Street photography tip: Check the rules abroad
Saturday 22 June 2024, 16:16 by Michiel Heijmans | 2,536 views | 4 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
Are you going abroad and planning to take street photos? Try to read up on the rules or customs of the country beforehand. And stick to your own ethics in any case.
In the Netherlands, we are actually quite free as street photographers, with all our rules and laws. A lot is possible. But there are countries with very different rules.
In most cases, photographing in public spaces is not much of a problem, but did you know that in Italy you are not actually allowed to photograph a statue just like that?
At least if you want to use it commercially. So your holiday snap is fine. Try searching for 'freedom of panorama'.
Read up before you go on your trip. It can save you a lot of hassle!
About the author
Michiel is professioneel straatfotograaf en geeft workshops en lezingen over straatfotografie. Hij schrijft columns voor Focus Magazine en is erg actief op Instagram. Daar vind je dagelijks inspiratie en tips voor je eigen straatfotografie!
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4 comments
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Donald Willemsen wrote on Tuesday 25 June 2024 at 10:39 | replyPhew, a sensible tip. It is true that you may have to deal with different rules abroad. For example, you are not allowed to take a photo of just and only the Atomium in Brussels or of the inside of Liège-Guillemins railway station. These are just a few examples.
Translated from Dutch.
When it comes to portraying people, different rules also apply abroad. In the EU, there are basic privacy rules that apply throughout the EU, but on top of that, some countries have even stricter rules. So be careful if you want to publish the photo on social media or websites, although you won't get into trouble all that quickly.
The tip comes at the right time now that we are all going on holiday again, both at home and abroad. -
Mac wrote on Wednesday 26 June 2024 at 08:14 | reply@Donald,
Translated from Dutch.
I think you're mistaken. you can simply take photos of the atomium, you're just not allowed to share/make them public. But you can simply take a photo of it for yourself. -
Donald Willemsen wrote on Wednesday 26 June 2024 at 09:05 | reply
@Mac, I take photos to show them to others as well. No one takes photos only for themselves, to put them in a book and leave it on the bookshelf. That’s also what this article is about. Taking photos in public spaces to publish them in some way.
Translated from Dutch. -
MacBigfoot wrote on Monday 22 July 2024 at 14:35
| reply
Finding something really concrete on the internet about what you may or may not photograph in a certain foreign country is still quite difficult. I would sooner read about how to address someone in the local language, and what a response might be. But also facial expressions, gestures or posture and behavior.
Translated from Dutch.
But even in the Netherlands, online opinions on that are very divided, despite the fact that the law and a few rulings on the matter are actually quite clear. So if you start searching for that on the web, you do not find a consistent answer either.
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