Drone Photographer Seeks First Amendment Rights for His Aerial Images
A drone photographer is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to protect his aerial images with First Amendment Rights -- in the same way as free speech.
Oklahoma Tries to Revoke Teacher’s License Over Facebook Photo
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is attempting to remove a teacher's license over a 2019 social media photo.
Photojournalists and NPPA Achieve Historic Settlement with the NYPD
A group of press photographers reached a historical settlement with the New York City Police Department Tuesday, with an agreement that has the potential to transform police conduct and training, especially regarding the First Amendment for both journalists and the general public.
Livestreaming Photographer Found Not Guilty of Ignoring Police Orders at Mass Shooting
A livestreaming photographer has been acquitted by a jury for interfering with police's response to a mass shooting.
Federal Judge Halts Arizona Ban on Filming Police Within 8 Feet
A federal judge has halted the controversial new state law in Arizona that bans people from photographing and filming police officers within 8 feet. The new law, which opponents have slammed as a violation of free speech, was to go into effect on September 24th.
Lawsuit Challenging Law That Restricts Recording Police Has Nationwide Implications
Earlier this year, Arizona governor Doug Ducey signed HB 2319, a law that would make it illegal to record or photograph police within eight feet of them. It's being challenged, and the results will have nationwide implications.
NPPA Lawsuit Challenges Arizona Law Restricting the Recording of Police
The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) has joined with the Arizona Broadcasters Association and the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona (along with eight other media organizations) to file a lawsuit against Arizona's law that restricts the recording of police.
New Arizona Law Makes Photographing Police Up Close Illegal
A new Arizona law will soon make it illegal for bystanders to record police activity within eight feet. Civil rights activists and national press photographers have condemned the act as a violation of free speech.
Grand Teton Axes Controversial Plan to Require Portrait Photo Permits
Grand Teton National Park has canceled its plans to require permits from photographers looking to shoot any kind of portrait for clients in the Wyoming park. The changes had been met with criticism from both photographers and First Amendment lawyers.
Stringent Texas Anti-Drone Law Overturned in Federal Court
A federal judge has overturned the stringent drone laws in Texas, citing that it is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. The lawsuit challenging the law was brought in 2019 by the National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA).
Your Rights as a Photographer in the United States
As a photographer, it is important to know your rights in every aspect of the medium, from where and what you can photograph to what people are allowed to do with your photos without your permission. This article is a guide to your rights as a photographer in the United States.
Police Accused of Illegally Seizing Journalist’s Phone to Access Photos
A reporter from a Univision affiliate in Arizona has accused police of illegally seizing his phone and threatening to access its contents by "brute force" during an incident in April.
ACLU Challenges Ruling Where Woman Was Arrested for Filming Police
Journalism and civil rights groups have joined in the effort to overturn a West Palm Beach appeals court decision that they think could block the public and press from filming police in the future.
Woman Confronts ‘Creep’ Photog in TikTok Video, Draws Backlash
A woman in Seattle, Washington, is facing criticism after sharing a video on TikTok in which she confronts an older man who was photographing her on a public outdoor path.
NPPA Gets Funding to Educate Police, Journalists About Right to Record
The NPPA has announced that it will instruct police, first responders, and journalists across the United States about citizens' right to record police and officials who are carrying out their public duties.
Video of Officer Shoving Photographer ‘Into’ Fire Sparks Anger
A Denver SWAT officer has sparked outrage after a television news camera caught him shoving a crouched photographer toward a burning pile of trash.
Shooting Creepy Photos of Women in Public Isn’t a Crime, Court Rules
An appeals court has ruled that a 40-year-old man who followed women around with a camera to shoot creepy images of them did not commit any crime because the photography was done in public places.
This Street Photographer Became the Target of an Online Witch Hunt
Street photographer Joshua Rosenthal visited the Ventura County Fair in Ventura, California, this week and roamed the fairgrounds while shooting candid portraits of visitors. The next day, he woke up to find that he had become the target of vicious accusations on social media and a search by local vigilantes.
Cop Points Gun at Photog Because He ‘Doesn’t Know’ What a GoPro Is
Here's a video of a disconcerting encounter between a police officer and photographer that's making the rounds online. It shows a police officer in San Diego drawing his gun on the photographer filming because he "doesn't know" what the GoPro attached to the main camera is.
Taking Photos Without Consent is Like Unwanted Touching: SF Street Fair
Folsom Street Fair, the annual BSDM fair in San Francisco, upset photographers in 2016 with its "Ask First" campaign that asked photographers to receive permission before taking photos of people on the public streets of the fair. This year, the same event organizers have released a warning that compares taking photos without consent to sexual assault.
Los Angeles Bans Photos at Concerts in Public Park
The city of Los Angeles is banning photography at free concerts in a public park, and photographers aren't happy about it. Several prominent photographer, journalist, and civil rights organizations have joined forces in writing a letter that protests the policy.
Capitol Hill Police Forced Journalists to Delete Protest Photos, Reports Say
Capitol Hill police officers in D.C. are being accused of violating the First Amendment after reports emerged that journalists were forced to delete photos and videos of protests at the Senate.
You Have a Constitutional Right to Take Photos of Police, Federal Court Affirms
Photographing and filming police officers in public is a constitutional right protected by the First Amendment. That's what a federal appeals court unanimously affirmed this week in cases involving Philadelphia officers retaliating against citizens pointing cameras at them.
Melissa Click Fired for Violating Photographer’s Rights During Protest
It seems the Melissa Click saga has come to an end. A few months after being filmed confronting a photojournalist during a student protest at the University of Missouri, the mass media professor was fired yesterday for infringing on the student's rights.
Federal Judge Says Photographing Police Not Always Protected by 1st Amendment
In a surprise decision in the US court system, a federal judge ruled last Friday that photographing and filming police officers isn't always protected by the First Amendment.
Mizzou Professor Melissa Click Charged with Assault for Handling of Photojournalist
Remember Melissa Click? She's the University of Missouri professor who sparked an outcry after being filmed confronting photojournalists and calling for "muscle" to remove them from a public area during an on-campus protest in November 2015.
Well, Click was charged with assault yesterday for her actions.
Missouri Lawmakers Demand Firing of Professor Who Harassed Student Photographer
The University of Missouri has one of the oldest and most prestigious journalism schools in the country, but in November 2015, the school had its reputation tarnished by a viral video that showed student photographer Tim Tai and cameraman Mark Schierbecker getting blocked and harassed by student activists and university staff.
Over 100 of Missouri's lawmakers are now demanding that the assistant media professor, Melissa Click, be fired for her actions during the protests.
Mizzou Media Professor Melissa Click is Under Fire for Confronting Photojournalists
Earlier today, we shared a viral video of student photojournalist Tim Tai being confronted by activists while photographing the ongoing University of Missouri protests. One of the main people under fire for their actions in the video is Melissa Click, an assistant professor of mass media.
Cameraman Mark Schierbecker has just posted a longer version of his video (embedded above) that shows Click's role in the human media blockade more clearly.
Student Photojournalist Has Face-Off with Activists at Mizzou Protests
Ongoing student protests at the University of Missouri over campus race relations have dominated the media over the the past several days. Now a new video showing the group blocking a student photographer is sparking controversy and discussion about press freedom.
The 6.5-minute video above shows student photographer Tim Tai being blocked from a public area of campus on Monday while on assignment for ESPN.
Atlanta to Repeal 1977 Law That Bans Photography on Public Sidewalks
The city of Atlanta, Georgia, has an old local law from 1977 that makes it illegal to shoot photos of people on public sidewalks. The law has never resulted in an arrest or citation, but it did make the news last week after police officers reportedly cited the ordinance to prevent photographers from taking pictures on city sidewalks.
The NPPA and 11 news organizations wrote a letter to Atlanta's mayor, Kasim Reed, and now Atlanta is saying that the law will be repealed.