Taking photographs

[loopylocket]

in public places..

After going to a recently christmas parade We took a stroll round to see thexmas lights and went into our local shopping center where there is a large moving statue display of father christmas, his reindeer and elves. I started taking photos as where other people (using there mobile phones) i waited for the crowds to disperse and took closer shots, only to walk away and have a secruity person stop me and say that taking photos in a shopping center is forbidden without a resaonable explaintion. we were fobbed off.

I thought christmas was a time to enjoy and remmeber and what better way than through photos, I wanted to scrapp the photos for the children xmas album. (i still can I did not have to delete them)

I also had a similar problem when we first took our daughter to the local pool, there were no other people in the end of the pool with us but we were stopped from taking any so there went my daughter first swim photo. (not the same doing it again) We were told later that had we got permission from recpetion and signed a form then they would have happily let us take pictures of anyone.

There were no signs saying you shouldn't or couldn't so we were made to feel 'naughty'.

Wonder if any body else had had any difficulities in taking photo, for family albums.

[__TJ__]

dittore the pool at flem park lucy my neice had the pool booked for a private party and we still werent allowed to get piccys, in the end her mum said to the manager that hed'd better try and stop here then! all the kid sin the pool were invited and no-one raised any objections at all.
i know why they do it but it still makes me mad when you miss out on things.

[Indigoniki]

I think no photos in pools is standard practice these days. I'd have to argue the shopping centre one though!

[kim]

I think most shopping centres stop you taking photos- IF they see you! We were stopped taking photos of the Christmas trees once. After the recent troubles Birmingham announced that noone could take photos in the shopping centres- unless they had gained prior permission. I think the official line is that it is a security risk!

[Jane]

I think the shopping centres are more to do with security, criminals planning robberies etc.

Pools usually stop but our local outdoor pool haven't banned it thank goodness. I took some at another pool of my kids and when they asked me not to (there were no signs) I let them look through my memory card to prove that only my children were in the shots.

It's a bit daft when anyone can go down to the beach with a long lens and take nuddy pictures all day

[Bluemoonjules]

How ridiculous - are they suggesting that a shopping centre is not a public place? Yes, I know it is private property, but it is still open to the public at large.

[wedding belle]

It's a really bad reflection of our times itsn't it. I heard that the neo-natal intensive care unit where my son was born prematurely is about to be demolished. I decided to go along to take photos to put in his album as it had been a very emotonal time. Even though I was only taking a photo of the outside I was told not to (they were too late though!). Also, on another occasion, I tried to take a photo of a building that was about to be demolished on behalf of our local history group and ws again 'told off' by a security guard.

I understand the need for vigilance but think this is all very sad.

[Emmak]

I did wonder about taking photo of my son in his first swimming lessons but was worried about the fact that other children were in the pool and checked and likewise I had to get written permission from the manager but I can understand that as I wouldn't be too happy if a camera was being waved around in a swimming pool! It is a shame though that you need to get permission for everything these days - especially for a building that is being knocked down!

I want to take some of my school but I'm definately going to get permission for that first just in case!

[Lorraine]

I dont think there is anything anyone can actually do to stop you taking a picture in a public place. Were you to use that picture for a business or in an offensive way then they could do something about it but not till after the event. Are we not innocent till proven guiilty?

I suppose you could be asked to leave premises. But they cannot physically do anything. I am yet to hear of someone being fined/imprisoned for taking a photo.

Swimming pools, yes I understand but I dont agree. Most pools will let you take pictures provided you sign a disclaimer.

Isnt it a joy to live in a society where everybody sues everyone. Thats what everyones scared of.

Maybe we could sue some of the people who make these decisions for stealing our memories.

[cjdamoo]

I was stoped from taking photos of my child in his first nativety play last year The line i was fed was we would only be able to purchase official photos from the school to help school funds.The problem been my son was barely visable on any of the "official" photos.

[NIKIG]

I work in an SEN school and the majority of evidence of our kids working (history, science etc) is done through photographic evidence. We were doing trips to local shopping centres/shops for science to see electronic doors working and wanted to take photo's of the kids walking through the doors making them open, but were stopped at our local outlet centre and also our local waitrose. we even went in before hand to ask for permission, explaining what the photo's would be used for and were still told no.
i can't believe this attitude, our kids have no speech, are very unlikely to have a totally independent life and most cannot write or draw, so photographs are essential to show parents, ofsted and SMT that our children work in their subjects and enjoy thier work.
i now don't go into waitrose to shop because of this and have told them why, along with most of my colleagues. I even asked the manager what he would think if his child was one of our pupils and they weren't allowed to participate in science bacause of attitudes like his. his answer "i don't have kids" !!!!!

i understand about swimming pools, we get permission to take photo's of our kids swimming for evidence and the pool is great about it, Mind you we are the only school in the pool at the time, so i don't know what they would say if there were others in the pool.

niki

[Lorraine]

a subject I get VERY heated about. My OH just pointed out that a shopping centre isnt a public place so maybe I need to get down off my soap box.

But schools not letting you take photos is rubbish. There is nothing under data protection that prevents you from doing it so fight your cause.

[ibecks]

Shopping centres are privately owned, so they do have the right to refuse photography without permission in the same way that museums, shops and private homes do.