Ethics and legalities with street photography and photographing random people gets tossed around every once in a while. But it isn't something discussed all that in depth.
So why am I bringing it up? Well, Katie brought it up when I approached her. It's a public park, and she was in a place not far from the main path for vehicle traffic. So no reasonable expectation of privacy. Legally I didn't need her permission. But what about morally or ethically?
I've always asked permission before photographing someone in public. For a couple reasons.
First so they know I'm there, and they know my intentions. I try to make my presence obvious. I don't try to hide my camera, and I don't try to hide my intentions. They see the camera, they see me approaching them. It's pretty obvious what's about to follow.
But I approach and ask so it is ultimately their decision. After all, I've already decided I want to photograph them or I wouldn't be approaching. Plenty of times a potential subject has said No in one fashion or another. And I respect that. I don't try to change their mind. I don't take the shots anyway. I just walk away.
I've missed out on plenty of subjects either because they said No or I could not approach them to ask permission for one reason or another.
I know there are plenty of photographers who feel no disquiet in photographing someone covertly, or even brazenly without permission from the subject. I've never been comfortable doing that. And personally I don't think any photographer should be doing that.
And two days later, I ran into Katie again, this time at the Reservation Hall instead of the dam.
