mrb
Established
It's interesting that everyone assumes the question of permission is a question about the law. My opinion only, but good manners, the golden rule, basic politeness, and those kinds of considerations are also in play. Legal or not, I wouldn't post without permission. If you see me sleeping on a train, don't wake me to ask for permission; the answer is no. Of course, I strive to be as unphotogenic as possible. 
Tarzak
Well-known
I do a lot of commuting and take photos of sleeping people all the time.
So far none of them have complained.
So far none of them have complained.
lZr
L&M
That's exactly the point, Tarzak. They can not complain, because they are sleeping
btgc
Veteran
local photo groups often are obsessed with "do you gave permission" and "horizon isn't straight" issues.
Johnmcd
Well-known
Fair game
Nothing illegal about photographing somebody in a train in Australia - permission or not.
See here http://www.4020.net/words/photorights.php
Mind you, this was Paris R-D1 and 21mm Skopar @ 800 iso
Cheers - John
Nothing illegal about photographing somebody in a train in Australia - permission or not.
See here http://www.4020.net/words/photorights.php
Mind you, this was Paris
R-D1 and 21mm Skopar @ 800 iso
Cheers - John
Tarzak
Well-known
I was being ironic.
If you ask them first, then they won't be asleep and the shot that you wanted to take is gone.
If I'm asleep on the train (often) just take the photo of me and get out of there. I'm enjoying my sleep thanks very much. If I look terrible, so be it. I blame my parents and theirs.
If, in a years time I see my sleepy mug (mug=face) in a gallery or magazine (artistic or documentary, not advertising) I will have a laugh and think how famous I am.
If you ask them first, then they won't be asleep and the shot that you wanted to take is gone.
If I'm asleep on the train (often) just take the photo of me and get out of there. I'm enjoying my sleep thanks very much. If I look terrible, so be it. I blame my parents and theirs.
If, in a years time I see my sleepy mug (mug=face) in a gallery or magazine (artistic or documentary, not advertising) I will have a laugh and think how famous I am.
Chris101
summicronia
I'm a very light sleeper, so I will hear the click and wake up. Then I will quickly lash at the photographer with whatever stick is available. Hopefully they will drop their camera, and I will add one more to my collection!
Highway 61
Revisited
Not later than a few hours ago I was taking photos of young people fishing in front of the seaside next to a small harbour because the numerous fishing rods with the harbour lighthouse in the background made it for a quite graphic scene. Then I suddenly got acid comments and aggressive questions from one of them about "the permission" and how I should behave in my photography (basically I was advised to shoot landscapes or monuments not people).
Then the discussion quickly went off-side and about law, politeness, and the like. As ever.
This is beginning quite common nowadays I'm afraid. Boring to the max. Something I didn't encounter back in the 1980's when I began with street/candid photography.
Next time I think I will answer this kind of people in any foreign language and have them think I don't understand what they mean.
Most boring thing is that those people keeping hassling photographers about this boring "permission and respect" issue are often themselves more than questionable about how they behave in society.
Sometimes I wonder how the present children will see our societies when they are adults if we couldn't leave tracks of the actual world and its actual inhabitants behind, as our fathers did.
Cars, monuments, empty landscapes, fashion models, movie stars, this is what may be only pictured off our era if that "permission" issue takes it over or gets discouraging.
Another option may be to wear a bumped out hat, a beard, worn out clothes, to look like a strange tourist, always smile, and use an old Vivitar flash at the end of a PC cord, like Bruce Gilden.
Seems to work for him but I'm not too sure if the strobe wouldn't awake sleeping people though...
Then the discussion quickly went off-side and about law, politeness, and the like. As ever.
This is beginning quite common nowadays I'm afraid. Boring to the max. Something I didn't encounter back in the 1980's when I began with street/candid photography.
Next time I think I will answer this kind of people in any foreign language and have them think I don't understand what they mean.
Most boring thing is that those people keeping hassling photographers about this boring "permission and respect" issue are often themselves more than questionable about how they behave in society.
Sometimes I wonder how the present children will see our societies when they are adults if we couldn't leave tracks of the actual world and its actual inhabitants behind, as our fathers did.
Cars, monuments, empty landscapes, fashion models, movie stars, this is what may be only pictured off our era if that "permission" issue takes it over or gets discouraging.
Another option may be to wear a bumped out hat, a beard, worn out clothes, to look like a strange tourist, always smile, and use an old Vivitar flash at the end of a PC cord, like Bruce Gilden.
Seems to work for him but I'm not too sure if the strobe wouldn't awake sleeping people though...
BillP
Rangefinder General
Chris, you are so right...
http://ejmas.com/jnc/jncart_barton-wright_0200.htm
A monopod works just as well...
Regards,
Bill
lZr
L&M
Paging down my gallery I got myself shooting people sleeping. Haha
Rasputin in Metro in Moskow
Rasputin in Metro in Moskow
Walter Leporati
Silver Gelatin
photographing people sleeping on trains
photographing people sleeping on trains
I have been doing it for years here on the New York City Subway system. I do it in a candid manner. Buy sitting directly across from them with my quiet Leica set at 2 meters and most of the time at f/2.8 and 1/30, I get people sleeping, yawning. etc. (Delta 400 film). Sometimes I get 3 to 4 people yawning and sleeping at once. There are series of photo books just on people on subways. One of the best is called "Many are Called", candid photos taken on the NY Subway system in the 1940's.
photographing people sleeping on trains
I have been doing it for years here on the New York City Subway system. I do it in a candid manner. Buy sitting directly across from them with my quiet Leica set at 2 meters and most of the time at f/2.8 and 1/30, I get people sleeping, yawning. etc. (Delta 400 film). Sometimes I get 3 to 4 people yawning and sleeping at once. There are series of photo books just on people on subways. One of the best is called "Many are Called", candid photos taken on the NY Subway system in the 1940's.
TheHub
Well-known
I don't want myself photographed while sleeping, so I wouldn't do it others.
ampguy
Veteran
interesting settings
interesting settings
I have a Minolta VF scale focus Hi Matic G, that is just stuck on 2.8 and 1/30th. Perhaps I should sell it as "modified for street shooting of sleeping commuters" ??!
interesting settings
I have a Minolta VF scale focus Hi Matic G, that is just stuck on 2.8 and 1/30th. Perhaps I should sell it as "modified for street shooting of sleeping commuters" ??!
EtoileFinder
Established
If you were in Paris maybe this would be illegal.
BillP
Rangefinder General
Johnmcd
Well-known
Maybe...but I spent one full day in Paris and you would be flat out finding somebody that doesn't have a camera or isn't in the act of taking a photo of something. I've never seen so many cameras. With respect to that, I think that would the last place on earth that anyone would give a rat's arse about people taking photos under any conditions.
Cheers - John
EtoileFinder
Established
Hi Bill,
are you certain? I remember as stated in the documentary from the BBC the genius of photography that in France there is a law on life privacy that permits you only to take picture of people only if we can't recognize them, like taking the back of people. You can be arrested on public place by taking picture of people without there permission. Maybe you are right and the law apply only for commercial uses.
By the way, I had a bad experience a few days ago on the street. The worse is that I didn't take pictures of person but of houses ! I was in a poor neighborhoods, as I finishing to take some shot of a house, a women in a van scream at me to go away with my ``Kodak`` and she insulted me . Taken by some anger I take my camera and pointed at her as a response (bad idea). She thought that I had take a picture of her, but it wasn't the case. I walk a few feet away and there's a guy standing for me, asking me if I had take a shot of the women, then he ask me to take out my film and give it to him. I refused and explained to him the situation, then the women join us and scream at me to take out my film. She looked like a junkie with her body shaking. By fear that it can become violent, I took the film out of the camera and gave it at her! What a bad day !
Cheeres,
TN
are you certain? I remember as stated in the documentary from the BBC the genius of photography that in France there is a law on life privacy that permits you only to take picture of people only if we can't recognize them, like taking the back of people. You can be arrested on public place by taking picture of people without there permission. Maybe you are right and the law apply only for commercial uses.
By the way, I had a bad experience a few days ago on the street. The worse is that I didn't take pictures of person but of houses ! I was in a poor neighborhoods, as I finishing to take some shot of a house, a women in a van scream at me to go away with my ``Kodak`` and she insulted me . Taken by some anger I take my camera and pointed at her as a response (bad idea). She thought that I had take a picture of her, but it wasn't the case. I walk a few feet away and there's a guy standing for me, asking me if I had take a shot of the women, then he ask me to take out my film and give it to him. I refused and explained to him the situation, then the women join us and scream at me to take out my film. She looked like a junkie with her body shaking. By fear that it can become violent, I took the film out of the camera and gave it at her! What a bad day !
Cheeres,
TN
chambrenoire
Well-known
Wow... That sucks.
Always have a crappy film in your pocket to switch with if this situation arises again