London photographer Matt Stuart specializes in "Street Photography," his brand of taking photo at the right time from the right angle. He wrote on his website:
I can't hide behind lights and technology, I am reliant on a small camera, patience and a lot of optimism. But what I get in return is the chance to make an honest picture which people know immediately is a genuine moment and which hopefully burrows deep into their memories.
This fantastic shot of man "imitating" the gestures of the cherubs was taken in SOHO.
http://www.mattstuart.com/ [Flash]
If not illegal, then there should be a law where if a photographer wants to use images of strangers they photographed, that they must first register the photograph with the authorities at a cost of around $1000 a photo, about the case that the person in the photo did not know that the photo was taken and that the photographer did not obtain permission. Then the photographer must be forced to make the attempt to find the person and try to obtain permission.
In the future world, we will have technology to track people in photos such as these with the software being developed for Google that will do searches of unidentified objects and persons in photographs.
I HATE random candid photos of unwitting people on the street or anywhere in the world, whether it be in London or in the African plains.
It's sick, perverse, and shameful, a cheap way to gain something out of someone's existence. It's a load of bollox.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/people.html