Street Photography in Baguio City, Philippines.

I've been really working on my street photography for the past few months. Reading articles, blogs , watching street photographers on youtube , anything to help me shoot better photos in the street. I can't seem to find interesting things in my local city (which is Makati) mainly because I don't travel really far, It's very very hot outside. So I tried street photography in baguio.

Baguio City is located in Northern Luzon, a very high place, and we all know that high places are cold (or atleast cool). Session Road, Burnham park, and anywhere near that area are the most places I have shot street photography. I didn't find much, sometimes it is just too busy.

 Here's one from Session road. I was shooting from the waist (or hip) and randomly pointing my crotch to random people. I was clicking and clicking until my mind went nuts. I saw a wave of interesting people, and I was sprayin and prayin . I came home and found only a few workable photos.

After a while, that feeling went away and I can't seem to find anything interesting..

Walking back home, I tried to look for interesting people, and I did, and they are posters. I took this next pic at Leonard wood road (if I am not mistaken). Most people that saw this photo said that this was ironic, and I loved their comments because it told my audience a story , there is something that they understand .

After 7 days of staying in Baguio, I wasn't satisfied with the experience of shooting street photography. Maybe it is either I was still afraid , I lack confidence or there is not much places  to go to . But I was confident that I will have a few good photographs that I will get to take home .

Shooting street photography in Baguio is not that difficult or unsatisfying, it totally depends on the photographer. I was only equipped with a Canon 1100D with a 50mm f1.8 lens or my Kit lens, and sometimes I'll use my friends Yashica electro 35 GTN rangefinder (I haven't still developed my film). For me, I didn't find Baguio city a paradise for street photography.... At least not yet I don't.

I'M COMING BACK !!








Here's a few I took from Baguio.

Hayaan mo akong dumaldal #1

Gusto ko lang mag type.

Wala, gabi na eh. at ano laman ng utak ko ? Marami-raming bagay din kaso yung iba hindi pwedeng sabihin dahil maraming batang marunong nang mag basa at ayoko silang maimpluwensyahan.

 4.20 (or April 20) ko ito sinusulat, yes , special day today ! Worldwide event daw yun eh , kaso hindi nga lang sabay mag 4.20 yung dalawang sides. haha so close !
Tulad ng sabi ko, dumadaldal lang ako. wala namang point yung pag type ko kundi mailabas lang yung nasa utak. Unti unti na kong nagiging madaldal ULIT, sa dami ba naman ng tinatago ko eh , isa na yung kapangitan ng buhay. 

Alam mo yung "Smile, it's just a bad day, not a bad life"  ? Eh paano naman ung mga nakidnap at naging slaves na. yung mga unang panahon, naisip siguro ng ilan un eh kaso baka di nila maikalat kasi nga nakakulong sila or talagang sira na yung buhay nila.

17 palang ako, at mejo ramdam ko na na ang pangit ng kalalabasan ng buhay ko pag tanda ko. pero naisip ko rin ng onti na baka mood swing lang toh, ewan ko. May ilang taon pa ako para alamin kung saan ako pupunta, marami pa akong gagawin at aaralin. 

Speaking of pag aaral, nalimutan kong kainin ung nilagay ko sa ref. LOL, ano connect ? Kahapon ko pa iniisip kung ano bang magandang ilagay sa blog. di naman pwedeng everyday life ko with pictures, parang facebook na din yun. Kailangan ko pang magresearch ? Kasi naman pag nagtanong sa iba, parang iba iba talaga yung sagot.

Gusto ko lang naman talaga ma share yung photography ko , eh kaso nga lang mukhang mas masaya kung may halong kwento... ganun nalang kaya ? hmmm. ayos yun ! hahahahaha

Oh well, dumaldal lang ako. sorry . hahaha masusundan pa ito ng napaka raming random daldalan mag isa. Wala rin makausap eh. haha yung ka vibes talaga na malaliman. 

HAPPY 4.20 ! One Love tayo ah !

What is Street Photography (Re Defined)

Everybody is a photographer these days because of the easy access to cameras. There are phone cameras, webcams, and iPods that has cameras, CCTV cameras. And there are many ways to share these photos that many take, like instagram, facebook, twitter, tumblr and many more. Some of the photographs that trend the internet are those random inspirational people or poor people on the streets, some are just fascinating places , tourist spots.


What is street photography ? That question will have multiple answers from multiple people. Some may say it is an act of taking candid photos of people, some may say it is to capture the beauty of the streets because it tells a person a story based on what is on the image.

By Eric Kim

There are many definitions of street photography from people who practice it. For me, Street photography is the act of taking photographs of the public in candid. But let's not base the definition just from myself, Eric Kim, an international street photographer, also gave street photography a definition, he said:

"If I could define street photography, I would define it as the act of taking photos of people in public urban areas in a candid manner"

-  Eric Kim (Street Portraits vs Street Photography)

My definition may seem similar to what Eric Kim stated, it is because he has been an inspirational street photographer to me. Besides giving the definition of street photography, there are things that one must remember in order to capture a true or meaningful street photograph.

Capturing the decisive moment. You also have to think about the timing of the image, Is the scene there? Is the composition right ? of course you can't capture a light trail of cars if the cars are not in motion.

By Eric Kim

Emphasis. For art students like myself know this very well. you have to emphasize your subject in order for your viewer to understand who or what you have captured. 

Imagine a photograph of a market, The vendors and the buyers are in one image then the photographer starts to talk about his image saying lots and lots of things about one specific vendor, and we all went like "whhhaaaat?". It's because he did not gave emphasis on that vendor, what if his image was just the vendor itself, nothing else, then we would understand things better. 

Colors, depth of field, and light rays, can be used to emphasize an object in your image.

Black and White. According to many (if not most) street photographers, a street photograph must be in black and white, and that is one of the rules and shooting street photography. Well honestly, you don't have to use black and white BUT it may be less dramatic or the colors are just too distracting or irritating. Black and white may also be useful in hiding the ISO noise. 

There are many things that a street photographer must think about. A photograph of a fire hydrant is not street photography, but if it includes children playing with spilling water from the hydrant, then there is more story. 

By Eric Kim

Street photography is difficult to define by words, but by heart, it is already defined. To me, basically, Street photography is taking photographs of people giving me a unique feeling, a different kind of story, the mundane, the everyday life of a particular type of person, or something just captures my attention in the public.

you may have a different definition, but it does not make you wrong. for as long as you love what you do, there's no one that can tell you otherwise.

Final Draft of The Research Paper

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

AND ITS PUBLIC AND PRIVACY ISSUES

A Research Paper Presented to

Mr. Dustin Celestino of The English Resource Center

Asia Pacific College

Magallanes, Makati

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Course

RESWRIT-Research Writing

Romar De Guzman

February 2013

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the study

Street photography is a popular art form. However, there are no guidelines with regards to how street photographers should behave. The techniques used in taking photographs by street photographers are very instinctual or strategic because street photographers know that they may offend their human subject. Most guidelines that can get as close to how street photographers behave is how street photographers should take the photo. These guidelines are written only by street photographers, not by any government agencies. (http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2011/05/how-to-become-an-invisible-street-photographer/  )

The natural beauty of public places encourages street photographers to shoot more and more photos. Eric Kim, a blogger and a famous street photographer, stated his reason why he shoots street photography; his reason, “The beauty in the mundane”. On the other hand, people in the public do not have any encouragement to be taken photos by random people. But they are not suppose to complain aggressively, No one should expect privacy in a public place. (http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2012/11/why-do-you-shoot-street-photography/)

A protest against banning street photography happened on the United Kingdom, Oliver Laurent was the author of an article about this protest. The protesters wrote letters, made videos, and of course photographed themselves out of the banning of street photography. Events like these should be fairly protested against and supported with complete respect and knowledge of law. As one can learn from the article Oliver laurent wrote, it was obvious that they wanted a peaceful end to this contradiction. [ http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2047154/photographers-gather-protest-public-photography-restrictions ].

Another article related to the banning of street photographers in the UK was about the home office and the British Security Industry Association publishing a new set of guidelines for security guards. Stated in the article that A photographer cannot be stopped when taking pictures in public. A few guidelines were related to the rights as a street photographer. [ http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2123186/-security-guards-prevent-street-photography-home-office ]

In the Philippines, Laws against street photography do not exist. There are no legally written guidelines and/or restriction in taking photos in public from the government. However, there are strict rules in taking photographs of the Malacañang Palace, which is very understandable. In some malls, mild restrictions are practiced but reasons are not very well stated. Some photographers just empathize and assume that it was about copy rights of some stores. (http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/showthread.php?23538-Photography-Law-in-Philippines) 

In spite of all the complaints of people about street photographers and the manner of taking pictures, some still manage to continue and still be motivated to work. When outside and in public, there are no legal ways to attack or to sue a street photographer unless there is harassment involved between the two. Street photographers also know that they should be either be friendly or invisible to their subject. However, security guards still apprehend street photographers and keep the area safe as if they were criminals. Irritating it may be but street photographers are also considered public people, therefore they are also affected of what may and what may not happen in public.

Aside from tackling different topics about street photographers and the people of the public’s complaint about some, this research will focus on the characteristics that street photography have that the public has concerns

B. Statement of the problem

This study aims to answer the question:

1.       What are the characteristics that street photography have that the public has concerns

C. Significance of the study

Amateur Street photographers. This research would provide information about their rights. The knowledge that they would acquire with the help of this research would improve their abilities to produce photographs. An amateur photographer knows how to shoot but probably in a unplanned manner. usually they give their subject an awkward feeling , thus leading into a conflict .

Beginner Street photographers. This research would let them know about what not to do and what to do properly in a given situation. The research may also encourage them in taking street photography because they would know that there are rights and they wouldn't be afraid in taking photos in public.

Citizens/People in public places. Knowledge of what street photographers may or may not do could be very helpful but may also encourage insecurity.  The people would be able to understand and reconsider street photography because of what it can do to the society.

D. Scope and Delimitation

 The research focuses on the issues regarding privacy such as voyeurism and other related acts within street photography. It will discuss how this has transformed street photography and the some laws and/or rights of a photographer.

The research would discuss mainly on street photography and the problems with public. As the research goes on, it will slowly progress into a deeper study. Unlocking the information on how did the rights as a photographer evolve and how street photography has change the eyes of a few (if not most) photographers. The research would provide help among the beginner and the amateur photographers, it may also include some professionals if they aren't used to taking street photographs.

F. Materials and methods

This research would depend on some websites , people's reactions and stories, and blogs of well known street photographers. If not taken from magazines or tabloids, The internet may be the only source of this research.

This research will start off by introducing photography and then street photography, then slowly progressing into answering the statement of the problem. In between the research, breaking down the topic and discussing each will be helpful for the audience for an easy understanding of the research.

E. Definition of Terms

Voyeurism:  a perversion in which a person receives sexual gratification from seeing the genitalia of others or witnessing others' sexual behavior.

Amateur: n. A person who engages in a pursuit, esp. a sport, on an unpaid basis

                 adj. Engaging or engaged in without payment; nonprofessional

Beginner: A person just starting to learn a skill or take part in an activity.

Chapter 2

DISCUSSION

What are the characteristics that street photography have that the public has concerns?

The Nature of Street photography.

                In the past years during street photography is getting popular, it s getting hard to define what street photography is. Eric Kim, An International street photographer, wrote a blog about what street photography is, and of course it’s definition. He wrote:

"There is not one definition which defines street photography. Depending on who you ask or where you find your information, you will come upon conflicting responses. Some street photographers will say that it is about capturing the emotion and expressions of people, while others may put a higher emphasis on the urban environment.."

(http://erickimphotography.com/blog/about/what-is-street-photography/)

                Many street photographers would agree that it is very hard to define what street photography is. At the end of Eric Kim’s blog post, he simplified the idea of what street photography is , he wrote:

“Simply put, the main focus of street photography is taking the everyday and the mundane and making it into something unique and beautiful.”

(http://erickimphotography.com/blog/about/what-is-street-photography/)

                Now that the idea of street photography was given, how should a street photography look like? Most would say it should be candid, which means that a street photographer cannot ask for permission to take a photo of a person. There is a little discussion or debate (as some may say) on Eric Kim’s blog about the difference of street photography and street portraiture in which Eric is trying to differ one from another. He wrote:

“When I think of street portraiture, I would say that it is included under the general category of street photography–but it is its own sub-sect. Therefore the two are not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, I would further categorize street portraiture in two sections as well: posed vs candid.”

(http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2011/03/street-portraits-vs-street-photography-whats-the-difference/)

                Though street portraiture is different from street photography, it still falls in the same category because the said idea of street photography is still practiced. Eric Kim also stated that street photography should be done in candid, meaning, a street photographer does not have to ask permission for a photograph from the subject, unlike street portraiture. Eric Wrote:

“If I could define street photography, I would define it as the act of taking photos of people in public urban areas in a candid manner. This means that when it comes to street photography, you don’t ask your subjects to pose for you.”

(http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2011/03/street-portraits-vs-street-photography-whats-the-difference/)

                Now, with or without the permission of the person being photographed, it is street photography. However, because of this idea, it may become an issue sometimes. When the person being photographed notices the street photographer, he or she may complain about his or her privacy. To fully understand what privacy is, here is couple of definitions.

Here is one from cyberlawcentre.org :

“Privacy may be defined as the claim of individuals, groups or institutions to determine when, how and to what extent information about them is communicated to others (Westin AF, Privacy and Freedom New York: Atheneum, 1967, page 7).

 "Privacy is your right to control what happens with personal information about you.”

(http://www.cyberlawcentre.org/genl0231/privacy.htm)

Here is another from Santa Clara University :

“Privacy has many meanings. The most general is freedom from interference or intrusion, the right "to be let alone," a formulation cited by Louis Brandeis and Samuel Warren in their groundbreaking 1890”

(http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/technology/internet/privacy/what-is-privacy.html)

                            No one should expect privacy in a public place. Even if they were expecting and they call on the police, there is no law that prevents photography in a public place. Street photographers obviously know about this kind of issues, some actually act as if they were shooting someone or something else just so it would not be too obvious.

                            Thomas Leuthard was asked how he manages a situation when he feels that he has disturbed his subject. He stated :

“Somehow you are always a disturbance when you are approaching people with your camera. You may be able to pretend to shoot something else. You may can hide in the masses of people. Sometime people really don’t see you, but most often they do. So take your shot and don’t hang around. The more you look at someone, the more questions come up”

(http://121clicks.com/interviews/interview-with-street-photographer-thomas-leuthard)

However, when approached by a law enforcer, a street photographer must know his rights. This proves that a street photographer taking photographs in a public place is not doing anything wrong. The Following statements are from the ACLU (America Civil Liberty Union) :

“Taking photographs of things that are plainly visible from public spaces is a constitutional right – and that includes federal buildings, transportation facilities, and police and other government officials carrying out their duties.”

(http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/know-your-rights-photographers)

                                               

                There are rights to support street photography, therefore it is not illegal nor a violation of one’s privacy. It is merely an art form that includes the candid moments of the everyday life of people. One may complain about the disturbances that a street photographer made, but there are no law to prevent street photography.

               

 THE PUBLIC’S CONCERN.

                In the modern years, there are many situations where people consider some acts as street photography. One for example is surveillance is considered street photography according to Sean O’hagan.  He wrote:

“In one way, then, we are all street photographers now, but we are also the most-photographed and filmed global population ever. In Britain, our city centres and public buildings are monitored 24/7 by surveillance cameras, while security cameras track us in car parks, supermarkets, football stadiums, hotels and as we enter and leave our places of work.”

(http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/apr/18/street-photography-privacy-surveillance)

                The art of street photography does not actually violate any privacy, but for example sake that it does violate some sort of privacy, Surveillance violates a different kind. However, surveillance has a benefit in return which is safety. There may be some people who uses street photography as an excuse to hide the act of voyeurism. A statement from allengeorge.com that explains how some people uses street photography to voyeur. It states:

“Notice how the photos remind you of paparazzi shots: how, close-cropped, they exclude everything but their central subject; how the long lens flattens perspective and blurs surroundings, excluding context altogether; how you can feel the distance, the women as specimens. To me, this can never be street photography”

(http://www.allengeorge.com/2008/06/09/street-photography-is-not-voyeurism/)

                Agreed that it is most certainly not street photography, but when a person is equipped with a camera and points it at a person, he or she may easily say that he is a street photographer. Giving voyeurism a description would be difficult, for it has many levels of intensities. Nonetheless, it is still voyeurism. According to google, voyeurism means:

“a perversion in which a person receives sexual gratification from seeing the genitalia of others or witnessing others' sexual behavior”

                But of course, this is not street photography. BUT some may use street photography as an excuse which is a concern with regards to the public who is unknowing of this act. Privacy does not only involve a person’s sexual organs, it also involves personal information. Again, as cyberlawcentre.org stated :

“Privacy may be defined as the claim of individuals, groups or institutions to determine when, how and to what extent information about them is communicated to others (Westin AF, Privacy and Freedom New York: Atheneum, 1967, page 7).
 Privacy is your right to control what happens with personal information about you.”

(http://www.cyberlawcentre.org/genl0231/privacy.htm)

                Therefore, a person pretending to be a street photographer or a surveillance camera may not only target what is hidden beneath one’s clothes, but also target the facial identity, the ID card around the neck, or even the person’s home address.

Chapter 3

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS

 AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY

                                This research attempts to identify the characteristics that street photography have that concerns the public. The procedure of this research uses articles from multiple articles written by different photographers. The research findings are the following:

1.       Street photographer may or may not include human subjects in their photograph. They still acknowledge privacy concerns with their subject whether it is a building, a person, or a landscape.

2.       There are no such laws to prevent street photography but there may be specific guidelines from establishments because they are already considered private property wherein street photography may not be performed.

3.       Violation of privacy may not only come from people with cameras but also from places like dressing rooms and restrooms at private places because of security and safety reasons.

4.       Street photographers give considerations when their human subjects want their photo to be deleted. But it is still up to the photographer for there is no obligation for a photographer to delete photographs when approached by anyone asking for such deletion.

CONCLUSIONS

                Based on the information collected by the research, the following conclusions are made:

1.       Most reasons that issues of street photography start are because of privacy concerns, there are only a few that is related on how a photo was taken.

2.       A photographer may disturb it’s human subject when there is no knowledge of how to act or to react to the environment. Thus, creating an issue between the photographer and the person being photographed.

3.       A photographer may approach a person to take a photo but the person may decline.

4.       Street photographers are not the only people that may violate one’s privacy.

RECOMMENDATIONS

                After the research has been made and the conclusion has been stated, the researcher hereby makes the following suggestions/recommendations:

1.       A photographer must analyze or pre-judge it’s human subject before taking the photograph, The person may not want to be photographed or the photographer may be in a private place.

2.       The photographer must understand the subject’s situation or reason for complaining to avoid issues or quarreling.

3.       Future researchers may design a new work flow or research method to add more specific and concrete ideas on how to take photographs. Future researchers may also target the public and use the information gathered for the sake of safety and peace.

REFERENCES

A)    Electronic media

Williams, S. “What is photography?” Retrieved January 20, 2013 from

http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/what-is-photography.html#b

Harvery, A. “Your best camera is the one you have with you” Retrieved January 20, 2013 from

http://igniteshow.com/videos/your-best-camera-one-you-have-you

Kim, E. “What is street photography?” Retrieved February 6, 2013 from

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/about/what-is-street-photography/

Thein, M. (November 2, 2012). “What is street photography?” Retrieved February 6, 2013 from

http://blog.mingthein.com/2012/11/02/what-is-street-photography/

Kim, E. (November 26, 2012). “Why do you shoot street photography?” Retrieved February 6, 2013 from

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2012/11/why-do-you-shoot-street-photography/

DigitalRevTv . (February 1, 2012). “street photography Do’s and Don’ts” Retrieved February 9, 2013 from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In5sR-tUhCM

“ Street photography and The Law” Retrieved February 9, 2013 from

http://everydayaperture.com/law/

“Interview with street photographer Thomas Leuthard” Retrieved February 9, 2013 from

http://121clicks.com/interviews/interview-with-street-photographer-thomas-leuthard

Laurent, O. (May 3, 2011). “Photographer gather to protest public photography restrictions”

Retrieved Fabruary 9, 2013 from http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2047154/photographers-gather-protest-public-photography-restrictions

Laurent, O. (November 7, 2011). “Security guards have no right to prevent street photography, says Home office”

Retrieved February 9, 2013 from http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2123186/-security-guards-prevent-street-photography-home-office

“Know your rights: Photographers” Retrieved February 9, 2013 from

http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/know-your-rights-photographers

Kim, E. (March 7, 2011). “Street Portraits vs Street Photography: What’s The difference?” Retrieved February 20, 2013

From http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2011/03/street-portraits-vs-street-photography-whats-the-difference/

Kim, E (May 12, 2011). “How to shoot street portraits with permission by Danny Santos” Retrieved February 21, 2013

From http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2011/05/how-to-shoot-street-portraits-with-permission-by-danny-santos/

O’Hagan, S. (april 18, 2010) “Why street photography is facing a moment of truth” Retrieved March 2, 2013

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/apr/18/street-photography-privacy-surveillance

Calabresi, M. (March 12, 2012). “8. Privacy in public.” Retrieved March 9, 2013 from

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2108038,00.html

Will. (September 10, 2010) “[Interview] Street photographer Romula Avendano” Retrieved March 18, 2013

From http://www.photoswarm.com/blog/interview-street-photographer-romulo-avendano/

George, A. “Street Photography is not Voyeurism” Retrieved march 27, 2013 from

http://www.allengeorge.com/2008/06/09/street-photography-is-not-voyeurism/

“Street photography” Retrieved march 27, 2013 from

http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/sgrais/street_photography.htm

Cobb-Bomar, K. (February 13, 2012). “The Freedom of street photography” retrieved April 3, 2013

From http://imagesfrozenintime.blogspot.com/2012/02/freedom-of-street-photography.html

ShootExperienceTeam. (July 10, 2011). “Stand Your Ground” retrieved april 3, 2013

From http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FJH9F7Hcluo

POST 12 : Freedom with street photography.

There comes a time when a teenager is in search for freedom. He then vandalizes his own room, put on earphones at shut down the society. Ignores and declines anything that will keep him away from the things a teenager would want. Then a teenager will find a way to express his search for freedom. How far would a person go to fight for a feel of this freedom that everybody wants?

Khrishna Cobb-Bomar

Work has always been a tight space that keeps us away from the outside world. It is sort of a prison but it pays. Then the search for freedom starts, or at least some time away from the stress.  Khrishna Cobb-Bomar is a person who is into photography and he has written an article entitled " The freedom of street photography".


"One day I felt as if the walls within my home were closing in on me and I was itching to shoot something with my camera.  Photography has been an escape from my everyday stresses of life. "
-Khrishna Cobb-Bomar

 She too was in need of freedom from stress and used street photography to help. As street photography redirects attention away from the stress in life, the mind starts to relax and enjoy the scenes that comes.

"The day ended with my mind happily reminiscing about every moment on the street that was caught by the lens of my camera." - Khrisna Cobb-Bomar

She stated this in her post and mentioned that her mind was now happy. Unlike before she left which was stressed.
( http://imagesfrozenintime.blogspot.com/2012/02/freedom-of-street-photography.html )

Khrishna Cobb-Bomar

Now to talk about a different kind of freedom. There are not many careers that involve free will. Being a banker or a taxi driver can sometimes be stressful, and a banker is not allowed inside the vault at anytime for fun, So is the taxi driver not allowed to drive wherever outside the country he is in. There are no laws to prevent street photography, since it is practiced in a public space. In fact an experiment was conducted by 6 photographers in the UK accompanied by another 6 videographers to see how things will turn out. Here is the video:

If the video failed to load, Click here



In the beginning of the video, it showed points why street photography should not be banned or stopped, in other words, everybody is free to shoot in public areas. here are the points:

•  There are no powers prohibiting the taking of photographs, film or digital images in a public place. Therefore members of the public and press should not be prevented from doing so.
• Unnecessarily restricting photography, whether for the casual tourist or professional is unacceptable and it undermines public confidence in the police service
• Once an image has been recorder, the police have no power to delete or confiscate it without a court order.

During their experiment, all of the 6 photographers were approached by security guards with suspicion of terrorism or simply privacy issued with the building. 3 scenarios included the police, but still there is no law in preventing street photography when in public space.


 Street photography may include stress, but it is only because of the wrong perspective of some people. Street photography is free (not the equipment, sadly) and is permitted by law. It is an outlet, a way to express that a person is free or in need of it. There are no rules in doing street photography for as long as it is done in a public place. If a person is looking for a slice of freedom, street photography may suffice.

POST 11 : No To street photography

we all disagree on multiple things like how we travel and what we put on our sandwiches. Although most people have common disagreement that binds them together, there are still people who thinks otherwise. It is sort of a give and take disagreement, they both learn from each other, thus setting the disagreement bar higher as they learn.


Some people have been saying that they dislike the practice of street photography. That does not only mean that they can't shoot or they don't have a camera, but they are actually on the other side of the camera. Some friends and strangers dislike street photography because it sometimes invades their problem and they feel like they are being followed.

"Notice how the photos remind you of paparazzi shots: how, close-cropped, they exclude everything but their central subject; how the long lens flattens perspective and blurs surroundings, excluding context altogether; how you can feel the distance, the women as specimens. To me, this can never be street photography." [ www.allengeorge.com ]

Yes, Voyeurism is once again mentioned. Some people just does not really know the difference of street photography and voyeursim, but that is totally understandable. 

Sad to say, probably some or most of perverted photographers pretend that they are street photographers and sometimes use what amateur street photographers use as an excuse to take pictures. here are some examples from http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu :

1. "Oh, hi, I'm a photography student working on a project"
2. "Don't worry, sir, I was taking a shot of ________; you weren't in the photo"
3. I'm a photographer with The New York Times doing a story on [insert quickly-generated idea here].

Now, this is not the only problem why people dislike street photographers . Some may be as simple as "bad" photographers. Eric kim has written a blog about How to be a bad street photographer. 

According to Eric Kim , these are some ways on how to be a bad street photographer:

1. Always follow tourists when looking for photo opportunities
2. Be suspicious in public
3. Run away from your subjects after taking photos of them

To learn more of these ways to be a bad street photographer, click here


When Eric Kim says it, it sounds like ways to be a bad street photographer. But when a different person says it, it sounds like he's describing a pervert or a criminal.

To summarize all of this information, One may say that a street photographer is after the hidden beauty of a subject or an area. This chase may be misinterpreted as a perverted act, a crime. It is understandable that no one wants to be exposed or spyed on. This is just one of the problems of the society that people needs to accept and understand.





sources:
http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2010/10/25-ways-how-to-be-a-bad-street-photographer/ 
http://www.allengeorge.com/2008/06/09/street-photography-is-not-voyeurism/
http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/sgrais/street_photography.htm
http://www.allengeorge.com/2008/06/09/street-photography-is-not-voyeurism/