A Matter of Photography

Let me establish this from the start: I am not an accomplished photographer, and nor will I ever become one. Even if I acquired the best camera in France, I would neither have the technical competence nor the understanding to use it. And so I happily snap away on my phone and hope for the best. Occasionally I find that some images please me, like these ones below. More often than not, such' snaps' are just the produce of 'happy circumstance.'

I also enjoy looking at selections of professional photographs from renowned photographers , which are published in 'The Guardian' newspaper from time to time. Many take the form of black and white portraits, and chronicle the history and social conditions of our time. In some, people are totally unaware of the camera, whereas in others , the subject poses proudly . I think this photograph from 1937 speaks reams about pre-war British class divisions. (Sadly, if you dig closely, little has changed.) Two public schoolboys from Harrow, wait outside the Lords cricket ground before the cricket match between Eton and Harrow, while local boys look on. Photograph by Jimmy Sime

This photograph from 1965 tells us a lot about what life was like in working class English industrial towns. This is around the time I did my first 'teaching practice' in a similar town in the North of England, and it certainly strikes a chord.

Photography in a Public Place is a common practice for many photographers, whether amateur or professional. However, it is essential to understand the legal implications related to capturing images of people in these spaces.

Image Rights in France

In France, image rights are protected by Article 9 of the Civil Code, which states that “Everyone has the right to respect for their private life.” This means that any person has the right to oppose the dissemination of their image without their consent, even if the photo was taken in a public place.

Exceptions to Image Rights

There are, however, exceptions where capturing and publishing images is allowed without prior authorization:

• News events or public demonstrations: Images taken during newsworthy events or public demonstrations can be published without consent, provided the dignity of the people depicted is respected.

• Public figures: Public figures, such as elected officials or celebrities, may be photographed in the course of their official duties or professional activities without their consent.

• Artistic use: In the context of artistic creation, certain works may use images of identifiable persons without their consent, provided the work has an artistic character and does not harm the dignity of the person portrayed.

As is often said:"One photograph is worth a thousand words." But , if I should wish to show what life is like in France, through its people, then things are not quite so straight forward, as you will see from the text to the right. If I see an interesting situation , or an intriguing face, I must think twice before I take a photograph.

So, whenever I can, I always ask a person's permission before taking their photograph, and explain that I write a blog about life in France. Most people are more than happy to be photographed, and often adopt a pose. However, this does have some limitations, as the photographs are no longer spontaneous. As for more general crowd images , then I am entitled to snap away, although I was recently questioned by a leader of a crocodile of children, as I aimed to take a scene of Montpellier on a sunny summer's day. As her protégés were merely a feature of this picture, I went ahead.

I recently took photographs of young children playing in the fountains that grace so many of our French towns nowadays. In Montpellier and Sète these have not only been specifically designed to cool the environment, but children are actively encouraged to play there too. It was here that I snapped my favourite image . A young boy was playing in the fountains with his younger sister one summer evening in Montpellier. I smiled at their mother who was standing close by, and felt that she had given me permission to go ahead. On looking at the results I was delighted to see the look of wonderment on the boy's face as the fountain turned blue. I hope that you like this photograph too. I feel that I can publish it on my blog as " the work has an artistic character , and does not harm the dignity of the person portrayed." Had it been otherwise, then the safeguards posed by the French law, seem to me to be very sensible indeed.

Of course , one of my subjects has been able to grant me his permission. However, I feel confident that Léo will be more than happy for me to publish these images of him. I do hope you like them!