In message , Chris Tolley
writes
Human rights legislation may be close to conferring some nearby rights.
This is the problem thought. Such legislation may be in the pipeline
or maybe not (I don't know). But that is important is that it *isn't*
there yet and this is what people believe gives them certain rights
which they do not in fact have.

I can see circumstances where he may have been right. Certainly I
sometimes obscure people's faces when posting my train pictures.
You may choose to do that. It might even be worthy to do so. But
that's your (moral, respectful, considerate) choice. Not a
requirement.

Not as such, no. I wonder if anyone has trademarked their face. And if
so, what they do about the ravages of time.
Interesting question!

Mebbe it's a minority view, but I can't help feeling that there's
something potentially undesirable or seedy about people just taking
random photos of passers-by.
There might be. But that's not the same as someone being prohibited
from doing so. The law and what is "right" are not always analogous!
:-)

Some years ago, I was a bit
surprised when someone approached me at Paddington and actually asked if
he could take my picture (I was wearing mirrored sunglasses, and he
wanted to capture the reflection of the roof) but I'm aware from time to
time that there are people taking photos of me, some of whom seem to be
doing openly, while others seem to be trying to pretend they aren't.
As a matter of fact, if I'd been asked under such circumstances, I'd
have politely declined. But I'm not sure how far any of us can go in
England to prevent photos being taken which include us. And enforcing
such things is impossible.

Think of all the photos taken every day ion Central London (or Bath,
Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, York, etc.) And how many people appear in
them. Legislating for this is just impossible. I realise there's a
difference between being a "subject" of a photo and being incidental
within it. But actually defining the difference in law would be very
difficult, wouldn't it?

As for me, I'm much happier photographing trains.
As am I with buses and interesting buildings. But people do get in the
way!
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk