How does this work if a building clearly has signs on it saying private property and no trespassing and is run down? If you are off the property and taking a photo of the abandoned building, is that okay or grey area?
If you are in the USA … if you are in a public place, you can shoot anything that is in plain sight. No gray area about it.
If you step on that posted property, though, you are trespassing. No gray area about that either.
Making the photo is one thing; how you can legally use it is another matter. To use it for any commercial purpose, you'd best get a release from the property owner.
hghlndr6 wrote: If you are in the USA … if you are in a public place, you can shoot anything that is in plain sight. No gray area about it.
If you step on that posted property, though, you are trespassing. No gray area about that either.
Making the photo is one thing; how you can legally use it is another matter. To use it for any commercial purpose, you'd best get a release from the property owner.
Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs ...
These days you can't be sure enough! thank you all for the answers.
hghlndr6 wrote: If you are in the USA … if you are in a public place, you can shoot anything that is in plain sight. No gray area about it.
If you step on that posted property, though, you are trespassing. No gray area about that either.
Making the photo is one thing; how you can legally use it is another matter. To use it for any commercial purpose, you'd best get a release from the property owner.
Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs ...
I really like this photo. Now if you wanted too, could you sell this photo?
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YOu should Google "Urban Exploration." It's basically a hobby where you intentionally trespass into abandoned buildings/structures to take cool pictures of things. These people don't try to use them commercially though. It's just a hobby. An illegal hobby. While it is definitely illegal, I consider it morally gray because as long as you don't harm the property in any way you usually aren't causing any harm. Usually. I saw a photo set from an abandoned hospital where they took pictures of files on the ground and that had some personal information which was harmful, but that's a highly specific situation and most abandoned structures don't have sensitive information laying about like that.
If you do this, the code for Urban Exploration is to not touch anything. Just view it, photograph it, and leave. And remember that what you are doing is illegal.
StephanieW wrote: YOu should Google "Urban Exploration." It's basically a hobby where you intentionally trespass into abandoned buildings/structures to take cool pictures of things. These people don't try to use them commercially though. It's just a hobby. An illegal hobby. While it is definitely illegal, I consider it morally gray because as long as you don't harm the property in any way you usually aren't causing any harm. Usually. I saw a photo set from an abandoned hospital where they took pictures of files on the ground and that had some personal information which was harmful, but that's a highly specific situation and most abandoned structures don't have sensitive information laying about like that.
If you do this, the code for Urban Exploration is to not touch anything. Just view it, photograph it, and leave. And remember that what you are doing is illegal.
Yeah I have done that.
The rule is as Bob pointed out. In his photo he could have gone right up to the fence line, and shot it. I had someone give me grief over my shooting an abandoned building because he had NT signage, I told him that if he did not want me to take a photo to put up a solid fence so I could not see it. He stomped off.
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These days you can't be sure enough! thank you all for the answers. 
