Are there issues with street photography in China when using a professional camera?
Will I face to legal troubles when taking documentary photos of people in the streets in China?
Maybe a photographer has to take photos without getting a permission of people to get better documentary results. Is it advised to ask people before taking a photo in order to avoid negative unpredictable consequences?
Best Answer
There is no single answer for China. As with everything else, you have to know where you are and how to behave. Examples:
Be in a wet market and take a picture of a market vendor and the food. The vendor will most of the cases be proud and surprised that you take a photo. You make them very happy. Some others will be frustrated and ask you to buy their goods instead of taking images.
Be in Kashgar, Xinjiang province on the anniversary of the Uighur riots. IF you look like Journalist and/or take pictures of Chinese security forces, you will end up in jail and risk being deported.
So when it comes to the normal people in the street, there is no higher risk than in most places in western Europe. If the wrong person in the wrong moment sees you taking a picture of them, they might be angry, but the chances are very low. However China has it's issues with foreign Journalists and acting as one without having a Journalist visa and even interviewing people will get you in trouble.
I have taken images like the following and many thousands more in China and never got into any trouble.
However if someone saw me trying to take a picture and frowned, I took down the camera and excused. Basic common sense has to apply always.
Pictures about "Are there issues with street photography in China when using a professional camera?"
Is street photography legal in China?
There is no law or regulations against street photography in China. It's a lucky thing that most Chinese don't lose their temper at a camera. Generally, people are curious about foreigners and show great willingness to interact with you, which makes it easy to shoot, though they still change their composure.Is street photography unethical?
Photography has always come under scrutiny Photojournalism in and of itself isn't unethical; however, snapping photos at the scene of an accident can cause the issue of ethics to come into question. In the same way, street photography in and of itself is not an ethical issue.Does GDPR apply to street photography?
Now, yes, photographs are now classed as personal data. And yes, obviously, taking photographs and storing them and processing them etc. is processing according to GDPR. But do remember that consent is just one lawful ground of processing.Do you need permission for street photography?
If you and your subject are standing on public property, generally you do not need permission to take a picture of them \u2013 but there are a few exceptions. If your subject is engaged in a personal or private activity (such as leaving a hospital) you need to respect their privacy.Why use a $200 vs $3,000 Street Photography Camera?
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Images: Budgeron Bach, Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto, Rachel Claire