question about old barns/houses

[robopup]

Is is proper etiquette to try to find the owner of the land where there's an old barn or house before stopping to photograph it? There is one here in my town that I would LOVE to take pictures of, but don't know if it's appropriate to just stop and take the pictures on a whim. This morning when I drove by there, the cattle were laying down all around the front of it and it was an amazing opportunity.

[RLucas]

If you are standing on a public road or sidewalk, it's usually ok. If you have to step on private property it's a good idea to get permission.

[m.c.adams]

I take alot of photos of old houses and barns. I also have lived in rural areas most of my life. I have never had a problem taking shots, but if their are cattle lying about, you don't want to go over any fences and disturb them. People get real touchy about their livestock.
Mark

[BCampbell]

I've gone into a few abandoned places without too much problem, but this is with full knowledge of what I'm doing and that I could get caught.

So sure, you can take photos without asking permission. But permission can give you some peace of mind, it settles any legality issues, and talking to the property owner can give you some insight to the place that you wouldn't have had otherwise. Sometimes knowing a site's history can add another dimension to your photos.

[maxharvard]

HAHA I had a lady yell at me telling me I couldn't photograph her barn...

It was hilarious because not only wass she wrong, but couldn't be bothered to put clothes on to yell at me from her stoop.

~Eric

Here's the barn btw,
JPG: Photos: "Door #3" by Eric M

[BCampbell]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

HAHA I had a lady yell at me telling me I couldn't photograph her barn...

The law varies from state to state and country to country. Property owners almost always have the right to prohibit photography from, not of their property. There are some instances where we're not allowed to shoot, even from public property -- these usually fall under "expected privacy" clauses, so you generally can't shoot into a bedroom or bathroom, or shoot identifiable photos of people in places they can reasonably expect privacy.

That said, if I was shooting something like a barn from public property and the owner told me to stop, I would try to talk to them and explain the situation. If I just laughed it off and acted like some know-it-all photographer, I'd feel like a big pile of jerk.

[RLucas]

I see a potential flame war starting with this thread.
Just read these.
Photos and the Law
and specifically this
The legalities of urban exploration
Your locality may be different, so you may want to check there as well.
Hope this helps..

[Photoboothguy]

Get permission. You will most likely be told no because of the cattle. If you spook the cattle and they stampede across the pasture, they could run right through a fence and be gone (and yes, I've seen it happen). If that were to happen, YOU would be financially responsible for the cattle, which could be quite expensive.

If it was just a barn, I say go for it. Most old farmers don't care, as long as you aren't hurting anything. And if they do catch you, offer a print for free and they'll probably be happy.

[dub one]

Hope they dont have a shotgun and just dont get caught. hahaha.

[maxharvard]

Originally Posted by dub one

Hope they dont have a shotgun and just dont get caught. hahaha.

Find me a farmer that doesn't own a gun.