I’m not sure if I qualify as a ‘street photographer’ [legal definition], I don’t wander around the streets of Vankleek Hill taking photos of random people… well, ‘our street’ at least. I do, however, wander around Main Street, and sometimes the Community Centre and, occasionally, the Fair Grounds taking photos of random people at Events. I think there is a difference, but I may be splitting hairs.

The thing is, ‘candid street photography’ is my favourite style of photography and, quite honestly, my favourite style of ‘art’ in general. My two favourite photographers take (took) photos of random people, one on the streets of 1950’s Vancouver — Fred Herzog [his photos here] (a pioneer in colour street photography), and another on the streets of cities around the world, but mostly known for her 1940’s b/w shots people in major American cities — Vivian Maier [her shots here]. While we’re on the subject of ‘favourites’, my favourite photographer of all time is James Nachtwey, an American war photojournalist [his homepage here]. He’s just incredible. Then there’s Edward Burtynsky [his homepage here], a Canadian photographer best known for the documentary about him and his work titled ‘Manufactured Landscapes’… which you should watch, it’s stunning [watch it here], it’s part of a trilogy on Burtynsky work [more here].

Taking candid photos of people in public is not only legal in Canada, and the US, but it’s a Constitutional right in both countries… I’m not sure about the US, but here in Canada you just can’t monetize the shot commercially unless you have the permission of the subject. Meaning, I can take your photo in a public place — where there’s no expectation of privacy, but I can’t start a marketing campaign for a product based on that photo without your written consent. A place with ‘no expectation of privacy’ would be a street, public transit, or a park. A place with ‘some expectation of privacy’, like a bar, concert, library, restaurant is off limits to candid photography, unless you get permission from the owner’s representative, like the bar manager, or Event organizers… then everything is fair game. A place with ‘complete expectation of privacy’ would be inside your home, place of business, or backyard, so those places are totally off limits.

So taking a photo of You is legal [as explained here], but if Someone comes up to Me and says ‘please delete that’, most of the time I have zero problem doing that. In fact, in the five or six occasions it has happened, I have deleted the shot every time except once… because it was just a really good shot, and I convinced them to let me keep it. But, normally, it’s just not worth the grief… they want it deleted, just delete it and move on. Unless, of course, if it’s the Police asking you to delete a photo of them in action — which has happened to me, then you stand your ground. But stuff like that is considered ‘news photography’, and that’s a different set of rules.

…basically, at it’s root, Street Photography is about telling a story in a single photo, and the law is definitely on the Photographers side — there are also such things as ‘Ethical Shooting’, which I’m a fan of [great explanation here], and then there’s ‘Harassment’, and Other Bad Stuff which I’m definitely not a fan of [more about the laws here]. I will never do the Obnoxious Paparazzi Stuff, for example, or take photos of children left on their own… for me, there has to be a parent in the photo. Beaches are obviously off limits as well, for the obvious reasons.

…anyway, am I a ‘Street Photographer’? Maybe. I think shooting in a city would be much different, and I haven’t shot in a large city in fifteen years or more. So, click on the first photo to get the carousel going, and let me know what you think of whatever I’ve done here… as always, comments are always welcome. Thanks for being here.