[Gary Bagshawe]

How bad is this! I have been taking glamour photos for years and don't actually know the minimum age for this type of photography in the UK. Dont get me wrong I have never taken any photos of anybody under the age of 18 but I have been asked what the minimum age is and I don't actually know!!!!
I think it is 18 and I certainly wouldn't take photos of anybody younger but could anybody just clarify this for me?

[GfK]

I've always thought it was 16 and anyone younger than that required parental consent. But like you, I have no idea what the law actually says about this... not that glamour photography is really my field.

[CT]

I don't think there's any legally minimum age Gary, but I'd be very careful if the girl is under 18. Make sure you meet her parents and that everything is out in the open and it's clearly understood what type of shots are to be taken.

A photographer I knew, went through all this with a 17 years old aspiring glamour model, and saw her parents first. They agreed as all she wanted was clothed glamour shots. At the first session she told him she wanted some very explicit nude shots taking, which he declined, and she reported him to the police for indecent assault during the session. Knowing the guy as I do I didn't believe one word of it anyway.

The police went through all the motions of arrest and interview though, although no further action was taken. I still pull his leg about it when I see him, but it caused him a lot of personal grief.

[Gary Bagshawe]

Cheers for the advice on that, The studio I use has loads of people about anyway and for just that reason small cctv cameras are installed in the studio to protect the photographers as well as any models.

[CT]

The Children and Young Persons Acts which cover all sorts of offences only apply to up to 16 year olds, when they're outside the scope of the legislation.

17 years is generally the age at which people are considered adult and don't need parental consent. Just to confuse the issue, Juvenile Courts now hear cases against 18 year olds (Raised recently from 17 years) but I don't think anything affects the basic principle that they are considered adult for most things at 17 years - getting married for example.

[Gary Bagshawe]

Cheers ct, just spoken to my studio and the general advice (which makes perfect sense) is 18, I do remember a while back some famous page 3 girls starting at 17 but I think that 18 is a more acceptable limit.

[Arkady]

17 for anything nude or topless.
Don't even think of shooting nudes with anyone younger as your images will run foul not only of UK law but international law as well.

[CT]

Just remembered... my old photographer friend as above had a studio in town where he did a lot of boudoir photography. This was a trend which came over from the US where it was popular to get your wife or girlfriend photographed in a glamour bedroom setting in sexy lingerie. All very tasteful and he was extremely good at it. He used to get some very odd requests though from some strange people.

For ages he had a message on his anasaphone which used to kill me...

"I'm sorry, I don't do transvestites" :lol: