Model release or not?

[bhumbertson]

When taking photos of people on the street "candids", do I need to get permission from the person, if I plan to use them on my site? Just curious. I'm perpared if necessary, model release and business cards. I just don't know if it is absolutly necessary. Any help would be helpful.

[agroni]

I think your bag with the model release paper will weigh more than you. I can imagine tons of papers for each person that you capture!
Personally i shoot people on the street but don´t even want to know their name. If someone will want to buy the photo, i will just say that i don´t have a model release for this photo, and that´s all.
But if you are doing more than one photo of a person, sort of a shooting session, than i think i would go for the model release!

[jdepould]

It partly depends on what country you're in, but generally speaking, if it's in public a release is not required.

[dougj]

I shoot a fair number of people on the street in Asia, both candid and not. I haven't used a model release and have not yet needed one. When selling a photo, I advise that I do not have a release, no problems so far. But this is Asia, the US and other countries will vary.

I think it's no problem to post generic photos on your website, as long as they do not represent the subject in a demeaning or commercial manor.

[jdepould]

I think it's no problem to post generic photos on your website, as long as they do not represent the subject in a demeaning or commercial manor.

That's the key part, if it makes it look like they're endorsing a product or portrays them inaccurately then you have a problem.

[pdbolton]

Try the following link. It's a good article on model releases.

http://www.danheller.com/model-release.html

pdbolton