Can you legally take photographs of people in public? What restrictions if any are there, are there? Your basic right is actually pretty simple: if you're in a public place and you can see it, you can shoot it. This means as long as you're in a public location you can legally take almost any picture. However, if you're using a telephoto lens, parabolic microphone, or hidden camera to get a shot of a private property when you're standing on public property you might have an issue if someone on that property has an expectation of privacy. However, if a property owner (or store employee) tells you to stop, you have to stop. More importantly, use good judgement and assess the situation and environment before snapping pictures. When can Police stop you from taking photographs?You have the right to take a photograph from a public place unless you are hindering the police or causing an obstruction. Can you take photographs in Westfields or other shopping centres? NO Video/Photography which could annoy, endanger or threaten Westfield property, employees, customers or retailers. Shopping centres arent public spaces anyway there privately-owned properties which provide public access. Can you take photographs of your neighbours children playing in their front yard? So long as they are on their own property or public property, yes. What can you do with these images? Where can you publish them?Only in Quebec or France. In every other coun– try, including Australia, publication is fully legal, provided the following criteria are met: (1) The pictures aren't defamatory; (2) They aren't indecent, offensive or otherwise demean the people in them or; (3) They aren't being used for a "commercial purpose" Can you take photographs on Sydney trains or train stations? What about Melbourne? Our rail networks have long been a popular destination for amateur and professional filmmakers and photographers. While we welcomes enquiries from individuals and groups wishing to film or take photos on rail property, we impose restrictions designed to safeguard: your safety, as well as that of our customers and staff the efficient operation of stations and trains the integrity of security systems and essential equipment. You must obtain permission from us before undertaking any filming or photography, for any purpose, on our property. Your responsibilities Entry to any property, including stations, is at your own risk. While on rail property, you must comply with the any directions given by station staff or transit officers. You must be in possession of a valid ticket to enter the paid area of the station. While on our property, you must not: enter areas not accessible to the public climb on or obstruct signals, equipment or signs cross, or allow your equipment to cross, the yellow line obstruct the flow of people on and off trains and through the station obstruct tactile pathways direct lights or camera flashes in the direction of oncoming trains film or photograph surveillance cameras, security equipment or graffiti take films or photos which depict unsafe or criminal behaviour All other filmmakers and photographers, including students are required to submit an application for assessment. Applicants will require public liability insurance for the sum of $20 million. Students requests will also need to provide a letter from their institution, stating the filming forms part of their studies. Applications for use of stations and trains require 10 business days to process Applications for exclusive use of a train require a minimum of eight weeks to process. Applications will firstly be reviewed by the Special Events Unit. If your application is declined at this stage, no fees apply. If you request is to be processed and sent for further review, a processing fee as listed below will apply. This fee must be paid in advance and is non-refundable. Melbourne: When is permission required? Do I need permission to film or take photographsat a tram stop? Written permission is required to film or undertake photography at a tram stop. Please complete an application form and submit at least 7 days prior to your filming date. A staff member may be required dependant on location and time of day to attend such sessions. Do I need permission to film or take photographson board a tram? Written permission is required to film or take photographs on board a tram. Please complete an application form and submit at least 7 days prior to your filming date. All members of the crew must have a valid Metcardor myki.A Yarra Trams staff member is always required to attend such sessions and you may be liable for this cost. Can I film or take photographs of a tram within a tram depot? If you do not require the tram to be moving but would like sole use of the vehicle, it is possible to hire a tram within the environment of certain tram depots.Tram depots are busy environments with moving trams and heavy machinery, and therefore safety is paramount.Written permission is required and a nominated Yarra Trams staff member will be present throughout the filming. All members of the crew must take part in a site specific safety induction at the start of the filming or photography session and always remain under the direction of the staff member. Please complete an application form and submit at least 7 days prior to your filming date. What is not allowed? Can I film or take photos during peak periods? No.Filming on or chartering trams during peak periods is not permitted. Peak periods are generally 7am-9:30am and from 4pm-7pm Monday to Friday, or during special events such as the Grand Prix, Australian Open, etc.Start and end times of filming or photography must be strictly adhered to so as not to interfere with the running of services. There will be no extra time given once the allocated filming time has passed.Is there anything I am not allowed to film or photograph?Filming permission will not be granted for those who seek to film or photograph trams/public transport in a negative light. This judgment is completely at the discretion of Yarra Trams. The following may not be filmed:Workshop facilities Depot facilities Fleet Operations Centre Staff close ups and/or interviews without permission Security arrangements Is the Sydney Harbour Foreshore public land and can you take photo's there? For commercial you need to gain permission from Sydney foreshore committee. Luna park you can take photos outside but not inside as its private property. Can security guards force you to delete your files or hand over your memory card/film?Obviously if you take photos of security installations, military manoeuvres or of special security lock-down zones, then duly authorised personnel can and most likely will ask you to delete photos. image deletion can only apply to general photography taken under everyday conditions (eg. at shopping centres, public parks, office parties, people walking along the street etc.) Furthermore, it is unlikely that anyone can ever compel you to erase images of people on the basis of security concerns. Images can only be deleted if there is a court order or warrant. Do you require special permission to photograph children? Generally speaking, no. Many people assume parental consent must always be obtained when photographing children. But aside from specific provisions in the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (especially child protection orders arising from abuse, AVO's or custody proceedings), children are not afforded unique legislative protection when it comes to photographs, consent, privacy or defamation. As with adults you need a signed release for commercial use, but for non-commercial images — nothing. Perhaps the misconception arises from the child identity protection requirements of s.11 of the NSW Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (which only apply to children charged with criminal offences). Maybe it's because of the under-18 consent provisions found in most Model Releases (a requirement for commercial usage only). Maybe it's just a deep cultural loathing of child pornography? Whatever the case, photographers are — within the limitations outlined in this article, in particular commercial use and voyeurism issues — perfectly at liberty photograph children as freely as any other subject. Photographing children without consent is certainly a provocative topic! Part of the reason school groups (see below) or Local Councils try to ban photography at dances, plays or sporting carnivals is to "protect children from internet pedοphiles". Likewise many of the submissions to the 2005 AG discussion paper referred to the need to "protect" children from unauthorised use of their image on websites, blogs etc. Yet until the law changes, consent for general child photography remains purely an ethical and moral issue, not a legal one. What do you understand about Commercial Use to mean? Commercial photography is probably best defined as any photography for which the photographer is paid for images rather than works of art. In this light, money could be paid for the subject of the photograph or the photograph itself. Wholesale, retail, and professional uses of photography would fall under this definition