text: is it legal to take a stranger's picture? if i were to take a stranger's picture, and the stranger were to approach me and ask me to tear up or delete the photo, do i have a legal right to refuse?  does the other person have the legal right to force me to get rid of the photo?  this is assuming the photo is clean (non-nude), of course. technically, is not legal to take a person's picture if the picture identifies the person. ie: you can tell it is them in the picture. if the face is blurred or it is the backside of a person it is ok and legal.  now, if that person grants you the rights to their immage it is ok. obviously, if they prohibit you from taking/using the picture, they do not grant rights of usage.   this is because a person's image is technically their coppyright.   or at least these are the guidelines that i follow...