Photography legal concerns

[alexm525]

Hello all, I am wondering if anyone out there knows if i were to talk a photo of a abandoned place and frame them to sell is it illigal. I have heard so many mixed suggestions and wanted to come here for more of a better answer. Would i run into any legal problems by the land owners etc?

[OdiN1701]

If you use it in commercial work, likely it could be an issue. If sold as a fine art print then less likely but I suppose still possible. If you take the picture from non-private public land then even less an issue. But IANAL.

[Scottes]

A better answer would come from a lawyer, not the general public of the Internet, which will just give you a bunch of opinions.

For a lawyer's opinion, you might want to look at The Photographer's Legal Guide. http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Legal-Guide-Carolyn-Wright/dp/0979035309
http://www.photoattorney.com/products.html

From what I remember from this book, there are concerns if the building is of certain architectural interest is is newer than a certain date (which I *believe* is in the 1970s). All bets are off if you are on private property when you take the picture.

That's all for the US - other countries are very different.