In my previous post, I said there might have been an unintentional misrepresentation of the NT's actual policy, and that until such time as the matter was clarified, I would give them the benefit of the doubt.
Today, I've spent a couple of hours browsing on some of the vast numbers of bona-fide web sites, and also blogs, (including Alamy, Amateur Photographer Magazine, ephotozine, Flikr, etc. etc), which are commenting on this situation.
It seems that many such organisations & individuals have tried to get a proper response from the trust, with regards to whether this situation will be enforced in respect of amateur photographers merely uploading images taken on trust land, but with no intent of selling or profit gain.
I can find no response from the trust thus far, which would in any way appear to confirm that amateurs needn't worry.
I didn't want to comment further, without being certain of the specific wording of the trusts policy, and have managed to find the relevant statement on the National Trust Photolibrary website (to view, you would need to click on the "Photographers" tab, at this link): -
http://www.ntpl.org.uk/index2.pgi
To quote an extract from that page: -
"The National Trust does not permit photography or filming at its properties for commercial use or for reproduction in any form. Images taken at NT properties may not be submitted to photo libraries, agencies or on-line providers or provided directly to image buyers. Requests for access for commercial photography or filming should be directed to the Broadcast Media Liaison Officer (020 7799 4547) in the first instance..
The National Trust welcomes outdoor photography for private and personal use and research at many of its properties. We regret that photography, either with camera or mobile phone camera, is not permitted indoors. Special arrangements for photography can be made for amateur photographers and for research purposes by contacting the property concerned in writing. If access is allowed, you will need to sign a contract which confirms that images are for personal use only."
The highlighting of the words
or for reproduction in any form, being my addition, in order to focus attention on that part of the statement.
Comments I've found which directly refer to the trusts clause, are unanimous in their belief that an amateur, uploading a photo to a website (with no intent of sale or profit making), would fall foul of the clause, and that this would encompass the photographing of anything and everything, whether it be the actual landscape itself, or of a single flower, if such photo's could be proved to have been taken on the trusts land.
This is indeed an abysmal state of affairs. The trust manages a significant amount of land in areas of outstanding natural beauty, including several hundred miles of coastline.
The fact that the furore has been growing for several weeks, and the trust have not issued a definitive statement to confirm/counter the beliefs, is, quite frankly, appalling. The whole of the trust's senior management, officers, and legal consultants, should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
The trust is supposed to be looking after these areas for the benefit of the nation - people like you and me - and not behaving like some sort of iron fisted dictatorship.
Regards
Mike.