Southern Outer Banks News

These are photos that I have taken over the years of people, things, and local places that I find interesting. In the United States, street photography is legal, with a few things to keep in mind:

Surveillance Law. North Carolina law prohibits "peeping Toms". This means that it is illegal to secretly observe the activities of another person in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. However, street photography is not "peeping Tom" as long as the photographer is 1) not trespassing or 2) not trying to conceal his activity.

Expectation of privacy. North Carolina law recognizes the concept of "exectation of privacy". This means that people generally have a right to privacy in certain areas such as restrooms, changing rooms, their homes, and private businesses. If a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy then it may be illegal to photograph them without their consent. However, there is no right to privacy in public places such as streets, sidewalks, beaches, and public parks.

Photography of minors. North Carolina law prohibits the intentional viewing or production of a photograph of a minor in a state of nudity or engaged in sexual conduct. This law applies even if the photograph is taken in a public place. Notwithstanding, any minor can be photographed in public without consent.

To learn more about street photography, you can download the PDF article "The Photographers Right", by Attorney Bert P. Krages from my Resources page. All photographs here are the intellectual property of Dr. Anthony Jones Boyette (Southern Outer Banks News) and may not be printed, distributed, or used without express written permission.