Nope. Technically, trespass is a tort - i.e. a civil wrong.

Andrew

Does anyone know where this business of believing that rights exist to do things in public places came from? I know of no law that gives the public a right to photograph anything in any place, whether public or not. If anyone does know of such a law - can you please point me towards it?

Isn't photography just one of those things that folks might do - such as breathing, sneezing, talking or peering into shop windows? There is no law against it nor any right to do it.

I suspect that the belief that being in a public place confers rights is yet another urban myth.

Andrew

They used to be, yes. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks are now called Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

Andrew

The Criminal Justice Act1988, s139(7) (and lots of other legislation too) defines a public place as “public place includes any place to which at the material time the public have or are permitted access, whether on payment or otherwise.". A theatre, pub, club, school, swimming baths, park e.t.c. are public places. Having said that, the owners/proprietors of any any premise to which the public are admitted can set their own rules about entry and behaviour whilst on those premises. If you breach those rules then, as I said earlier, you become a trespasser and can be treated as such.

Andrew

I am unaware of any law that would prevent you photographing your son inside a school or other premise to which the public are admitted. The school can, of course, have any rules it likes about what parents or other members of the public can do whilst on school property and you will be deemed to have accepted those rules when you enter the property. If you breach the rules whilst inside the school, then I think that in law you are guilty of trespass and can be asked to leave - but that is a civil matter not a criminal one.

Just noticed this after my original post: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3559975/There-is-no-law-against...

Andrew

I have yet to discover any law that states that photography in public places is legal. Which law is that?

I have always believed that photography, like wearing brown shoes or singing whilst you walk, is just a human activity that we do not have any specific legal right to do - but with very few exceptions, neither is there any law that prevents it.

There are some "public places" that we enter by permission, which might or might not involve the payment of an entry fee, and the owners of those places, e.g. the National Trust or maybe a club of some kind may place conditions on our entry into the place. If we breach those conditions, which might include a prohibition on taking photographs, then we become a trespasser and ultimately could be ejected from the place or possibly sued in the civil court for damages.

Andrew

Does anyone have a reference to an authoritative source for the notion that we can legally take photos in any public place?

Is it just wishful thinking - or is there some case law or other solid source for it?

Andrew

Just had a quick Google and pretty much everything I have seen about photographer's rights refers to taking photos in a "public place".

There is a definition of the term "public place" in the Criminal Justice Act 1972. It is “Public place” includes any highway and any other premises or place to which at the material time the public have or are permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise ”.

This seems to suggest that private land, such as a rugby club, can a "public place".

Yes, very confusing ............

Andrew

Yep, I meant the 37A. I don't think there is a 27A.

I've been wondering about whether to get a Jupiter lens. Which do you think is better - 11a or 37a ?

Andrew

I "think" the Russian A mount lenses (similar to T mount) are only those where the model number ends in A.

These include the Jupiter 11a, Jupiter 27a, Tair 11a and others.

I have a Tair 3A 300mm f/4.5 that also has the Russian A mount. A T-mount to PK adapter works fine and allows the lens to focus to infinity.

Andrew