Picture Perfect

Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

My son recently had his Chumash party, and the school brought in a professional photographer. I was shocked though, a few weeks later, to see my son’s picture on a fundraising flyer on behalf of the school. I thought they should’ve asked permission, but the school feels they did no wrong.

A school has the right to photograph or publicize any part of the activities that take place at the school, and they are not required to ask permission to do so. This is done regularly in all schools, and parents are well aware that this takes place. If you, as a parent, are against this common practice, it’s your responsibility to contact the school in advance and ask them to refrain from photographing your child or publicizing his picture.

My boss asked me for a head shot to put on our company website. Am I allowed to Photoshop the picture to look better?

Photoshopping a picture of a person to look better is no different from putting on cosmetics to improve one’s appearance. Both are permitted. But if one is taking a picture of an item in order to sell it, then it would be forbidden to Photoshop the picture if the purpose is to hide a blemish or make it look more valuable than it really is.

I have a stunning view from my porch, and I made a collage of pictures I’ve taken of gorgeous sunsets. But a neighbor just told me it’s assur to photograph the sun. Is she correct?

The consensus of the poskim is that it’s forbidden to draw or paint a picture of the sun, moon, or stars. Whether or not taking a picture of the celestials is included in this prohibition is debatable, with several contemporary poskim ruling stringently.

But according to all opinions, it is only prohibited to draw (or photograph) an image of the sun in its entirety, including its rays. It is permitted to draw (or photograph) a part of the sun, or a partial view of the sun — i.e., a sun that’s partially obscured by clouds, or one that has begun to set and is no longer entirely visible. The same halachah applies to stars. However, it is forbidden to draw (or photograph) the moon in the beginning of the lunar month, even though only part of the moon is visible at that time.