Professional Photographers Now Require a Permit in Positano, Italy
Original Post: https://davidsornberger.com/professional-photographers-permit-positano-italy/
Are you planning on visiting Italy? Did you buy the latest in photo and video gear for the trip? If so, your journey will bring you to the breathtaking town of Positano along the Amalfi Coast. Like all enjoyable and productive travel photography trips, this one also requires planning. You need to be aware of the new taxes imposed by Positano’s city council regarding permits for photography and video.
One of the the most photographed places in Italy, Positano, is now requiring a permit for anyone who wants to take photographs or make videos for commercial purposes. This applies to all devices, where or not you plan on shooting with a DSLR, medium format, mirrorless camera, or a cellphone. The council of Positano assures that amateur photographers will not be required to pay this permit fee and will be able to freely take photographs and videos.
Although some consider this as a “tax on the landscape”, the mayor explains that “It’s not to make money, but to have control and to filter out commercial transactions related to the good name of our town. Not everyone has to be able to tie the own brand in Positano. And then we also do it to control the territory — he adds — because the improvised sets often stopped the pedestrian flow of tourists in the country’s points, causing discomforts and bickering. We want to have control over who is traveling or photographed in Positano: it is our right. As for the figures, they are symbolic: other than a thousand or two thousand euros, who exploits the image of Positano should pay 50 thousand or 100 thousand.” (Source: La Repubblica)
The City of Positano will have tariff set by the City of Positano from 1000 euros for “photographic and advertising shooting” and a cost of 2000 euros “for video and film”. This regulation will come into effect in mid-November 2017. Anyone who wishes to shoot professional photos or video will need to submit a request for permission to the municipality at least 30 days before the shooting begins. Emergency requests, or after the deadline, will be authorized with a 50% surcharge on the due. For weddings and anniversaries, the Municipality will be required to submit a free application at least ten days before the event. There are also no costs television programs and magazines, newspapers and documentaries.
This new permit could present a burden to small-scale professional photographers who may have difficulty recouping the €1000+ cost of shooting in Positano. Additionally, photographers who specialize in portrait photography may soon have to pass on massive price increases to their clients who wish to use Positano as their backdrop.
Technology has advanced substantially in recent years in photography and video gear. It will be complicated for the town to determine whether a photographer is shooting for “commercial” purposes. For example, a professional photographer could take photos with elaborate camera equipment for personal purposes. On the other hand, a professional photographer could shoot images using an “amateur” camera or a smartphone and then use them in an advertising campaign.
Have you experienced the new permit in Positano? If so, I’d like to know about your experience. Leave a comment on the original blog post or contact me here.
