NPPA Attorney Explains Photographers’ Rights and How to Deal with the Police

The folks over at PDN recently sat down with National Press Photographers Association attorney Mickey Osterreicher to talk about photographers’ rights, police intimidation and how to handle yourself around cops who don’t understand what you are and are not allowed to photograph.

Given that a new confrontations between a police officer and a photographer seems to cross our desks weekly, the video could not have come at a more pertinent time. Educating yourself on your rights, the officers’ rights and how to calmly and politely handle a situation that is quickly going south is crucial info that any photographer who practices his craft in public ought to know.

The main gist of Osterreicher’s message is how to stay OUT of trouble while also getting the photos you need. He also suggests ways to explain your rights to an irate officer without getting arrested. And, on the maybe not-so-off chance you DO get arrested, he explains who to call for legal counsel.

Unfortunately the video is not embeddable, but you can watch the full interview over on Vimeo by clicking here.