do you want me to send you a copy?”
This will diffuse most scenarios. While you are talking remember to maintain open body language, smile and make sure you really listen to them. If they are still not happy, show them the photo. If they are still not happy and want it deleted, I would initially push back and try to resolve it through dialogue, showing them my work and explaining in more detail what I will do with the photo. If they still are not happy, then delete. Chances are it’s not a good photo and it might not be showing them the best light. Not worth ruining everyone’s day. Of course most don’t know that some cameras have dual card slots and that deleted files can be recovered so long as you don’t use that SD card till you recover.
Approached by private security guards
You will typically come across this in private areas or business districts. By private I don’t necessarily mean places off limits to the public. It could be any piece of land that is owned by a private company even if it’s a public right of way. With security guards you need to keep in mind that most of them are simply doing a job and were asked by their manager or CCTV operator to come and speak to you. Of course you will have a minority who think they are police with the power gone straight to their head. Personally I always explain that I am visiting the area because I was told it is great for photography. I am a hobbyist and I like photographing cities. I would also ask their opinion on where I should go and shoot. In most cases this would diffuse the situation and give their ego a boost because you asked for their opinion. At this point they will leave you alone. However if they insist on no photography, then you don’t really have a leg to stand on as ultimately it is their property. I can’t speak for every country but private security guards are just employees. Therefore they can’t demand you delete photos. They can simply ask you to stop taking photos or leave. In many cases you can simply come back another day or time when they have changed shifts. If asked whether you’re making money or using social media, just say no.
Approached by police & officials
This I can’t comment on from experience as I have never been stopped or questioned. I did give this some thought especially during my travels. When I am shooting in the UK or most of Western Europe, getting stopped by police or officials is very rare and usually they would need to suspect me of committing a crime. Therefore I would happily discuss with them why they have stopped me, show them photos and explain why I am of no threat. However if I am in other parts of the world, then I would simply apologise, explain I’m a tourist and not question or argue back. Police and officials in places like America, Middle East, Eastern Europe and further afield can be unpredictable. It’s just not worth the hassle for a picture.
I hope this blog has been helpful. I will end by saying ultimately your intentions are everything. If you have good intentions, empathy and respect, you will not face any real issues.