Photographer at club

[WorriedBeachDad]

So a professional photographer at a club based on the beach that my daughter attends told me that he took a long range photo of a woman sunbathing topless on the beach and sold it to the The Sun, a few months later he did the same thing to the same woman (accidentally), the woman complained to IPSO that she had no opportunity to give/deny consent but he got away with it as she was in public.

I lost my rag in quite a big way and said that if he was prepared to act in that way I didn't want him photographing my daughter and he should not be welcome at the club - which has a very high proportion of teenagers and girls.

I have been told that I was unreasonable as he did nothing illegal and since he gets the club good exposure in the press he's worth having around. I disagree - AIBU?

Honestly can't work out what to do now as I love the club and don't want to leave but this feels like a really big problem...

Justmuddlingalong - I name changed for fairly obvious reasons... I'm a regular user but infrequent poster.

I think people are being distracted by the fact that the woman was topless, and people do not agree with that. If the woman was in a bikini it would be just as horrible. Taking stealth photographs of people is grim and I would not want that person around my teenage daughter.

It is grim, but not illegal, yet.

She was topless on a public beach so I'm sure she didn't have that much of a problem with nudity.

If you don't want photos being taken of your children, then don't give consent. Although as your DD won't be topless in the photos it shouldn't be a problem.

I thought The Sun was proudly nip free these days!

He didn't get away with it, he hadn't done anything wrong

So only things that are illegal are wrong, in your opinion?

He sounds like a nasty, sleazy coward. Is this a private club? I would be annoyed if I paid private membership to a club that allowed any photography without consent. TBH, if the club enjoys getting press exposure from 'The Sun', that tells you all you need to know about the place.

Was the woman famous?

I'm not a fan of press photographers taking pics of topless women and I don't think a newspaper is any place for them (unless it was a woman who campaigned for modesty or something. Can't think of one at the moment..)

I am a fan of press freedom though and there cannot be any effective law that says photographers cannot take photos in public places and they cannot be published.

I think your worries about him using inappropriate pictures of the club are completely unfounded.

Was the woman famous?

I wondered, too. Why would The Sun pay for a topless photo of a random woman?

So FreudianSlurp, rape in marriage was perfectly fine until they made a law against it?

I do think there is a huge difference between lying topless on a beach among friends and a handful of strangers, and being displayed all over a newspaper.

Can someone please explain to me how that is legal?? Surely if the Sun published the image without someones express consent that is an issue?!

They were in public so you can take photos of people without permission.

You can take photos of people yes, but can those pictures be published ( if topless ) without consent?!?

Op, you are absolutely not unreasonable. I find it creepy. I would be wondering what kick he is getting out of taking pics of kids.

He's a sleezeball and yes I would remove my children and find another club.

Also- I wouldn't let my own children be photographer for the newspaper. Under any circumstance.

I would be disgusted too and would be refusing permission for him to photograph my daughter. I'm glad you said something to him, too, these awful misogynists think it's just women who complain and think they're scumbags.

I wouldn't want to use him as a photographer. Mainly as he clearly has no scruples and would probably sell any photo for profit.

What a perv! But of course he was well within his rights but I can u sweat and why you wouldn't want someone like that around your children.

I too am wondering why the Sun would pay for a photo of some random tits.

Mmmmm,as i see it ,its not that he took shoots of a topless woman sun bather its more the fact he profited from the act .The woman who,s breasts where photographed only got embarrassed because said photographer sold her image to a tabloid all she wanted was a good tan,not nice may be not illegal but morally not nice at all. As for taking Photo,s of children that in its self is a mine field now days ,would you let some one take pics of your children who also uses a "snoop" lens to take pics of near naked women sunbathing with out their knowledge ;Mmmmmmm no brainer me thinks ..........

The man who took the photograph is probably one who wonders why topless sunbathing is less common than a few years ago.