One of the things people hold most dear is their privacy. The right to keep what only concerns you to to yourself is fundamental. The rest of the world has no right to know things, such as who your friends are, how much money you make and how you spend it, what you do in your free time, or who you had an argument with. In general, in public places it's not illegal to take someone's photograph unless it's somewhere with an expectation of privacy, like a public restroom. If you're walking down the street and someone takes your picture, that's almost surely legal. This is why the paparazzi can get away with swarming famous people with cameras the minute they step out a door. However, you shouldn't take pictures that cross certain lines. "Upskirt" photos are not only in poor taste, they are illegal in many places. Similarly, you should not take pictures into someone's bedroom (or any other ) windows. These things are an invasion of privacy, even if the person has opted not to employ curtains within their home. That's their choice. And while you can generally take pictures of any person who is in a public place, it is considered polite to ask them before publishing the picture, and you do need to obtain a legal model release before using their image to promote or sell any products. Some celebrities have argued that they have rights to photographs of them because they are "joint authors." A joint author requires the intent of the parties to collaborate. Celebrities have maintained that because they cooperated with the photographer and posed for the picture, they've established themselves as a co-creator. Courts generally have rejected this argument. Under right of privacy laws, celebrities and ordinary individuals are protected from being photographed without their permission in a location where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as in their homes. However, photographers can take photos of individuals in public places without permission. Although a photographer can photograph someone on the street, they may be limited in the use of that photo. Public figures typically have a right of publicity, which allows them to control their image name or any other likeness used for commercial purposes