Photography at Kids Summary Fair

sep9001

sep9001

Messages
5,417
Name
Kev
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi

I am not a pro or an expert but have been asked to take some photos at my nice's school by her mother who is part of the PTA.

Is there anything I need to be aware before saying yes, like any legalities or would I have to have any insurance etc (also it is not going to be a paid gig).

I have not said yes but before I say yes or no, I just want to check with the experts where I stand.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Regards

Kev
 
So you are taking pictures at a kids event and your not related to a child attending. Your going to get a lesson taught to you in modern behaviour. I wouldn’t do it.

Many many years ago if you wanted to learn sports/football photography the magazines advice was. Pop down to your local park but if you did that now I would expect a visit from the boys in blue.

Good luck.
 
Royal male said:
So you are taking pictures at a kids event and your not related to a child attending. Your going to get a lesson taught to you in modern behaviour. I wouldn’t do it.

Many many years ago if you wanted to learn sports/football photography the magazines advice was. Pop down to your local park but if you did that now I would expect a visit from the boys in blue.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
He is related to a kid at the school. He says it's his nieces school.
 
I'm no expert so these are just observations.

Although your your niece' s Mum is in the PTA is her question to you a personal one or one which the rest of the PTA and the school are aware of?

Have you been asked to take photos of just your niece or more generally as a record of the event?

Is there any information from the school?
Has the school said no photography (which, assuming quite a few people are going to be there, might be impossible to enforce, but there could be a good reason for them to cover themselves by saying no photos. or
have they told parents, given the nature of the event, they should be aware their children might be in photos(again guessing but I assume many parents are going to be there and quite possibly taking photos of the kids, or
have they said nothing in regard to photography at the event.

Unfortunately, these days you might well get someone having a go because they think should not be taking a photo which includes their child.

Dave
 
Tringa said:
I'm no expert so these are just observations.

Although your your niece' s Mum is in the PTA is her question to you a personal one or one which the rest of the PTA and the school are aware of?

Have you been asked to take photos of just your niece or more generally as a record of the event?

Is there any information from the school?
Has the school said no photography (which, assuming quite a few people are going to be there, might be impossible to enforce, but there could be a good reason for them to cover themselves by saying no photos. or
have they told parents, given the nature of the event, they should be aware their children might be in photos(again guessing but I assume many parents are going to be there and quite possibly taking photos of the kids, or
have they said nothing in regard to photography at the event.

Unfortunately, these days you might well get someone having a go because they think should not be taking a photo which includes their child.

Dave
Click to expand...
Glad I asked. It is to record the event.
 
You need school/parental/guardians permission per child. You might find this won't be forthcoming. These days, unfortunately, many children need to have their identities protected due to issues involving their parents/families. Any publication of a 'protected' childs image could be breaking a Court order.

It's a Catch 22 situation. 'They' can't tell you who the child is that needs protection for the child's protection!
 
As it is a record of the event, is the school aware that you have been asked?

If the school are not aware you have been asked I think it would be a good idea to contact the head and get their OK.

It won't stop someone having a go but at least you can say, "I've been asked to take photos of the fair by a member of the PTA and the head is happy for me to do it".

Dave
 
Wow, thank you all for all the responses. A lot to think about. Looks like might have to say no.
 
You actually don’t need to ask each individual parent if you can photograph their child if you are doing so on behalf of the school.

The school at the start of each year will ask parents permission and as long as you don’t shoot those that opted out and have permission from the school it will be fine.

The PTA and the school are very different things though so you will need to ensure that the school have authorised it. You will need to check if anyone has opted out of having photos of their kids taken.

They will always be a few who have opted out. You won’t be able to use the images anywhere yourself and they will become the property of the school. Might be worth drawing up a contract that you are happy with and discussing it with the headmaster.

Do you have liability insurance? It’s unlikely the school will allow you anywhere near the place without it.

I shot some stuff for my daughters school, a couple of years ago, but was asked by the headmaster rather than the PTA. We put a contract together we where both happy with and on the day they gave me a vest with photographer on it to wear so that there would be no confusion as to if I was just another parent or not. Felt like a tool wearing it but didn’t have anyone query why I was there.
 
Last edited:
Think I will have to decline, as don't have any insurance and don't want to get into any trouble if I get something wrong. Thank you all for the help.
 
A few parents getting dramatic about their little angels being photographed is about the worst thing that could happen here. There is no law against photographing children in public for starters, unless of course there is a sexual nature connected to the images - this is a school fair FGS ... the school would take full responsibility here, if it is indeed the school that are hiring you, not just one person deciding to because they happen to be part of the PTA. They usually send out consent forms to all parents before such events, and state that there will be a photographer taking pictures on the day. The very odd parent might not sign, and it's simply a case of the school not using images of their children on the website or FB page etc It's cases like this remind me how overly sensitive the world has become.
 
The PTA would not be organising an event without PL insurance, just check that it also covers you, which it probably will. If you were a pro and doing it for money then you might need your own cover but as a volunteer "helper" you will be in the same boat as all the other parents helping out on the day.
 
Cagey75 said:
A few parents getting dramatic about their little angels being photographed is about the worst thing that could happen here. There is no law against photographing children in public for starters, unless of course there is a sexual nature connected to the images - this is a school fair FGS ... the school would take full responsibility here, if it is indeed the school that are hiring you, not just one person deciding to because they happen to be part of the PTA. They usually send out consent forms to all parents before such events, and state that there will be a photographer taking pictures on the day. The very odd parent might not sign, and it's simply a case of the school not using images of their children on the website or FB page etc It's cases like this remind me how overly sensitive the world has become.
Click to expand...

If it’s on school grounds it isn’t a public place and there very much a legal issue.

Also even if it was in public due to gdpr there is still very much a legal issue.
 
sirch said:
The PTA would not be organising an event without PL insurance, just check that it also covers you, which it probably will. If you were a pro and doing it for money then you might need your own cover but as a volunteer "helper" you will be in the same boat as all the other parents helping out on the day.
Click to expand...

Actually it won’t as the schools PL insurance only covers employees of the school or the education authority depending on the type of agreement they have, which excludes the pta, volounteer helpers etc. My missus is on the pta at my daughters school and there is loads of stuff they aren’t allowed to do for insurance reasons.
 
Last edited:
Would someone shooting images of kids at a school need a criminal record check? Personally the way the world is these days I’d leave this one to a pro, especially if you’re not getting paid.
 
Scirocco_09 said:
Would someone shooting images of kids at a school need a criminal record check? Personally the way the world is these days I’d leave this one to a pro, especially if you’re not getting paid.
Click to expand...

That would be down to the school to decide, would be criminal if they didn’t. Professional photographers that work at schools here have to submit a CRB check along with their tender.

Most of the schools here just use an agency that has already been pre-approved by the education authority.
 
Last edited:
f/2.8 said:
If it’s on school grounds it isn’t a public place and there very much a legal issue.

Also even if it was in public due to gdpr there is still very much a legal issue.
Click to expand...


I guess so, still , people are often way too over cautious. We've had consent forms sent here to sign for our girls being photographed. I've always just signed without hassle. Thinking just as a parent here, if I know there's a photographer on the day I don't bat an eye-lid, but I know some parents are extremely protective and always imagine the worst.
 
Cagey75 said:
I guess so, still , people are often way too over cautious. We've had consent forms sent here to sign for our girls being photographed. I've always just signed without hassle. Thinking just as a parent here, if I know there's a photographer on the day I don't bat an eye-lid, but I know some parents are extremely protective and always imagine the worst.
Click to expand...

There is other reasons than what you are thinking for example there is a girl in my daughters school who is not allowed to be photographed due to her fathers job. There is another who isn’t allowed to be photographed due to a legal issue with one of her parents.
 
f/2.8 said:
There is other reasons than what you are thinking for example there is a girl in my daughters school who is not allowed to be photographed due to her fathers job. There is another who isn’t allowed to be photographed due to a legal issue with one of her parents.
Click to expand...

That must be a pretty special job. Fine if the parents take that decision, but there's no legal basis for it.

As for DBS checks (CRB went out with the Ark), they're unnecessary unless the photogrpher has sole and direct responsibility for any of the children and will be left alone with them.

There's an awful lot of incorrect opinions spread about school's and children's photography in legal terms, and the schools themselves are often the worst culprits.
 
DemiLion said:
That must be a pretty special job. Fine if the parents take that decision, but there's no legal basis for it.

As for DBS checks (CRB went out with the Ark), they're unnecessary unless the photogrpher has sole and direct responsibility for any of the children and will be left alone with them.

There's an awful lot of incorrect opinions spread about school's and children's photography in legal terms, and the schools themselves are often the worst culprits.
Click to expand...

I did t say there was a legal reason those parents opted out of giving the school permission to photograph their kids for those reasons.

Things are a little different in N.I I would guess compared to the rest of the U.K.
 
Best way to do it is to get the PTA members to supply you with some kids who are their own and who they are happy to have photographed. Take them with a couple of their parents to the stalls and take a few shots of them enjoying their day.
As has been said, some children are not allowed to be photographed by schools as their home placements could be put at risk of the image was published. Not an unreasonable request by their parents.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top