Following on from the recent article about the response from the Prime Minister in relation to photography in public, the new guidelines published by the National Policing Improvement Agency may be a little more helpful.

Section 2.8 is the relevant part for photographers and the full document can be downloaded from the NPIA Website here.

The Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital
images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place. Officers should not
prevent people taking photographs unless they are in an area where photography is
prevented by other legislation.

If officers reasonably suspect that photographs are being taken as part of hostile terrorist
reconnaissance, a search under section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 or an arrest should be
considered. Film and memory cards may be seized as part of the search, but officers do not
have a legal power to delete images or destroy film. Although images may be viewed as
part of a search, to preserve evidence when cameras or other devices are seized, officers
should not normally attempt to examine them. Cameras and other devices should be left
in the state they were found and forwarded to appropriately trained staff for forensic
examination. The person being searched should never be asked or allowed to turn the device
on or off because of the danger of evidence being lost or damaged.