These are useful references for a photographer wishing to know his or her rights and the rights of their models and subjects.
You usually have the right to take a photograph of anything you can see when you are located on a public location. These sites discuss a photographer's rights:
Bert P. Krages - The Photographer's Right
PhotoSecrets: The Law for Photographers
Carolyn E. Wright - The Photo Attorney(R)
Any photographs you take are automatically copyrighted by you, but you may want to investigate your copyright rights at this site: