Crossing the line
Ethical boundaries in street photography: just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
When it comes to ethical boundaries in street photography, there is a number of considerations to be made. In this post, I’m going to dive a bit deeper into the sensitive matter of who owns the public space, and where do we draw the line as photographers when it comes to capturing life on street. There is an important distinction to be made between what is allowed (in legal terms), and what is considered ethical (which often comes down to personal opinions).
If you’re new to street photography, one of the first questions you’re bound to ask yourself is ‘wait a minute, am I actually allowed to shoot here?’. When I started out, I asked myself the same question, only to find out that there is a number of grey areas. Let’s look at the most obvious one first: the public space.
Who owns the public space?
Public spaces, such as the high street, bus stops, parks and playgrounds are just a few examples of shared spaces accessible to all. Since no one in particular owns the public space, it is - generally speaking - allowed to take pictures of whatever is happening around you. Shared spaces, like the one below, can be a true photographer’s playground.
Speaking of playgrounds, it might be worth noting that as a female photographer, I might have a slight advantage: I can actually hang around a playground without raising suspicion, something I wouldn’t necessarily recommend if you’re a male photographer with a penchant for trench coats.
But gender issues aside, things get slightly more complicated when it comes to the more ambiguous public spaces, such as shopping malls, art galleries or train stations. These spaces are typical examples of ‘indoor places where we act in a public way and there is an implied access but it is at the discretion of the owner/operator’ (Paul Harrison)1
Re-defining public spaces
One typical example of such an ambiguous place is the central station in Amsterdam. As you walk through this busy public transportation hub, it might feel like you’re in an open, public space; however, the surrounding building is actually privately owned, making the entire central station a private property. Which effectively means that while the entire space is open for everyone, you can get told off for photographing there (ehm, just what I’ve heard).
Another great example of not-so-public spaces are museums and art galleries. While obviously open to the public, the buildings themselves are usually privately owned, which means that different privacy rules are applicable inside. However, there is something to be said for these spaces being a work of art in their own right; they often provide a unique background for observing people.
Capturing the way people interact with the various art works on display can be an exciting enterprise. And even though I generally avoid taking pictures whenever I’m inside a building, I couldn’t resist taking a few shots in most of the art galleries I’ve visited, simply because they’re an excellent playground for a keen observer.
Establishing boundaries
Legal matters and the question of public ownership aside, the most important question that arises here is whether you should photograph everything you see. Being a street photographer means that, at any given moment, you have to be able to decide: where do I draw the line? This is something every street photographer has to answer for themselves, and I believe most photographers develop their own set of rules as they go.
To me, the simple answer is that whatever I shoot should feel right - just because something is legally permitted doesn’t automatically mean it’s ethical. For example, one of my personal boundaries is that I don’t take pictures of homeless people. This is one of the most controversial issues in the street photography community, and I think it’s ultimately a matter of how you do it – there are numerous truly respectful photographers who take candid street portraits of homeless people, with the aim to share their stories and raise awareness, which is always a good thing. The decision to not do it myself is simply a matter of personal choice.
Similarly, one thing I generally stay away from is capturing people in all kinds of vulnerable situations – whether it’s crying in public, stuffing their face or picking their nose (it happens more often than you’d think), I always ask myself one simple question: ‘Would I mind being captured in this position?’. If the answer is yes, I simply lower my lens and move on.
Not a single shot is worth hurting someone else’s feelings.
Testing the limits
That said, one thing I’ve learned about boundaries is that in order to find out where they lie, you need to get close to them from time to time, to test the limits. As I’m definitely not a saint when it comes to legal boundaries, I have to admit that the one time I was NOT allowed to take pictures – since professional cameras at most music festivals are prohibited – it was incredibly tempting to capture fellow festival goers in various degrees of drunkenness, or enjoying other joys of life. However, faced with temptation, I remembered my own moral code and limited myself to a couple of innocent, albeit a bit sneaky shots.
If there’s one field where your approach matters more than your technical skills, it’s street photography. To me, a good street photographer is not the one with the newest camera or the most impressive portfolio; it’s someone with a compassionate mindset and pure intentions.
I genuinely hope this post will shine more light on where the boundaries lie in street photography, and possibly help others decide on where to draw the line themselves. If you’d like to share your opinion, as always, all reactions are welcome in the comments!
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Paul Harrison is a UK-based street photographer and a tour guide. For his guided street photography workshops inside some of the most famous art galleries in London, visit www.thepaulharrison.co.uk/workshops
When it comes to what is acceptable to photograph and what isn’t—it’s a deep and murky area. The fact is, we’re photographers, and we’ll always try to justify our little “mischief.” Personally, I believe that photographing people, especially publishing their photos, is an invasion of privacy. That’s why I feel uncomfortable when someone catches me doing it. This way, I’m just a “thief” on the side, but still a thief nonetheless :)
You admit in several ways that rebelliousness is sometimes just going to be required when it still fits into the “feels right” matrix. I think there’s something huge to that. I enjoy the whole piece. It was fresh, exceedingly friendly, and dedicated to the trade.