| When should I seek verbal permission or a photo release? |
Although various studies have used different approaches, in this study, verbal permission was obtained before photographing individuals in groups of 4 or fewer people when they were photographed at close range and were therefore the main subject of the photo (eg, on the same side of the street or within a distance that allowed people to converse at a normal conversational volume). |
| When do I not have to obtain verbal permission or a photo release? |
Verbal permission was not required for photographs taken of groups of 5 or more individuals in public places, because no person was the subject of the photograph. Additionally, if an individual was not the main focus of the photograph but was incidental to it (eg, a shopper was walking out of a grocery store across the street from where the photographer was standing) or if the individual was not identifiable in a photograph (eg, the photo was taken from behind or from a distance), permission or a release was not required. Other studies, especially photovoice, use a different approach; Wang and Redwood-Jones required a written release for any photographs that included people (14). Journals often describe their own requirements for obtaining consent from identifiable subjects. For example, the AMA Manual of Style, 10th Edition, specifies that “the author should obtain and submit a signed statement of informed consent” from people who are identifiable in photographs or videos to be published (15). |
| How can I obtain permission or a photo release? |
To obtain verbal permission, participants introduced themselves, explained the purpose of the photography, and asked for permission to take a photograph. |
| What should I do about permission or photo releases in a private location, like a home? |
Participants obtained verbal permission to photograph people in private settings. |
| Who do I talk to for permission or photo releases to photograph minors? |
Participants sought the permission of a parent or guardian before taking photographs of minors. |
| What do I do if anyone asks me not to take a photograph? |
If anyone asked participants not to take a photograph, the request was to be honored, even if in a public place. Additionally, if the photographer sensed any “reluctance, confusion, or disdain,” they were instructed to refrain from taking the photograph. Above all, participants were instructed to “respect a person’s right to refuse to be photographed” (14). UNICEF provides helpful guidelines on photographing or videotaping children (16). |
