Know your rights as a photographer
I’ve been going to the Venice skate park for quite some time now. I stand with the rest of the crowd watching the skaters along the rail, then when I spot a skate who is consistently good, I always walk up to them & ask if I can shoot their pictures. This means I go into the skate park along with them, that way I can get the best angles/closest shots. 99% of the time, they say yes & I shoot them while they skate. I tend not to bug them- I let them focus of skating & I focus on photography.
I always give a business card so they can get the images from me. I don’t have to- technically, I own the photos, but I’m happy to share the photos. They were nice enough to say yes to allow me to shoot them, I return the favor & give them the photos. Like I said before, karma, karma, karma.
Today was a little strange because I just finished shooting Cameron at the Venice skate park & was sitting down ready to shoot someone skating the pool. Suddenly, a guy approaches me & says I can’t be inside the skate park because I am not skating &/or “you need a permit to photograph in here” (meaning photographing from inside the skate park).
I have a pet peeve. I hate when security guards or (anyone for that matter) lies & gives incorrect information about as your rights as a photographer. Today, I had close to $6000 in my backpack full of lenses & equipment- do you think I might know my photographers rights? Really? You think I don’t? You think I just amass all this expensive equipment & cluelessly need to be told by a security guard what my rights are? A permit to shoot skaters? A.) the skate park is a public space B.) I am not doing this for commercial gain c.) I am not on private property. A permit to shoot? What in thee hell are you talking about? *breathe in. breathe out* Sorry, like I said, pet peeve.
I didn’t say anything. I was done shooting anyways & was way too hungry for korean tofu soup to argue. & wasting my time with this pinhead or eating korean tofu soup- come on, he doesn’t even hold a candle to some good tofu soup.
Here are some great articles to read about your rights as a photographer:
ACLU’s article on photographers rights
Tutorial 9 (this one is nice since it goes into model releases)
Los Angeles requirements when you need a permit
Know your rights. Don’t let a pinhead tell you otherwise.
~dw
Good info, thanks.