To the otherwise non-sucky customer

[smoorman76]

Please do not take pictures of me without asking. My mother even has to ask, and I don't know you or what you plan on doing with it. Thank you.

[sms001]

Glad they were otherwise non-sucky, but what a strange thing to do. Got any context for this?

[smoorman76]

Not really. I cook in what is basically a truck stop diner and I never actually spoke to the woman or the people she was with. She did have a professional looking film camera, not a phone or anything, and she also went outside and took pictures of the town. I saw one of the others with what looked to me like audio equipment of some kind, but I don't know. It was just really rude on her part, I feel, to sit not ten feet away point a camera directly at me without permission.

[Skittles88]

I believe its illegal to take pictures of people without permission.

Edit: I guess its not illegal. Damn... It should be.

[Food Lady]

It's not illegal.

[Jay 2K Winger]

It's not illegal.

Yes, if it were illegal, the paparazzi would be out of a job and TMZ would go out of business.

...why isn't it illegal again?

[Ironclad Alibi]

My understanding is that pictures of other people may be taken in public places. However, the exact location and nature of the pictures could make them illegal.

[Mr Hero]

Yes, if it were illegal, the paparazzi would be out of a job and TMZ would go out of business.

...why isn't it illegal again?

"A bunch of paparazzi
Popping out of nowhere
Cameras in your face
And then suddenly
You're on TMZ"

[mikoyan29]

I believe its illegal to take pictures of people without permission.

Edit: I guess its not illegal. Damn... It should be.

And give people one more thing to harass photographers over?

[Antares]

Etiquette says that you should ask a stranger if you're going to photograph of them, but if you're in a public space, it is not required.

If you're standing in front of something I want to take a picture of, I won't ask.

If I wanted a picture of you where you're the subject of the photo, I'd probably ask unless doing so would interrupt or disrupt what I was taking a picture of you doing.

You could always carry a model release and ask that they sign it.

For the most part, I'd never think of taking a picture of someone at their work without asking permission.

[Dreamstalker]

Every so often there will be customers in my store with cameras; a few weeks ago a guy took a photo of the lottery number board (behind the service desk, who knows what else he got in the shot). We're not allowed to say or do anything unless someone's in an area they shouldn't be; customer claims to need the bathroom and then someone sees them taking pictures of the back room/loading dock, etc.

One was kinda fun; an elderly Asian woman wanted to take photos of her daughter using a self-checkout. They were unfamiliar with the technology, so I walked them through the process/helped out. Both of them asked me before if I would be okay with being in photos (which was fine; it was an innocent enough request).