UK Canal Side Photography

[jvo]

Tricky one,

First question to OP. What are you doing tramping a narrow canal towpath when the whole of england is in lockdown and you are suppse to be at home and only going out for essential journies. To me, your activities today appear suspicious at least.

hmmm - do you own a boat on a canal?

 

[John Bragg]

I agree that those using the canal do not have the obligation to be photographed. However, nor do those living in a town centres or my own street for that matter. I make efforts to ensure that I photograph boats as part of a scene. And only if it's really worth the use of the film. I shall continue to do this and see it as "street photography". For me the same rules apply with discretion. In this case the boat was not named yet was advertising goods for sale on the towpath . In a way it was a shop. It had little expectation of privacy.
I will contact the waterways owners for their definitive view.

Thanks for your responses and views

I see two things here that may have a bearing on why the boat owner may have reacted in such a negative way. His retail activities may have been illicit. Also the equipment we use, and how we use it, can attract attention. As you rightly say, it has some similarity with street photography and the same attendant problems when people don't want to be photographed.

 

[Bikerider]

hmmm - do you own a boat on a canal?

You do not appear to have a grasp of the situation as explained by the original poster when challenged a few days ago. You are allowed to leave home for exercise either on your own or with someone you live with or if on your own, meet up with one other person. Irrespective if he/she owns a boat or not, he is can walk along the tow path providing it is not closed off for the public.

 

[AgX]

And to my understanding from this thread the tow path makes part of the canal and thus falls under control of the canal authority and its restrictions and is less a public area than a common foot path.

 

[Charles Escott-New]

Before this lockdown I was taking photos at Kennet mouth, where the canal joins the Thames at Reading. This is an area where you are well advised to be cautious and a couple of narrow boats were resident near the bridge. Approaching the first boat an alsation dog appeared followed by a lady who looked askance at my camera, a D4 so it looks a bit serious, and I walked on by without taking a shot. It is an area with a reputation for drugs but the reluctance to be photographed is perhaps more about the lifestyle of the full time boaters. It is not that they are living off grid but they are more on the fringe of things and maybe wary of intrusion, which is fair enough. Or maybe it is just that I have finished reading Suttree by that wonder, Cormac McCarthy. All the best, Charles.

 

[AgX]

And to my understanding from this thread the tow path makes part of the canal and thus falls under control of the canal authority and its restrictions and is less a public area than a common foot path.

I admit, my hints at restrictions and laws are typically german.

If a German is told, by whoever, that his doings are wrong against some standard, the typical reply is "Where is that written?"

 

[wahiba]

Yes indeed. A canal path is almost certainly private land and you are there under sufferance, that is not to say they will stop you but if there have been complaints it is better to be above board with those who's responsibility it is to manage the site. Much the same with Railway Stations, it used to be a big no-no in case you caused an injury to anyone or to yourself and maid a claim for compensation. They are fare more relaxed about it now so long as you take care. They do not like tripods though!
This is not to say you can go on or near any of the running lines or works because an injury there can cost thousands in lost running time.

I think that canal paths are de-facto public rights of way. A path used to become a right of way if it were open to public access for a year and a day. Many publiciy used private paths are therefore closed one day in the year to ensure they remain private. Canal paths have been there for a bit longer than a year and a day so we have a de-facto right to use them. Also they have been in public ownership for years.

hmmm - do you own a boat on a canal?

Believe it or not canals pass through built up areas. The Leeds Liverpool backs onto the house the other side of my street. The path is the other side of the canal. Where do you think most of the locals take their daily constitutional in lock down.

 

[wahiba]

Canal paths are public places and you have every right to be on the path. An aggressive dog should be reported to the police.
Note: I live very near the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The tow path is heavily used a a footpath and cycleway.

 

[AgX]

A path used to become a right of way if it were open to public access for a year and a day. Many publiciy used private paths are therefore closed one day in the year to ensure they remain private.

Interesting legal approach, we do not know here.

 

[Bikerider]

Canal paths are public places and you have every right to be on the path. An aggressive dog should be reported to the police.
Note: I live very near the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The tow path is heavily used a a footpath and cycleway.

Actually they are not public places unless they are listed as a 'right of way'. Canal paths are the property of the canal trustees/owner and they can impose rules of their own at any time, and almost certainly have their own byelaws. This is very much the same standing as railway stations, they are private property and you can be asked to leave at any time if there are breaches of the Railway byelaws and sometimes Acts of Parliament. Like stations, canal paths can be closed at any time. A Public Place' has many definitions but the only one that is a true public place is a Highway. The definition of a highway is "Where the public can pass and repass without hindrance at any time."

There is an almost an opposite parallel near where I live in the shape of the Beamish Open Air Museum. That is closed off to the public when there is no one on site. This was contested in court because the enclosure included a right of way and the site had to be opened up until they fenced off the right of way providing a path through the ground.

 

[Ariston]

Two things - First, get a bigger dog. Second, maybe give the guy a break. Everyone is on edge these days and can use a pass every now and then. But I know it's hard when someone is being a jerk.

I find if I am uncommonly nice to someone (usually a drive-thru clerk) who is being rude, it brightens up their day and changes their attitude. Sometimes people just have a bad day. I know I do.

 

[wahiba]

There is an almost an opposite parallel near where I live in the shape of the Beamish Open Air Museum. That is closed off to the public when there is no one on site. This was contested in court because the enclosure included a right of way and the site had to be opened up until they fenced off the right of way providing a path through the ground.

Evidently it is the land owners responsibility for fence off a right of way if they do not want people straying. There is a local field and a much used path crosses it. Unfortunately dogs were causing problems for the animals parasites or something so the path is now fenced along both sides.

 

[Bikerider]

And to my understanding from this thread the tow path makes part of the canal and thus falls under control of the canal authority and its restrictions and is less a public area than a common foot path.

Exactly correct.

 

[Arcadia4]

from canal and rivers trust faq.

Is the towpath a public right of way?
Most towpaths are not public rights of way. Instead, the majority of our towpaths are ‘permissive paths’ as we allow members of the public to use them.

 

[wahiba]

Back to the topic. I actually use the local road bridge across the canal to shoot a test shot for a film and/or camera. It is in Silsden in West Yorkshire. Canal is the Leeds to Liverpool. Mill is used by Snugpac who actually make sleeping bags and padded winter jackets there. Naturally they also import a load of stuff from abroad. Sleeping bags are expensive, but tend to be used up Everest and the Artics. Jackets though are actually cheaper than some from a similar company whose gear now seems to be made mostly in Vietnam.

A few sample pictures.

1: a Bencini 127 tested using 35mm Kentmere 400.
2: a Canon AF-7 compact. Fuji 400.
3: Canon Epoca Kentmere 400
4: Pentax K1000
5: Lomo Sardina