I find it irksome, just how uninformed the public are on their rights to their image in public/private surroundings.

I recently had someone in a photo shoot on private property (had permission from the land owner(s)) “remove” their consent to their image being used for my work out of shear bloody mindedness to try to upset me. They had no right to as the photo shoot was on private property and they had given consent at the time of the image being taken.

On public property it is completely legal for you to take photos of places and people. The common rule among photographers that do this daily/professionally (that I’ve so far talked to) is that you at least try to get consent for individual shots (usually after the shot is taken mind). I also carry business cards with my website on and contact details.

As for abuse, if they get nasty, tell them they are entitled to get the police out and they should be able to tell them that you’re in the right as long as you were on the public highway/private property that you have permission to be on/take images on when you took the image.

(Hint: Meadowhell DO NOT like DSLRs being taken around/used)