It's 2024 people: Unless you have agreed to let them take your picture* it's a violation of privacy and if the photographer is of a different political opinion than you (check their social media) it might be un unlawful surveillance issue on the table there too. You might get a free picture by offering to settle out of court! ;-)
*You probably have signed away all such rights in the fine print when you signed up though, it's not like organizers can afford to set up a race for people to just have fun these days.
There is no violation of privacy whatsoever in situations like this, regardless of what "fine print" you signed. Courts have determined that you do not have a reasonable right to privacy when in public spaces. Photographers have the legal right to photograph ANYONE, even children, in public spaces. There are some limits, like photography in a public restroom, but when out on the street it is open season for photos. This is why the paparazzi get away with following celebrities down the street and talking hundreds of photos of them. You "signed the fine print" the moment you walked out of your house.
Don't feel bad. Race photographer is a joke job anyways and those guys make way way too much money for a days work. If you can't survive the ai movement, it proves your job was fluff
If I pay $100 for a race entry, soggy hotdog, and generic finisher medal, I want my double chinned cross-eyed pterodactyl-trying-to-swim-in-concrete looking race pic gosh darn it.
That's not great if AI can cut into someone's labor. I do think race photos are way too much. They sell a handful of overpriced photos to make up for everyone who passes on them. They'd probably have more luck with a lower price but it's why apartment complexes price gauge even if it means half the building is empty. They'll take 1/2 the units filled at $2k/month instead of all of them filled for what rent should actually cost people. It would be nice if races could just contract photographers directly and build the price into race registration. I've done some races with free photos and sometimes its just a small race logo in the bottom corner of the photos.
I've noticed races giving out images for free with their logo and the logo of their main sponsor prominently displayed on the bottom of the photo. I think this is the best business model: free advertising in the age of social media.
will this be a game changer for race photographers? 🤔
should I feel bad for stealing my race photos?
my motto ever since I discovered mp3 download sites ~2003 - if it's on the internet, I'm not paying for it.
It's called theft of services and it's a crime. Let me guess, you are of the law and order party that doesn't actually care about laws that white people break. Steal some shampoo at Walgreens... off with their heads. Steal a photograpgers intellectual property... Oh well, it's on the internet...
Truly a bunch of trash h̶u̶m̶a̶n̶s̶.
Ah yes, because flash mobs of youth stealing everything that's not nailed down is white people's fault.