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Land of the Free

Where exactly are you allowed, and not allowed, to photograph?
I get this question all the time. Unfortunately, I'm not an expert on the subject, and I'm sure to make some errors in discussing it, whether of commission or omission. Also, all of what I have to say only applies to the U.S. of A., where I happen to live.
The basic rule is that you're allowed to photograph most anything if you're on public property and you're not going to do much of anything with the picture.
There are exceptions to this. You're not allowed to photograph the personal activities of private citizens (for instance, through a bathroom window) whether you're on public property or not; you're not allowed to photograph "public" citizens (i.e., celebrities) if they are someplace where they have "an expectation of privacy," like when they're behind a high garden wall or lounging on a yacht anchored off the island of Skorpios; certain landforms and flora that are trademarked ar...

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