LA Professional Photography Permit

Did you know that any still or motion professional photography in the City of Los Angeles, and most publicly accessible parks and property in the LA County area, need a permit? Many photographers operating within the LA city boundaries do not have a permit when they are taking pictures, but why is that?

 

Not Professional

Most of them are simply not professionals. Meriam-Webster says that “a professional is participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer>“. By definition then, if your photographer is not taking images for gain or livelihood, they are maybe a semi-pro at best. But this is not really about whether your photographer makes a living or not. This is about attitude, professionalism, and goals. Attitude means that a professional photographer should follow rules and regulations. These rules are in place for a reason (and not just for the city to make money): to protect other citizens, public property, and clients alike. Professionalism starts with knowing the rules and following them, but it also means that as a truly professional photographer, your photographer is fully insured for at least $1 Million (some counties require a minimum of $2 Million). One of the requirements to even get a permit is to be fully insured. If your photographer did not apply for a permit, or claims that they don’t need one, that can only mean two things:

1. Your Photographer is not insured, which puts you in danger. What happens if something happens during the photo session?


2. They do not consider themselves a professional photographer, and as a result, neither should you!

The Los Angeles Charter and Administrative Code clearly states in Section 22.350:

No person, as defined in Section 11.01 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, shall use any property belonging to or under the control of the City of Los Angeles for the purpose of making any commercial motion picture, or still photograph, of, or including such property, without first having obtained a use permit to do so from the City Council, or whomever the Council by order, resolution or ordinance may delegate such authority.  No such use permit shall be issued until the permit applicant has paid the application fee and the use and service charge required in connection therewith, and until the permit applicant has furnished proof of insurance with coverage as required by the Director of the Office of Administrative and Research Services in a form approved by the City Attorney.

I have heard it before that some professionals try to argue themselves out of this by claiming that what they do is not considered commercial, and that only whenever they would do this for a client, let’s say an advertising agency for example, then this would be considered commercial. This argument, as much as any assumptions with it, is wrong.

If you pay your photographer, then this is a commercial transaction. You pay them to take images of you. But what if you don’t pay them? Well, if the photographer (or you) are using these images for financial gain (meaning to advertise and get paid work out of this), then the purpose of the photo session was of commercial nature.

So before you hire someone, make sure they have a permit for the location you are shooting at. Furthermore, if they do not, insist on one, and while you’re at it, make sure they are insured. As a certified professional photographer (CPP) I am fully insured, and only shoot on location, if a permit was obtained first (if one is required at that particular location). As you may have noticed, I have a permit to shoot at many places in the greater Los Angeles area. These include most beaches, many parks and other locations. Alternatively I shoot in my studio, on our downtown L.A. rooftop, or any other location that is worth exploring. Interested? Get in touch with me for details and to book a session.

LA Professional Photography Permit
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