Ukrainians May Be Fined for Photoshoots in Poppy Fields: When Responsibility Arises

The blooming season of poppies and rapeseed traditionally attracts thousands of people eager to take bright photos for social media. However, not everyone considers that for the sake of a good shot, people often enter private fields, trample crops, or even drive vehicles on them. Such actions can not only cause damage to landowners but also be grounds for administrative or even criminal liability.

Is it allowed to take photos in poppy and rapeseed fields?

Taking photos against the backdrop of a poppy or rapeseed field is not prohibited if done from the road, roadside, or another place where crops are not damaged.

At the same time, the law provides liability for illegal trespassing on private land, trampling, or picking agricultural crops.

What fines threaten for damaging crops

According to Article 104 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, citizens face a fine from 17 to 85 hryvnias for unauthorized trampling or destruction of agricultural crops.

Additionally, the owner or user of the land plot has the right to call the police, document the damage, and demand compensation in court.

Driving through fields can also be punished

Article 104 of the Code also provides liability for driving through crops or plantations by car, tractor, combine harvester, or other machinery. For such a violation, citizens face a fine from 17 to 51 hryvnias.

If damage is caused to the landowner’s crops as a result of driving or other actions, they may demand compensation according to the law. In practice, the amount of compensation for damaged crops can significantly exceed the administrative fine.

When criminal liability is possible

In most cases, photoshoots in fields, even if a person enters private land without permission, do not lead to criminal liability. Usually, such situations involve administrative offenses or compensation for damages.

At the same time, Article 162 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine establishes liability for illegal entry into a dwelling or other possession of a person, as well as for illegal inspection or search or other actions violating the inviolability of possession. The article’s sanction provides for a fine from 850 to 1700 hryvnias, corrective labor, or restriction of liberty.

Therefore, applying this article to cases of photoshoots in poppy or rapeseed fields is possible only if specific circumstances exist, which law enforcement and courts assess individually in each case. For ordinary photography against the field background without other aggravating circumstances, criminal liability under Article 162 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is unlikely in practice.

How to take photos in the field without breaking the law

To avoid trouble, it is worth following a few simple rules:

• do not enter crops or pick flowers;
• do not drive vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, ATVs, or other machinery onto fields;
• take photos from the roadside, road, or other accessible places;
• use zoom and a good angle instead of entering the field;
• remember that fields may be treated with pesticides, and blooming plants often attract bees and other insects.

A beautiful photo for social media is not worth damaged crops, conflict with the landowner, or liability for breaking the law. Therefore, during photoshoots in the blooming period, it is important to respect the work of farmers and follow established rules.

In Lviv region, a popular poppy field was plowed after a wave of photoshoots

Amid discussions about photoshoots in blooming fields, a story about a poppy field in the Lviv region caused a stir. In recent weeks, it became a popular location for photography.

The field, photos of which were widely shared on social media, was plowed. The landowner explained that the decision was not related to the influx of visitors. According to him, wild poppies grew on a field with green manure crops—plants sown to improve soil fertility. After flowering ended, the crops were plowed to be used as natural fertilizer before planting another crop.

At the same time, the situation around blooming fields sparked active discussion on social media. Users pointed out cases where visitors trampled crops and caused damage to farmers for the sake of impressive shots.

In particular, a story circulated online about a landowner in the Kyiv region who complained about crop damage due to mass photoshoots. According to eyewitnesses, people trampled part of the field along the perimeter despite requests not to enter the crops.

These cases once again remind us that the popularity of blooming locations on social media does not cancel the need to respect property rights and farmers’ work. Even if the photoshoot takes place in an open area, damaging crops can be grounds for liability and compensation for damages.

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