If told to delete photos . . .

It happens all the time: You’re happily snapping away in public[1], and the police, federal law enforcement, or private security approach and demand that you delete some or all of your photos. And, for reasons that each must justify personally and on a case-by-case basis, you determine that the prudent course of action is to delete said photographs. What to do to ensure that 1) you avoid further harassment and 2) you can still post those images on-line for all to see?

The way out in such a case is remarkably simple:

1. Always carry at least one spare memory card when taking photographs in public.
2. If you believe that compliance with a request to delete might be your only option, then by all means, delete away. Format the card in-camera if you must.
3. Do NOT take another photograph. Turn the camera off, and walk away.
4. Before you turn the camera on again–and certainly before you even think about taking another photograph–remove that memory card and drop in a spare.
5. Go home, and use a free and capable image recovery program to extract the “deleted” images from the original media.
6. Post them on-line, have them printed on t-shirts, or hand them out as stickers on the same street corner during the next big event.

[1] The operative word here is “public.” If you are taking photographs in an area where photography is expressly prohibited, you may be breaking the law. And failure to comply fully with the authorities might just buy you a night (or more) in jail. Don’t be a dumbass.