Street View Not Proceeding In The UK?

• JohnK
  4:51 pm on July 10th, 2008 1

  The whole issue of photographing people in the street is now a major issue for those wishing to follow a career in candid Street photography. I was nearly arrested after an incident outside my previous address in Swansea. The location is hilly, and the roads very narrow. Each day during school opening and closing hours it used to be gridlocked with parked cars from residents - virtually abandoned cars from parents picking up their kids - and delivery lorries (trucks to our Trans-Atlantic brothers). From my own garden, which was six feet or more above the road, I attempted to photograph the chaos, taking care to only include the backs of any parents & children caught amid the traffic. Obviously one of the parents had reported my activity to the Head Teacher, who not only videoed me before approaching me, but also called the police. It took me some time to convince everyone that my intentions were honourable.

  I can understand why parents and schools are so sensitive, but the situation has now become ridiculous for genuine photographers, who are continually on the defensive in public situations. This is a gross over reaction to a relatively small number of paedophiles, and as a consequence the repercussions effect so many other people.

  At the time I was working with a Child Protection Team.

  If society had the courage to permanently remove child molesters from circulation, then (and only then) might we see some change in peoples’ attitudes.

  I would like to here what others might think

 

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