Topic: Droit à l'image in Quebec and in France

[Francois]

I found this yesterday on Youtube. It's a documentary about a local photographer who had a run-in with the justice for taking a picture of a young woman on the street. This case actually caused the laws to be changed and wrecked havoc with photographer's rights...

So, here it is... sadly in French only. I'm looking for subtitles in English for everyone.
It's a bit of a warning for anyone traveling to France too...

La rue (zone) interdite.flv

[Lino]

Very interested in this... too bad I cant understand a word of french! If you ever find those subtitles ill take them!

[calbisu]

That was very good Francois. Thanks for sharing. I just missed someone from the "the other side", so we might get counter balance. I liked very much when they said "c'est plus le droit a l'argent que le droit a l'image", for me thar reflects very much today's attitude in some countries. Being out of europe makes it much easier to do street photography, not only how you are perceived but also the easiness of meeting strangers and not having to deal with a defensive stance.

[Francois]

I'm still looking... and can't find the subs...
I don't know if voice recognition would work on this?

As for taking pictures of people, it is indeed very hard around here. I have only taken one slightly good one for as long as I've been wasting film... Since the picture pre-dates the Duclos case, I guess it has acquired rights... So anyways, here it is. And if anyone complains, the most I'll do is take it down.

[Lino]

Didn't found any subtitles either... this movie is aparently from 2006? And the production company site is down :/
Found some reviews though.

"As a result, French photojournalism now removes the faces of people in the street or in any other public setting, or pictures are simply staged."

Really?

[Francois]

Yes, sadly but true. You wouldn't believe how much Corbis has been making since then.

Lets say a newspaper needs a classroom for the front page... it's a big problem. Just imagine getting 30 some odd parents to sign consent forms and get permission from the administration and everything. So, they go to Corbis and ask for classroom photos. On the other side, Corbis knows this is a subject that is in demand, so during the summer, they rent a classroom, hire kids from a modeling agency and a teacher from a similar source. Get a photographer there with all the lights and everything. And the kids spend all day pretending they're in school...

The only times photographers are spared is for politicians, stars, criminals and rioters... that's pretty much it...

[Mojave]

So there is no street photography allowed in Quebec?

[Urban Hafner]

Unfortunately it's not as easy in the rest of the world as it is in the US. In Germany there's something called "the right to the image" (I guess that's what's similar to what's discussed I'm the video). This means that you have to get permission to photograph people if they're not in a crowd or an important historic event. Technically you even have to ask beforehand ...

Obviously that makes street photography impossible if you want to follow the rules.

[Francois]

So there is no street photography allowed in Quebec?

The only street photography allowed no questions asked really takes place in public events and parades.
Apart from that, it's pretty much dead.

[Lino]

In Brasil we also have the "droit à l'image". But it allows use for newspapers and magazines. So, if I take your picture on the street and try to sell it as art, or use it on an advertising, then you can sue me. Unless of course, I have your authorization.

That way at least the photojournalists can do their work freely.