Street Photography Legality – by Richard Speirs to the NCPF
Photographers and others have recently become concerned by misleading information issued by the Home Office in a Guidance Leaflet for Asylum Seekers. This incorrectly sates that it is illegal to photograph people in public spaces. The National Union of Journalists, and others, have written to the Government pointing out the error and urging that it is corrected. They rightly express concern that this implies an infringement of Civil Liberty. Currently In the UK, it is generally legal to photograph people in public places without their permission. Public places include streets, parks, beaches, public squares, and other areas where the public has access. Key points: • No general law requires consent to take a photograph of someone in a public place. • You may photograph adults, police officers, buildings, public events, and street scenes from public land, provided you are not breaking another law. • Photography can become unlawful if it amounts to harassment, stalking, voyeurism, or other criminal conduct. Repeatedly following and photographing someone in a way that causes distress may lead to legal consequences. • People have a reasonable expectation of privacy in places such as toilets, changing rooms, and private homes, even if a photograph is taken from elsewhere • Upskirting and other voyeuristic photography offences are criminal offences. • Special restrictions may apply in certain security-sensitive locations, such as some military or national security sites. • Taking the photograph is one issue; using or publishing the image can raise separate concerns, particularly for commercial advertising, data protection, defamation, or misuse of private information. A model release is commonly used for commercial purposes. So, if you are standing in a public street in the UK and take a normal photograph of people going about their daily lives, that is usually lawful. The main legal risks arise from harassment, privacy breaches, voyeurism offences, or certain restricted locations.
The YPU Club Championship 2026
Each year the Yorkshire Photographic Union hold a competition to decide which clubs will represent the Federation at the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain Club Championships. The competition is usually held in Warwick and attracts a large audience to see the photography of clubs from all around G.B. In 2025 Pontefract just missed out by one place otherwise we would been at Warwick. The YPU eliminator round will be at Carleton on the afternoon of Saturday Nov 14th at 2pm, members are welcome to attend. The following have been selected to represent Pontefract in November:- Title Photographer Brew Time Howard Tate The Mechanic Howard Tate Lazy Days Howard Tate A walk on the Promenade John Boyd Street shoe repairer Bentoto John Boyd Kingfisher John Gardner Scarlet Darter John Gardner Viktoria John Gardner Shield Maiden John Gardner Number Four Keaton Roebuck Victoria Lee Todd A Flash of Orange Miles Hand Oysters and Marmalade Miles Hand The soles above Miles Hand Copper Dreams Miles Hand Togetherness Steve Lewis Vapourer Moth Caterpillar Steve Scholey In Bloom Tony Walsh Mirror Mirror Tony Walsh Any colour you like Tony Walsh
Jive Night Gallery
We had a fantastic fun evening last night taking photos of the Jive Club members during one of their Jive sessions and those who attended will no doubt have many wonderful photographs. A big thank you to Steve Springett, Steve Scholey and Ally for setting up the lights. When organising this session we agreed with the Jive group that we would share images taken with them, for their club and members. Many of you will have obtained the contact details of some of the people you photographed, with the intention of sending them copies, but there will be others whose details you do not have. Steve Springett is going to set up a page on our new club website that the Jive Club and its members will be able to access. So please send copies of your images that you are willing to share, to Steve’s email address, proaudiosteve@gmail.com Your images need to be “sized” in the usual format of no larger than 1600 pxl landscape or 1200 pxl portrait. If you have promised to send copies of your images to individuals, please honour that promise but also send a copy of your image to Steve for inclusion on the page. The gallery can be viewd at https://pontefractcameraclub.co.uk/jive/
10-Sep-26 “2026 YPU print portfolio
The exhibited prints from this year’s YPU competition to view and inspect. They may give you some inspiration for your entries into the competition next year!
Interclub Round One
Pontefract CC have now entered the Interclub Competition.There are ten clubs involved and are as follows: 1 Cookridge Camera Club2 Leeds Photographic Society3 Bingley Camera Club4 Huddersfield Photo Imaging Group5 Wakefield Camera Club6 Bradford Camera Club & Photographic Society7 Leeds Camera Club8 Pudsey Camera Club9 Ilkley Camera Club10 Pontefract Camera Club The first round will be on October 14th at Cookridge but can be viewed by Zoom at Carleton on the evening. The Pontefract entry of five images has now been submitted and is as follows: In Bloom by Tony Walsh (Subject – Illusion of a scape)Viktoria by John Gardner (Theme – Portrait)Brew Time by Howard Tate (Open section)Plastering in style by Judith Macbeth (Open section)A flash of Orange by Miles Hand (Open Section) Best regards, Stephen Stephen Dean Pontefract camera Club photosjdean@gmail.com
2026 Annual Print Competition
The Annual Print Competition will be here soon.Please let me have your entry by Thursday 24th September. Members can enter a maxiumum of 4 Monochrome and / or 4 Colour Prints. All prints regardless of size shoule be mounted on card or commercial mounting board.The board should not exceed 50cm x 40cm.If you are entering the same prints into the Yorkshire Photographic Union 2027 Exhibition then the mount size must be exactly 50 cm x 40 cm. Projected Images or Prints used in the Medley Competition may be entered into the Annual Print Competition. A Projected Image or a Print entered into either a previous Annual Projected Image Competition or a previous Annual Print competiiton cannot be entered again. Please contact me if you have any queries about your entry. Best regards, Stephen Stephen Dean Pontefract camera Club photosjdean@gmail.com
03-Sep-26 “Jive club” photo shoot. Bring your camera!
Dave, the Jive club organiser, has reminded his members that the camera club will be taking photographs during the evening. So hopefully many will be wearing vintage outfits. We will be creating a studio lit area to help us with the photography. Having a flash with you may be useful!