Commerical photographers are not allowed to take shots of the Sydney Opera House or Harbour Bridge unless they shell out hundreds of dollars in fees. (Rob Griffith/Associated Press)

About 1,000 commercial photographers in Australia gathered in Sydney Harbour on Sunday, using their cameras to protest against laws requiring them to have costly permits to take pictures of landmarks.

The group, with members from across the country, carried banners proclaiming "Artists have rights to sell their work" and "Capture the moment, not the photographer."

The demonstrators then took photos of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as part of their Sunday morning protest.

Different levels of government have imposed rules concerning some iconic landmarks, including Sydney Harbour, the city's Bondi Beach and Uluru in the north, once known as Ayer's Rock.

Photographers say the rules are inconsistent and many fees are exorbitant.

"It's not just the cost of photographic permits, it's the logistics of getting a permit," landscape photographer Ken Duncan told the Australian Associated Press.

Duncan says the red tape is causing many to give up on their creative pursuit. The costs of a permit can vary, depending on location, time of day and number of crew involved.

The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority requires commercial photographers to pay a minimum $150 AUD ($141 Cdn) per session if more than 10 crew are involved. That's in addition to $65 an hour for a site co-ordinator, $65 an hour for security and an additional $65 an hour for cleaning. Each of those services must be paid a minimum four hours.

"There are so many expenses, including travel expenses, accommodation and the cost of permits," said wedding and portrait photographer Graham Monro, who added that many of his colleagues can barely make a profit.

With files from The Australian Associated Press