[LargeFormat] Releases, privacy and practices - OT.

[rstein]

Dear John,

     You asked about the legalities of shooting from the road in America. I
cannot advise for North America but Australia is remarkably easy. Unless it
is Commonwealth Dept of Defence land and is signposted for restrictions, you
can picture anything you want from the footpath. If it is visible to a
person passing and repassing on a public path, it is presumed to be decent
enough for pictures.

     If you need to stand on an apple box to lean over the privet hedge of
the nudist colony at 4 in the morning with infra red film ( just down by the
bit where they put the rubish bins out ) and a filtered flash whilst dressed
in camoflage gear it might be a bit dodgy, but I can give you a card for the
barrister who defends these cases and he really is quite reasonable.

    Should you defame anyone or profit from their picture without sharing
that profit there might be a case to answer - still - cases take a great
deal to get into court so you might get away with it. If someone complains
that you are invading their privacy or somesuch just explain that you are a
photographer and can do what you damnwell please. That is what pick handles
and heads were made for.

     Uncle Dick