Post by Jo Pearson on Jul 25, 2013 0:41:25 GMT
As some of you may be aware, Sam over at Mischa-b.com recently decided to stop posting all candids of Mischa after a few posts Mischa made on Twitter. It is my belief that Sam has probably misinterpreted these posts and Mischa's attitude towards the photographers who take the candid photographs, and overreacted to these posts, much to the detriment of his website.
When talking about the often thorny issue of candid photographs, it is worth keeping the following points in mind:
1) In most countries around the world, with the exception of those with extreme privacy laws such as France, it is not illegal for a photographer to take photographs of a celebrity when they are out in a public place. When out in public, celebrities, like everyone else, are "fair game" for photographers and have no reasonable expectation of privacy.
2) The great majority of celebrities, including Mischa, know and accept this as a routine feature of their lives in the public eye, even if they do find it a bit irritating at times. Many celebrities actually rely on candid photographs to keep their public profile high and help them get more work.
3) The great majority of photographers do keep their distance and try not to interfere with their subject while taking their photographs. As a result, the actual impact on the daily life of the subject is minimal. Admittedly, there are a few "bad apples" who do overstep the mark and cause distress, sometimes deliberately in order to get a specific picture, but they are very much in the minority.
4) There is a great deal of interest in Mischa's style and fashion choices, as she is considered by many to be a leader in this field and there is therefore a lot of interest in what she is wearing on a day-to-day basis.
After giving the matter considerable thought, I've decided that we maybe need to just revise this forum's policy regarding candid photographs a little, and this is how it is going to be from now on:
1) This forum will continue to post links to candid photographs of Mischa, or news articles containing such pictures, hosted by other websites.
2) The only exceptions to this rule will be either if:
a) It is clear either from the pictures themselves or Mischa's posts on social media that the taking of those particular pictures has caused her real distress. Note that this does not include simple mild irritation at being photographed from a distance - it must be genuine emotional distress.
b) It is clear from the pictures that the photographer has obviously behaved in an unacceptable manner in order to get the pictures.
c) Mischa has specifically and directly requested that the pictures in question not be circulated for some valid reason.
3) If you have any doubt about whether or not a certain picture or set of pictures should be posted, check with me before posting by sending me the link to them in a PM. I'll then check them out myself and give you the OK to post if I think they are alright.
I feel that this compromise strikes the right balance between people being interested in and wanting to see what Mischa is wearing and doing on a day-to-day basis, and respecting her privacy and wishes.
When talking about the often thorny issue of candid photographs, it is worth keeping the following points in mind:
1) In most countries around the world, with the exception of those with extreme privacy laws such as France, it is not illegal for a photographer to take photographs of a celebrity when they are out in a public place. When out in public, celebrities, like everyone else, are "fair game" for photographers and have no reasonable expectation of privacy.
2) The great majority of celebrities, including Mischa, know and accept this as a routine feature of their lives in the public eye, even if they do find it a bit irritating at times. Many celebrities actually rely on candid photographs to keep their public profile high and help them get more work.
3) The great majority of photographers do keep their distance and try not to interfere with their subject while taking their photographs. As a result, the actual impact on the daily life of the subject is minimal. Admittedly, there are a few "bad apples" who do overstep the mark and cause distress, sometimes deliberately in order to get a specific picture, but they are very much in the minority.
4) There is a great deal of interest in Mischa's style and fashion choices, as she is considered by many to be a leader in this field and there is therefore a lot of interest in what she is wearing on a day-to-day basis.
After giving the matter considerable thought, I've decided that we maybe need to just revise this forum's policy regarding candid photographs a little, and this is how it is going to be from now on:
1) This forum will continue to post links to candid photographs of Mischa, or news articles containing such pictures, hosted by other websites.
2) The only exceptions to this rule will be either if:
a) It is clear either from the pictures themselves or Mischa's posts on social media that the taking of those particular pictures has caused her real distress. Note that this does not include simple mild irritation at being photographed from a distance - it must be genuine emotional distress.
b) It is clear from the pictures that the photographer has obviously behaved in an unacceptable manner in order to get the pictures.
c) Mischa has specifically and directly requested that the pictures in question not be circulated for some valid reason.
3) If you have any doubt about whether or not a certain picture or set of pictures should be posted, check with me before posting by sending me the link to them in a PM. I'll then check them out myself and give you the OK to post if I think they are alright.
I feel that this compromise strikes the right balance between people being interested in and wanting to see what Mischa is wearing and doing on a day-to-day basis, and respecting her privacy and wishes.
