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  4. Do need to blur license plates in car photos?

Do need to blur license plates in car photos?


3 years 10 months ago #686617 by Sawyer
Hey gang, if you take photos of cars on the road, if you post the photo online, should the plates be blurred?  
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM | Canon 35L | Sigma 85 1.4 | Helios 44M-6 58mm(M42) | Zeiss 50mm 1.4 (C/Y) | Canon 135L | (2) 430EX II
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3 years 10 months ago #686618 by Nikon Shooter
Mind you, I don't know really all the local laws so I
always did alter plates and blur was not the way.
Light is free… capturing it is not!
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3 years 10 months ago #686620 by Piechura
I've never heard of anything like this. The only time I've ever seen this is in things like the news where it's the car of someone in the story (footballers, etc), on TV if it's the presenter's car, or sometimes when someone is selling their car (frustratingly because this is the one time when you actually want to look it up). It's possible in the case of famous people or politicians that having their car publicly broadcast could make them more likely to be harassed. I don't think that's a risk for most people.

As always, there is potentially a different rule for commercial photography. This section from Wikipedia might be relevant:

If a photograph shows private property in such a manner that a viewer of the photograph can identify the owner of the property, the ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers, Inc.) recommends that a  property release  should be used if the photograph is to be used for advertising or commercial purposes. [60]


I assume private property here refers to houses, but I see no reason why it wouldn't be the same for cars. But I'm not sure if you can find out who owns a car just from the number. I'm from the UK and number plates will only tell you whether a car is taxed and registered, not where or by who.

If you google "street photography car" you'll see that most photographers don't blur the plates.
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3 years 10 months ago - 3 years 10 months ago #686624 by garyrhook
Short answer: no. There is no expectation of privacy, and that includes property (in the US).

Post away.
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3 years 10 months ago #687009 by I shoot RAW
Yep, +1 on that
Wasn't me :)
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3 years 10 months ago #687386 by Sawyer
Thanks peeps!  
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM | Canon 35L | Sigma 85 1.4 | Helios 44M-6 58mm(M42) | Zeiss 50mm 1.4 (C/Y) | Canon 135L | (2) 430EX II
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3 years 10 months ago #687390 by icepics
Depends on usage. How are you going to use the photos? Get on ASMP or PPA and read guidelines for the photo industry.

If you are going to profit by selling the photos for retail or commercial use, get a release signed. The car owner may not sign a release, or allow usage, with the license plate number showing.

For editorial use, a release is not needed but may be requested by a media outlet. It depends on the situation if a media outlet would publish the license plate number or not. There isn't an expectation of privacy if the car is parked out in public, but if a media outlet would deem it necessary to protect someone's privacy, in cases that involve a minor or victims of a crime, etc., the license plate number might be blurred. Depending on the story, a media outlet may not want to run the risk of making someone a target by publishing their personal information such as their license plate number.
Sharon
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