Check the "Freedom of Panorama" article on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_panorama - lots of restrictions around the world.

> In the US there's the 1a - you can photograph anything you can see (from a public place).

Just because you can photograph it does not mean you can necessarily publish it. IP rights are a recognized exception to the 1a

Taking photos and publishing photos are 2 different things. The first one doesn't involve copyright for a start.