[jpzk]

I don't think such exists. The relevant laws vary from country to country, even from place to place within a country. For instance, some Native American pueblos prohibit cameras totally. I suggest that for any jurisdiction you are interested in, that you contact a photographic organization in that place, and/or that nation's consulate, to learn the local laws.
I understand that; and as I mentioned earlier, "local" laws differ from one place to another. Getting permission is really the first one should do under the circumstances, if you are not sure.
These laws may extend beyond mere rules for who and what to shoot or not shoot. For instance, some nations place limits on the number of cameras you can carry across their borders without a special license. I know of people who made their living smuggling digital cameras into Guatemala.

Also, local laws, and local mores and customs, may differ. Street photography may be legal in some places, but inadvisable because the populace may object violently to being photographed. I can think of places in Mexico where an outsider with a camera will be beaten and the camera destroyed. I would *not* casually point a camera at anyone in Ocosingo, Chiapas.
I have heard of that region and would not even dare travelling there in the first place!
There is also the problem of public vs private spaces. Traditionally, the 'street' is a public place of commerce. But commerce increasingly takes place in private spaces such as shopping malls, where photography is often restricted. I raised my K20D in a mall parking-lot in Sacramento, California and was jumped by rent-a-cops. But I shot extensively WITHIN that same enclosed mall without hassle. Go figure...
You had been seen by an over-zealous cop there, seemingly!

Thanks for the info, very useful too.

Cheers.

JP

[jpzk]

I guess if you are on the street then you might want to consider the "rules" of the street. Read your local criminal code, or even a municipal (city) statute codes (by-laws as they relate to in Ontario). As an example, here in London Canada, there is a minor note whereby one has to be slightly careful photographing people in city parks. Basically the by-law states that it's unlawful (by-law reference and not criminal code) to photograph a person without permission.

Otherwise, it's photography as you choose here in Ontario as I know on any public street. But if some tough guy (cop or citizen) tells you to point the camera at the sky instead, I guess might as well follow the instruction and walk away slowly

I lived in Ottawa for 20 years.
Doing street photography in that city must be very "dicy" (I never tried) ... you are bound to encounter diplomats, government workers of all levels, undercover cops ... ; people who just wouldn't appreciate to be photographed, for whatever reason they would have.
On the other hand, they must be used to have cameras pointed at them! That is one very "public" place!

Again, as you mention, better be safe and ask around or read about the rules of the game before getting in trouble.

Cheers.

JP

[RioRico]

I would *not* casually point a camera at anyone in Ocosingo, Chiapas.

I have heard of that region and would not even dare travelling there in the first place!

Oh no! Chiapas is a wonderful and varied and beautiful state! I love it dearly and return whenever I can. But some areas are dangerous because the locals have been f**ked over by Spanish and Mexican authorities for centuries, and are justifiably hostile to outsiders. If one wishes to take the Ruta 199 short-cut from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas (SCLC) via Ocosingo, just follow some simple guidelines:

* Don't point a camera at anyone in the towns between Palenque and SCLC.
* Be sure your vehicle is fully fueled -- there are no Pemex stations in between.
* Don't travel on political holidays, such as anniversaries of revolutionary leaders and events, International Women's Day, Columbus Day, etc -- these are prime times for roadblocks and toll-taking.
* If you see a roadblock surrounded by peasants, turn around and leave quickly.
* If you see a roadblock manned by uniformed troops, DO NOT SPEED AWAY!
* If asked to contribute money for medicine, clean water, etc, be generous.
* Always be very polite and respectful.

But it's probably better to avoid that short-cut. From Palenque, take Ruta 186 west to Villahermosa, Tabasco, then Ruta 195 south to SCLC. That's just a couple hours more. Either way, you'll drive through spectacular country. Whilst in Villahermosa, spend an afternoon in Parque la Venta, filled with real giant Olmec heads and swarms of coatimundis. Your life will never be the same!

I should note that Chiapas is culturally, and was formerly politically, part of Guatemala. Much of the population is Mayan, dressed in traditional garb, and living traditionally. In some places, people turn away or cover their faces when they see a camera. In others, they jump out and pose and mug for the lens. I generally feel safer there than in much of USA. A cousin who regularly drives between San Francisco and Guatemala City says that the most dangerous part of the route is in... Los Angeles.

[jpzk]

Oh no! Chiapas is a wonderful and varied and beautiful state! I love it dearly and return whenever I can. But some areas are dangerous because the locals have been f**ked over by Spanish and Mexican authorities for centuries, and are justifiably hostile to outsiders. If one wishes to take the Ruta 199 short-cut from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas (SCLC) via Ocosingo, just follow some simple guidelines:

* Don't point a camera at anyone in the towns between Palenque and SCLC.
* Be sure your vehicle is fully fueled -- there are no Pemex stations in between.
* Don't travel on political holidays, such as anniversaries of revolutionary leaders and events, International Women's Day, Columbus Day, etc -- these are prime times for roadblocks and toll-taking.
* If you see a roadblock surrounded by peasants, turn around and leave quickly.
* If you see a roadblock manned by uniformed troops, DO NOT SPEED AWAY!
* If asked to contribute money for medicine, clean water, etc, be generous.
* Always be very polite and respectful.

But it's probably better to avoid that short-cut. From Palenque, take Ruta 186 west to Villahermosa, Tabasco, then Ruta 195 south to SCLC. That's just a couple hours more. Either way, you'll drive through spectacular country. Whilst in Villahermosa, spend an afternoon in Parque la Venta, filled with real giant Olmec heads and swarms of coatimundis. Your life will never be the same!

I should note that Chiapas is culturally, and was formerly politically, part of Guatemala. Much of the population is Mayan, dressed in traditional garb, and living traditionally. In some places, people turn away or cover their faces when they see a camera. In others, they jump out and pose and mug for the lens. I generally feel safer there than in much of USA. A cousin who regularly drives between San Francisco and Guatemala City says that the most dangerous part of the route is in... Los Angeles.

Sorry I'm late answering this!

From what I read in your post, this seem to be a photographer's paradise!
But, as I also see it: dangerous place too! There are a lot of "warnings" to be observed along that route, aren't there?
Me, not being a dare-devil, I wouldn't really like to be stopped along the way by those people.

A friend of mine used to travel (with his Jeep) every winter from Ottawa to Mexico, way down to the Acapulco area, the Baja California or/and into Guatemala!!
I am not sure if I would have travelled with him.
Nevertheless, never once did he had problems (that is what he said ).

Thanks for sharing your experience.

JP

[RioRico]

From what I read in your post, this seem to be a photographer's paradise!

Indeed! I'll speak of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Honduras, the countries I've driven through: wonderful people, diverse cultures, fabulous scenery, old old structures, strange animals and plants, and air and light that seem qualitatively different than what I see further north. And in Mexico, most major museums are Federal and cheap and photography is allowed! I spent two long days shooting artifacts in the great Museo Anthropologico in Xalapa, another two days shooting in the hermanos Coronel museos in Zacatecas, all world-class, admission less than US$1.00.

But, as I also see it: dangerous place too! There are a lot of "warnings" to be observed along that route, aren't there?
Me, not being a dare-devil, I wouldn't really like to be stopped along the way by those people.

Since 2004 I've spent well over two years (elapsed time) driving in the countries I mentioned above. A few minutes at a roadblock outside Ocosingo Chiapas was the ONLY negative experience in that entire time. I feel much more nervous when driving around certain California urban areas. The warnings I listed pertain mostly to that one route, although it's ALWAYS best to be courteous, polite, respectful.

And I've had more trouble and expense in Canada than in the south, where drivers are helpful and careful because they're mostly uninsured. The (insured) driver in Whitehorse Yukon who rammed my vehicle laughed about it. We heard more than one Canadien brag about the number of wrecks they've had.

A friend of mine used to travel (with his Jeep) every winter from Ottawa to Mexico, way down to the Acapulco area, the Baja California or/and into Guatemala!!
I am not sure if I would have travelled with him.
Nevertheless, never once did he had problems (that is what he said ).

That's probably because he HAD no problems. And when you hear of dangerous places, consider this: We encountered some old Brits who wanted nothing to do with Yanks like us. I was curious; WHY? And I was angrily asked how many guns I had, how many people I'd shot and killed. That's how the world's media portrays Yanks: we all have guns, we're always shooting each other. Media flash scenes of violence before our eyes, not the humdrum lives of the other 99.999% of people.

[jpzk]

Rico: (OK to call you "Rico"?)

You must be some sort of daredevil!
Travelling through places like you do that makes me want to do it but I wouldn't daredoing it the way you do.
With that said, I do like going places and meet different people.

I couldn't help but laugh when you mentioned Canada being a place where drivers are aggressive on the road.
Your experience relates to Whitehorse, Yukon? I am not really surprised then.
However, if you had the chance to travel to other provinces, you'd likely to find Canada as being a rather quiet country, except for Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Typically larger cities with a lot of stressed people!

One thing for sure: you'd have a heck of a good time doing street photography in those cities.

So, some Brits thought all americans carried guns? And used them? !!
I've never had problems when I travelled to Boston, New York, San Francisco or even Dallas.
Nor did I have problems when I went to London, UK.
Goes to show how little some people know about other countries if they haven't travelled there!

Going back to the original post: street photography is an "area" where I haven't ventured much into.
It could likely be due to my lack of confidence in pointing the camera straight at people, fearing that some dude will get pissed off and charge at me?!
On the other hand, I just love seeing good "street" shots; it has this special appeal, much different from what I usually photograph (nature stuff).
Quite an urban jungle out there!

So, cheers for now and continue enjoying your travels and meeting people and places.

JP

[RioRico]

Rico: (OK to call you "Rico"?)

Es mi gusto, 'migo JP! [Translation: Sure.]

You must be some sort of daredevil!

Not really, and neither is my rider. We are too old for dare-deviling. We did much research before venturing south. Our fears were eased. We went, we saw, we loved it! And we saw Quebec licence plates in Guatemala and Belize. About our hairiest drives anywhere have involved steep slopes rather than social-political instability. Route 5 from Guate (Guatemala City) to Rabinal, Salama, and Coban -- ay yi yi! The cop who said it was a good road didn't mention the giant potholes, unmarked diversions, and mile-deep drop-offs. But it was a survivable adventure.

I couldn't help but laugh when you mentioned Canada being a place where drivers are aggressive on the road. Your experience relates to Whitehorse, Yukon? I am not really surprised then.

Not so much aggressive as careless, inattentive. USAnians can be pretty careless too. Anybody can -- but the uninsured can't afford to be. If Mexican cops show up at a traffic incident before everyone (insured or not) has escaped, all involved go to jail for a few months whilst details are sorted out, and the uninsured stay locked up longer. In Whitehorse, the Mountie took statements and we were all on our way -- carelessness wasn't punished.

Typically larger cities with a lot of stressed people! One thing for sure: you'd have a heck of a good time doing street photography in those cities.

I've been in TO, Montreal, Quebec, Halifax, all quite photogenic. I haven't seen Van yet; don't know if I can afford it now. Maybe if I get a moped...

Goes to show how little some people know about other countries if they haven't travelled there!

Exactly my point! The media reports and dramas we see of the world focus on extremes and rarities, which are much more exciting than ordinary daily life. USA local TV news has a rule: If it bleeds, it leads. Meaning, mayhem beats all other news. Before going to Guatemala, my mental pictures of Central America all came from films and reports of the atrocities there in previous decades. Research changed my views; being there transformed me!

Going back to the original post: street photography is an "area" where I haven't ventured much into. It could likely be due to my lack of confidence in pointing the camera straight at people, fearing that some dude will get pissed off and charge at me?!

Some approaches: Look official. Look foreign. Look busy. Wear what looks like a press pass. Use an ultrawide lens, or a long tele, or an angle-adapter or -viewer, or a waist-level viewfinder, so people can't tell the lens is aimed at them. Talk to people. Smile at people. Shoot with a group. Hire a bodyguard. Shoot from a balcony. Camera fiends have been bothering subjects on the streets since about 1885, so there's a long tradition and may successful strategies. Have fun!