Know your rights! Taking photographs in public spaces

If you’re taking photographs in public spaces in the city and someone tries to stop you (for example, a security guard of a building you’re trying to photograph), know your rights! Familiarize yourself with “The Photographer’s Right” by Attorney Bert Krages. Carry a printout of it with you and politely explain to the person stopping you.

Here is information about shooting photos/videos on NYC subways, which includes the legal and the practical and common sense. There will be NYPD/passengers who don’t know the law and NYPD who will ignore it and informed students should be ready to deal with that possibility.

That said, if you meet continued resistance despite having politely explained your rights, especially from the police, please back down immediately and calmly leave the situation. Common sense should always prevail and your first priority is to remove yourself from any dangerous or threatening situation. You can always blog about it and/or tell your professor or ITF about it afterward.

One thought on “Know your rights! Taking photographs in public spaces”

  1. This summer I was yelled at by a barber for photographing his store, but I couldn’t find any resources spelling out my rights. Thanks for finding these!

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