Is it a crime to take photos in public

Is it ever a crime to take photos in public?

That important question was at the heart of a Q&A on the New York Times’ Lens blog yesterday, and is the focus of the blog I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist. It’s also a question that undoubtedly affects iReporters and citizens around the world.

The short answer in the Times' piece is no, it’s not a crime in the United States. Regardless, it seems more and more often we hear stories of photographers being arrested or stopped from capturing images in public. In particular, such incidents occurred during the Occupy Wall Street movement last year, when photographers – professional and amateur – documented the protests and clashes between demonstrators and police.

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