Man Photographing Children at Clapham Common Bandstand Post Reply

[claphammummy]

A man was photographing children on 22nd Sept after school. He was alone (ie he wasn't photographing his kids.) Police were called and reviewed his photos (all kids) but he was unknown to police. Please be vigilant --- if you see someone showing an undue interest in children (through photography or otherwise), do call police on 999 or the Safer Neighbourhoods Team on 07920233839.

[Goldhawk]

Photographing children in a public place is not a crime

[charliert]

Hi Charlie the photographer here.

While it is legal to photograph people in a public space, I would not photograph children I do not know! (Though Henri Cartier-Bresson et al did so in their day). Occasionally (snowy days) I've approached the parents and asked if it's OK.

You were right to call the police, but perhaps challenge such a person first? (Though it sounds like he was clearly suspicious/alone). When I'm doing a family portrait session in the park, I'm sometimes photographing from a distance (zoom shot of family walking along path, etc), so would hate to have the police called because someone assumed the worst!

One does need to be careful though. Personally I have a CRB check as well.

[Labellalavanderina]

Aren't you a bit paranoid? Taking pictures of people in a public place and in full view of your subjects and their parents is not illegal nor necessarily sinister.

What do you do if an elderly man smiles at your toddler in the supermarket? Report him for grooming??

Something similar happened to me recently: elderly man stopped in the supermarket and started playing with my baby in the pushchair. We stopped for 5 minutes while he made faces at the baby and baby smiled back. The poor man then thanked me profusely and almost had tears in his eyes when he said it is unusual these days to be able to smile at somebody else's child without being taken for a pervert.

[EHMorris]

I think strangers should ask before taking photos of children - I don't think that is paranoid but would be good manners. I wouldn't feel comfortable if I saw someone snapping away at my daughter without asking.

[claphammummy]

The man was standing behind a tree so that most parents --- sipping coffee at the cafe --- could not see him. He didn't ask permission (weird enough in this day and age --- I photograph too but would NEVER dream of taking photos of kids without asking parental permission; I would also never dream of taking identifiable pictures of individuals (adults) without asking their permission as a courtesy rather than as a personal safety issue.)

While it is not illegal to take photos (including of children) in public spaces, there may be circumstances where it is indeed illegal ---- for example, if someone has a prior conviction for paedophilia related stuff and has been told to stay away from places where kids congregate. You don't know what a person's circumstances are unless you ask or get the police to ask. Oh, and I would have asked him myself, but then he would have seen my daughter and was more likely to remember her and it would potentially make her more identifiable in the future and I AM paranoid about someone following us home and knowing where my little girl lives if they have naughty intentions. Also, if I had asked him what he was doing and if he was indeed restricted, what do you think he would have done? Of course, he's not going to disclose that he's not allowed to be around kids. H eprobably would have left, but it would have deprived the police of an opportunity to run him through the computer. As a private citizen, I can't ask the same kinds of questions and expect the same kinds of answers.

If I see the guy again, I will call the police again. (This is in part because if he shows up again,, he definitely is flipping weird now that he has been made aware of the mores in this country.) I may also go up to him and take his photo close up with my camera phone and see how he likes it.

What I hate about websites is that people often attack the messenger. AT the end of the day, I was making information available to people. What you do with that information is up to you.

[Annabel (admin)]

Clapham Mummy
As I wrote in the mail this morning, thank you so much for sharing this information.

People are always going to have an opinion but I don't think anyone on this mothers website would rather you hadn't said anything.

Thank you again

A