A friend and I recently had a rather heated discussion about the legalities of taking pictures at a concert.

Her position is that it's always ILLEGAL, everywhere in the US, to take pictures with a personal camera or cameraphone during a concert performance.

I argued that unless there's a specific law, ordinance, or statute that says it's illegal to take a photographic still picture. for personal, non-commercial use at a concert event then it is NOT illegal. Now, the artist or the venue may REQUEST that you do not do so or eject you if you break THEIR rules but that still doesn't make it illegal.

She actually asked a friend of hers who is an attorney and he told her it's illegal, which I don't believe.

One of my pet peeves is people throwing the word "illegal" around when it's not applicable.

So, what say ye??? If you say it's illegal please support your position with proof.

http://www.kantor.com/blo...aphers.pdf

it's not illegal in america

http://www.photolawnews.c...otogrights

unique said:

Thanks for the info. The funny thing about it is that she herself is a professional photographer and cameraperson yet really thinks this is illegal.

SCNDLS said:

i've never thought of it or known it to be illegal-i dont think you can always interchange the words prohibited with illegal... just my opinion

if so i should have a GANG of charges waiting to be filed against me!

yeah im that person who is ALWAYS taking pics at concerts

sweet said:

I said the same thing. A venue or artist may prohibit picture taking but that don't make it ILLEGAL. And even if they prohibit it I can STILL take pics if I want to, as long as I know I may get kicked the hell out. But they can't arrest me for it.

The second part of our argument dealt with if I could then post those pics on a site, like the Org. I said that as long as I'm not selling the image or trynta make money off of it, I can do what I want to with it. She said that the subject of the pic could sue.

SCNDLS said:

You sure about that then?

MuthaFunka said:

I'm really baffled that her of all people would actually think that this is ILLEGAL and that an attorney would confirm it.

SCNDLS said:

maybe she didn't really ask an attorney, and is just saying she did, however attorneys are human and can make mistakes, and the attorney may not have been experienced in that field

unique said:

Yeah she asked him, he just so happens to be an entertainment attorney.

Most concert tickets say "NO CAMERAS/RECORDERS/LASERPOINTERS". I would think that, if you're caught using one of those, the venue is well within its rights to boot you.

Ace said:

I'm not disputing this. My point is that prohibited and illegal are not the same thing.

SCNDLS said:

Note to self : Always read thread before posting!

hell no that shit ain't illegal.

Ace said:

Uh, yeah, that might help.

JerseyKRS said:

She was actually yelling at the top of her voice that it was, which is why she ended up talking to a dial tone.

SCNDLS said:

I hate discussions like that. Some people can't differentiate between "yeah, the owner says no and will throw you out and take your camera" and "against the law"

JerseyKRS said:

Then when she called 30 minutes later to tell me yeah the attorney said it's "illegal" INSTEAD of to apologize for her approach, that didn't help my disposition.