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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Hi

Photographers can take photos of people in a "public place" without permission for editorial purposes only. For example, you can take a photo of a family at an exhibition opening and it can appear in your Museum newsletter or in your local paper etc with the a caption saying "A family enjoying the newly opened science exhibition". The use of the photo is related to what they were doing in the photo.

Even though it may be the best photo you have ever taken it cannot be used to advertise the exhibition on a bill board in Times Square or as an advertisment in the same local paper without getting permission from the people in the photo first. The same goes for all other types of publishing. 

I use 2 simple rules:
1. If I was in the photo would I want it to be used in the way I will be using it.
2. If I have time to make people pose, I have time to get permissions. But if I can't I make sure the I can't see their faces or any identifiable features such as tattoos or emblems on the uniforms of school children.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Michael

Michael Van Tiel
Producer, Family and Community Experiences
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

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-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network on behalf of Martin Weiss
Sent: Sun 24/04/2011 6:49 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fair use of pictures of visitors to museums
 
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

We all have taken pictures of exhibitions we have developed or are
developing in science museums.

Is there a blanket rule regarding their use without having obtained
permission? Is it permissible to use them in a talk? Is it permissible to
use them on a web site or another publication? Are museums considered a
public space where you have right to take pictures and use the images as on
a public street?

Sources would be helpful.

Martin


-----------------------------------------
Martin Weiss, PhD
Science Interpretation, Consultant
New York Hall of Science
mweiss at nyscience.org
347-460-1858

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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
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