Photos in the park.

[Percyfish3rd]

I recently took my 3 year old granddaughter to the park, and took some photos of her on the slide. As we were leaving a woman said "excuse me, I saw you taking some photos, of that little girl. My daughter was in some of them 8n the background. 8 want you to delete the photos. If you don't I' ll call the police, it's illegal to take photos of other peoples children". I pointed out to her it wasn't illegal, and I'd rather keep the photos. Her husband then joined us, and said as I was using a " professional camera" (there is no such thing) he would shove it into a part of my anatomy I won't mention. I decided to delete them, after all they would be easy enough to recover at home, but how many people would have done the same thing as this couple, even though the photos weren't specifically of their child?

As an adoptive parent and currently a foster carer looking after children who are in complex legal cases, I have had to ask people not to take photographs if my children could potentially be in the background. One current situation involves their birth families actively trying to find where they live, hence looking online, local newspapers and on school websites in the area they know the children are living. The schools of course know this, so it is only a real issue when it comes to other parents. It's always a very difficult situation, and I obviously try to remove my children if I see others taking photos they could be in. But very often I don't realise until afterwards and then I have to approach the photographer. I try, of course, to be polite, but they frequently ask "why not?" sometimes aggressively, and obviously I cannot tell them the real reason so I know I sometimes come across as being awkward/precious and at times rude myself. And I never really have found anything to say that can calm things down if they object. But the consequences of not asking them to not take the photos, or delete them, could be life changing for my children. It's just a bit awkward all around really.

@Percyfish3rd

I recently took my 3 year old granddaughter to the park, and took some photos of her on the slide. As we were leaving a woman said "excuse me, I saw you taking some photos, of that little girl. My daughter was in some of them 8n the background. 8 want you to delete the photos. If you don't I' ll call the police, it's illegal to take photos of other peoples children". I pointed out to her it wasn't illegal, and I'd rather keep the photos. Her husband then joined us, and said as I was using a " professional camera" (there is no such thing) he would shove it into a part of my anatomy I won't mention. I decided to delete them, after all they would be easy enough to recover at home, but how many people would have done the same thing as this couple, even though the photos weren't specifically of their child?

I would have called the police about the husband's threats

I wouldn't ask someone to delete a photo with my kid playing in the background. But I would have delete one straight after a parent asked and take some more without their kid in the background. However, it's still completely out of order for the dad to threaten you. They should have gone to the police if they were so sure of themselves.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

They have every right to ask, *@doubleshotespresso* - but as it was in a public place, they had no right to insist, and certainly no right to behave in a threatening fashion.

They do have every right to ask of course, because frankly it is weird to want images of chikdren unknown to you. Also think given a phone camera was not being used, this is quite unusual and perhaps panicked the parents. As others have said there are numerous and valid reasons for this being an issue for them, none of us could possibly know. General rule of thumb is say is if it's clear you've made another parent distressed or uncomfortable it's not unreasonable to request their deletion. If OPs intentions were sound this would/should not have been a problem. I expect the exchange was not fondly remembered by either party. But there's the lesson, respect others and their children's space, there's never a need to photograph random children - I've no idea why anybody finds it acceptable, for many it isn't. As in many areas of life, the law is an ass. This doesn't mean we cannot all demonstrate a bit of common sense and courtesy.

Welcome to our miserable, self-interested, media-loving world circa 2021!

@doubleshotespresso

She didn't want photos of a child unknown to her. She wanted the photos of her DGD and the other child happened to be in the background.

I would, of course, expect other children to be cropped out if uploading to social media (if this is not possible without ruining the photo then I wouldn't upload at all) but there is absolutely nothing wrong with OP keeping the photos.

[quote GoldSlipper]@52andblue while, technically, people can take photographs of anything they like within a "public place" I'm certain the rules change when it comes to the commercial side of using them (such as in your case).

I'm no expert but it is my understanding that since the photographer is using this for commercial gain that he would require a model release form signed by a parent/guardian. However this is only the case if it is a close up type shot. If you child is one of a large crowd then there is a loophole unfortunately.[/quote]
Release forms are used in commercial contexts out of an abundance of caution. Even then there is almost always no need for consent of anyone in the photo, but photographers prefer to err on the side of caution.

there's never a need to photograph random children - I've no idea why anybody finds it acceptable, for many it isn't.

There's a difference between photographing random children and taking a photo of your child with random people (including children) in the background.

@MagicSummer

Welcome to our miserable, self-interested, media-loving world circa 2021!

What does it have to do with the OP taking photos of their own grand-child?

To be honest I find it quite sad that many assume the photos will automatically go straight on to social media.

@Jellybabiesforbreakfast

there's never a need to photograph random children - I've no idea why anybody finds it acceptable, for many it isn't.

There's a difference between photographing random children and taking a photo of your child with random people (including children) in the background.

And luckily it's a free country where you can do what you want unless it's forbidden, not one where you can't do anything unless there's a need.

They do have every right to ask of course, because frankly it is weird to want images of chikdren unknown to you. Also think given a phone camera was not being used, this is quite unusual and perhaps panicked the parents. As others have said there are numerous and valid reasons for this being an issue for them, none of us could possibly know.
General rule of thumb is say is if it's clear you've made another parent distressed or uncomfortable it's not unreasonable to request their deletion. If OPs intentions were sound this would/should not have been a problem. I expect the exchange was not fondly remembered by either party. But there's the lesson, respect others and their children's space, there's never a need to photograph random children - I've no idea why anybody finds it acceptable, for many it isn't.
As in many areas of life, the law is an ass.
This doesn't mean we cannot all demonstrate a bit of common sense and courtesy.

But the OP didn't want a picture of someone elses child, nor did she want one. She took
pictures of her own grandchild on a slide.
As it turns out, this other child wasn't even fully visible in any of the pictures. Only partly visible in one. It's not like she was going around deliberately photographing random people's children.
Just her own grandchild. Which wasn't wrong or distressing and I cannot agree she was in the wrong in any way. The parents sound completely crackers.

It’s a public place, you did not have to delete the pictures.

You've done nothing wrong. Everyone takes photos with other people, including children, in the background. That is normal, you weren't targeting their child.

I don't think I'd go to that park again if you get those sort of nutters there. They were trying to intimidate you.

That should say "nor did she take one"

They were rude and abusive and I’m sorry that you had that experience. They may also have had a genuine reason why photographs of their child could have put their child at risk, as PP explained, and these two issues aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.

You were right to delete the photos; I don’t think you should recover them.

Good god whatever next? Will it become socially unacceptable to take family pictures at the beach? In any crowded space? Festivals? Stop the world I want to get off 😒

You were right to delete the photos; I don’t think you should recover them.

Why? She's said there was only one picture out of all the pictures she took of her grandchild where the girl was even in the background and wasn't even fully visible in it? Why should she not recover her photographs of her grandchild on a slide?

@khakiandcoral - nothing - I think OP should be allowed to take all the photos she wants of her grandkids without stupid people complaining about their kids maybe shown in the background.

I really hope the lovely bloke who rudely approached OP in the park and threatened to shove her camera in a place which won't be mentioned isn't in the position of fostering a vulnerable child!

Tbh I would only take photos of my child in a park if there were no other children as I wouldn't want my child in the background of some other photos, there are some right weirdos out there who might use that as an excuse (which obviously you're not), but they were just protecting their child

You should avoid as much as possible to have other kids in the photos. Kids far away in the background are fine in my view. The kid in the swing next to your child NO, that's too close.

Make sure that the kids in the background aren't naked for some reason, of course (like changing clothes)

And avoid posting photos that you can see another child's face on social media. Or slightly blur it first

You weren’t legally required to take the photos. I can understand why some people don’t want their kids photographed for privacy reasons though, for example if the kids are fostered or involved in a custody case. But they should have asked politely and explained.

But did you not explain that you are the Grandmother?