Could the Euro referendum have implications for humble street togs and if so what are they ?

I have said before that our legal right to create images on the street should not be taken for granted, most of us will have experienced some sort of unlawful restriction while out shooting and have on occasions given way to requests to stop making photographs on the basis that the pic was not worth the hassle !

The main piece of legislation that protects our rights in public places is Article 10 of the European Convention, which I would imagine could be over ruled if the UK decide to leave the EU. The law is predominantly a protection of freedom of speech and section 12 actually deals with the freedom of expression which is the part that we should all ensure remains should we leave.

The UK law makers are far from reliable when it comes to protecting a free media and artistic expression rights, this is the country that invented the Super Injunction which appears to be used mainly by footballers trying to avoid "Kiss & Tell" stories .

I write this short piece to try and remind fellow togs that the rights we enjoy now may not always remain as they are, we should shoot what we can while we can as something as simple as photographing and publishing pictures of others on the street might not be a right we enjoy forever !

I do not believe that any right minded politician or bureaucrat has a sharp knife out to kerb the behaviors of Street Photographers but I could see a day when we get caught in the crossfire between lawmakers and paparazzi photographers .

Keep it real !

We might have to hide the identity of everyone we shoot ?