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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
License Plate Ethics
Greg Kendall-Ball, Photographer, Assistant
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Abilene | TX | USA | Posted: 1:13 AM on 05.04.11 |
->> Just curious about how other papers handle this situation:
I got a photo today of a pretty bad car accident. The best angle happened to have the cars's license plate clearly visible. The driver of the car was a minor, and the police would not release their name.
One of our editors pulled the photo, and ran a secondary shot, because of the license plate.
So, do your papers ever run photos with license plates in them? If someone's identity has not been released, do you crop it out or obscure it?
Mostly curious...first time this has come up for me. |
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Andy Bronson, Photographer
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Bellingham | WA | USA | Posted: 1:28 AM on 05.04.11 |
| ->> A license plate is not the identification of a driver. Only who owns the car. Your editor was wrong to pull it. Besides, if the kid wrecked daddy's car, he'll know before the paper comes out. Unless, you put it online first. Also, car could have been stolen. And never obscure it. I'll crop it out, only IF it's not important to the composition or reaction. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 1:36 AM on 05.04.11 |
| ->> We only withhold names of minors involved in criminality unless they are charged as adults. The name of a minor in a car accident or even in a traffic fatality should be readily be made available by law enforcement. It is in my state. Your editor was wrong. |
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Mike Ullery, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Piqua | OH | USA | Posted: 3:36 PM on 05.04.11 |
->> New editor...or, did he know the kid in the crash?
As both Andy and Jeff said, you editor was wrong.
The only "rule" about license plates in crashes is - don't use flash. The plate is reflective. :) |
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Butch Miller, Photographer
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Lock Haven | PA | USA | Posted: 6:29 PM on 05.04.11 |
->> Agreed, the identities of minors are only withheld if they are being charged as minors in criminal cases (in this case our local and state authorities will not release the identities) ... or are they themselves are victims of a crime ... or if at the time of publication, the name is being withheld by authorities until the next of kin is notified ...
The license plate being identifiable in the image would have no bearing on any of this in my opinion ... and really is a matter of public record in the end ... to make an editorial decision to not run the photo based upon that criteria alone was a error in judgement for the editor in question ... IMHO ... |
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