Advice please

StuartH

StuartH

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Stuart
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I shoot my sons football every weekend and have done this for many years mostly without a problem.Today one of the oppositions parents came up to me and said I was not allowed and it was illegal.I politely told him I was photographing my sons team and also had permission to be on the home ground to do so.He insisted I was in the wrong but I carried on for the rest of the game as i believe I am entitled to do so.None of my images are sold. Am I in the wrong or not?..He said it was because they are under 16s it isnt allowed.
Any input appreciated.
 
You are not in the wrong Stuart and are well within your rights.

I have seen many people photographing junior rugby from U7's to U18's and not a peep of protest.

Have a search of the forums Stuart as there are quite a few threads on this subject.
 
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Thanks Martin,I was pretty sure I was well within my rights. Is there anything I can refer to or show them when having this debate as it just went around in circles today with him insisting he was right and vice versa..
 
Hopefully someone will come on and point us in the right direction, but I am sure the Amateur Photographer did a card that you could carry around with you with the 'Photographers Rights' on it.

Also NO_ONE can make you delete any images without the order of a High Court judge.
 
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gramps said:
Don't go round in circles, tell him to go away and come back with the UK legislation that shows that you are breaking the law.
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I did more or less say that Gramps and he kept saying it was "league rules" lol
It created quite a stir today as I refused to stop but he had no arguement.I said he wouldnt have even approached me if I was using my phone or a compact camera to which he just shrugged his shoulders.
 
AFC said:
Hopefully someone will come on and point us in the right direction, but I am sure the Amateur Photographer did a card that you could carry around with you with the 'Photographers Rights' on it.

Also NO_ONE can make you delete any images with the order of a High Court judge.
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That would be handy,just to have something there in writing to show them.
 
StuartH said:
I did more or less say that Gramps and he kept saying it was "league rules" lol.
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The league can make up rules and they can make a up a rule saying no photogrpahy of games under 16 .. there league there rules... however as he was the only person who seemed to know this rule then..

Even though your team knows you.. Did you speak to the apposing team manager before the game? I always do.. takes a minute thats all and clear the air all round

as for illegal.. people get mixed up using the word illegal when they mean against the rules.. also you said you where not selling the pics... well thats got no bearing on it either.. I do lots of junior games and sell the pictures... end of day there are no laws.. BUT there are rules made up by either the person who owns the ground your photogrpahing on ..or the league rules..


sounds like your guy was just blowing hot air..


oh and as for the print out with you8r rights to take wiht you... i really wouldnt.. you will just look like a pratt carrying one of them around :)
 
So would I be best to ask for a copy of the league rules in writing if they confront me,even though I have permission to be at the ground and shoot?
 
Did you speak to the apposing team manager before the game? I always do.. takes a minute thats all and clear the air all round
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May start doing this from now on.Have you ever had anyone object to you shooting youngsters games?..If so did you put the camera away?.
 
This is taken from the Met Police website.

Freedom to photograph/film

Members of the public and the media do not need a permit to film or photograph in public places and police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel.
 
StuartH said:
So would I be best to ask for a copy of the league rules in writing if they confront me,even though I have permission to be at the ground and shoot?
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you dont need the league rules.. if you ahve permission then you ahve permission.. it really is that simple :) anyone high enough to give you permission will know the rules..

but as i say.. even though i always ahve permission at any game with under 18s.. I always approach the opposition manager pre match and tell him who i am.. its good manners when your also photogrpahing the kids hes in charge of and you usualy get thanked for it... Anyone approaches you during the match.. direct them to the managers, best not to get into an argument yourself :)
 
The league can only enforce such a rule if the clubs play on private grounds and they agree to be bound by the rule,if it's a public park they can't stop you.Had to have a discussion with the FA about this earlier in the year when a local non league club started playing silly wotsits
 
StuartH said:
May start doing this from now on.Have you ever had anyone object to you shooting youngsters games?..If so did you put the camera away?.
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never had anyone object.. i always make sure both teams know before i start.. usually parents can see you talkign to the manager anyway and that puts there mind at rest

we all know its silly to get worried about kids being photogrpahed... but we also know that some people do.. so rather than have problems i like to make sure it doesnt happen.. pre emptive if you will :)
 
Yeah one of our managers went to carry on the arguement and said that I do the photography every week for our team and basically just tried to pacify things by apologising for not asking for their consent(even though seems its not needed!) I usually go up to the opposing team at the end of the match and even offer to email a few images over for free for their teams site as a good will gesture.
 
CaptainPenguin said:
The league can only enforce such a rule if the clubs play on private grounds and they agree to be bound by the rule,if it's a public park they can't stop you.Had to have a discussion with the FA about this earlier in the year when a local non league club started playing silly wotsits
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they dont need to enforce it... in real life rather than a messageboard.. if you go to a game and the managers say sorry. our league dont allow photogrpahy of under 16s... do you tell em to get lost your going to photogrpah anyway or say ok..not happy but OK

its ok a dozen people coming out with smart answers on here saying what they would do and cocky replies at the ready and print outs from web pages.. but in the real world if your confront by two managers and all the kids parents telling you its not allowed.. no amount of print outs or cocky replies is going to help..
 
StuartH said:
I usually go up to the opposing team at the end of the match and even offer to email a few images over for free for their teams site as a good will gesture.
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do exactly the same thing BUT before the match and you will never have any trouble again :)
 
Just use common sense Stuart, always check with opposition coach/parents as a courtesy and if anyone objects is it really worth the hassle just to get a few photos which you can get next week, even though all parents sign their kids on agreeing to being photographed you just never know if a child is under a court protection order, i had something similar happen to me where the mother and child had been relocated to protect them from a violent father.
 
Gary Coyle said:
....you just never know if a child is under a court protection order, i had something similar happen to me where the mother and child had been relocated to protect them from a violent father.
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Thanks for posting that Gary. I've been wracking my brains (I know, not a lot to wrack) to try and remember who had this situation.

Can relax now.:lol:
 
Gary Coyle said:
Just use common sense Stuart, always check with opposition coach/parents as a courtesy and if anyone objects is it really worth the hassle just to get a few photos which you can get next week, even though all parents sign their kids on agreeing to being photographed you just never know if a child is under a court protection order, i had something similar happen to me where the mother and child had been relocated to protect them from a violent father.
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Cheers for the reply Gary..just kind of frustrating having someone say you cant do something knowing full well you can.Even more so as its my own son playing.
 
Hi Stuart,
I have had the same problem a number of years back!.
I was at a school field with the headmasters permission & also the schools coach & parents for that matter but I still asked the visitors coach if he minded me being there I assured him I was CRB checked & he had no probs, however, half way through the game a visiting parent approached me & said I wasn't allowed to shoot images of children.
I assured him I had permission & that I would continue to shoot photos for both Schools web sites but to point out his child & I would make sure he was eliminated from each shot either cropped or smudged out!. he said that wouldn't be nessesary & shuffled off.
Asking permission from all involved is very important with regards shooting on private ground but public ground is another matter. Kind regards Graham.
 
Bluesman graham said:
Hi Stuart,
I have had the same problem a number of years back!.
I was at a school field with the headmasters permission & also the schools coach & parents for that matter but I still asked the visitors coach if he minded me being there I assured him I was CRB checked & he had no probs, however, half way through the game a visiting parent approached me & said I wasn't allowed to shoot images of children.
I assured him I had permission & that I would continue to shoot photos for both Schools web sites but to point out his child & I would make sure he was eliminated from each shot either cropped or smudged out!. he said that wouldn't be nessesary & shuffled off.
Asking permission from all involved is very important with regards shooting on private ground but public ground is another matter. Kind regards Graham.
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Many thanks for the response Graham:thumbs: I am certainly a lot clearer now on how I will deal with it if it arises in the future.:)
 
I always found that if i wore gold spandex pyjamas, a long white wig and walked round saying now then, now then guys and gals while puffing on a big cigar that no one bothered me.

Dunno why, strange or what.
 
I was helping my local Photography club do a project for our local council which included taking photos of the local Lades football club in a Final. As soon as my camera was out one of the organisers of the day told me I was not allowed to take photos as some under Under 18s were playing and the FA Child Protection rules applied. Eventually, the only way I was allowed to take photos was to get the opposing team manager to sign a disclaimer stating that he was happy for us to take pictures (I sent him so pictures as a thank you). I've also been at a children's tournament as an official went photographer and been asked by a manager not to take any pictures of his team as he had 3 kids under child protection orders.
 
Wilko58 said:
I was helping my local Photography club do a project for our local council which included taking photos of the local Lades football club in a Final. As soon as my camera was out one of the organisers of the day told me I was not allowed to take photos as some under Under 18s were playing and the FA Child Protection rules applied. Eventually, the only way I was allowed to take photos was to get the opposing team manager to sign a disclaimer stating that he was happy for us to take pictures (I sent him so pictures as a thank you). I've also been at a children's tournament as an official went photographer and been asked by a manager not to take any pictures of his team as he had 3 kids under child protection orders.
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i took my FA level 1 coaching badge a few years back, and we were told if we (coaches) saw people taking photo's to tell them it's not allowed.
Can't remember the exact reason why not, as my memory isn't what it used to be, and the rules may well have changed.
As others have mentioned, ask both coaches first, and i doubt they'll say no.
My lad has just got into the school team, and when i asked the school coach/manager if i could take pictures he didn't know the rules!
 
Wilko58 said:
I was helping my local Photography club do a project for our local council which included taking photos of the local Lades football club in a Final. As soon as my camera was out one of the organisers of the day told me I was not allowed to take photos as some under Under 18s were playing and the FA Child Protection rules applied. Eventually, the only way I was allowed to take photos was to get the opposing team manager to sign a disclaimer stating that he was happy for us to take pictures (I sent him so pictures as a thank you). I've also been at a children's tournament as an official went photographer and been asked by a manager not to take any pictures of his team as he had 3 kids under child protection orders.
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This was the discussion I had with the FA recently and the rule is.
If it is an Open Age competition and you have permission to be at the venue or it is a Public area it does not matter if there are U 18 players on the pitch you can photograph to your hearts content
 
Gary Coyle said:
I always found that if i wore gold spandex pyjamas, a long white wig and walked round saying now then, now then guys and gals while puffing on a big cigar that no one bothered me.

Dunno why, strange or what.
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:lol: Jingle jangle!
 
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