Amateur Photographer Magazine

Rowling 'loses' photo privacy fight

Tuesday 7th August 2007

Chris Cheesman

J K Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter novels, is reported to have lost a legal attempt to stop future publication of a picture of one of her children.

Rowling sued Express Newspapers, which had printed a photograph of her 20-month-old son David, and Big Pictures (UK), the agency which supplied it, according to media reports.

She had sought a High Court injunction banning publication of the picture.

The shot showed Rowling and her husband, with David in a buggy, on an Edinburgh street in November 2004.

It is understood to have been captured covertly.

Rowling filed the claim in her real name Joanne Murray, on behalf of her son, according to BBC News.

Among those watching developments closely was journalist trade publication Press Gazette.

According to a Press Gazette article published today, the judge said: 'I have considerable sympathy for the claimant's parents and anyone else who wishes to shield their children from intrusive media attention.

'But the law does not in my judgment (as it stands) allow them to carve out a press-free zone for their children in respect of absolutely everything they choose to do.'

Rowling is understood to have been granted permission to appeal against the judgment.

A temporary ban on publication of the image remains in the meantime.

NEWS UPDATE:

Big Pictures' reaction



Picture credit: Jeff Meyer

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