Vendors on markets, kids playing in the street, women working in the fields or doing the laundry along the waterfront, men behind push carts or selling their ware – all these are often picturesque scenes. We like to register these moments on our camera and photograph all those extraordinary faces and intriguing scenes. Taking those pictures, however, is not always a matter of course.
Taking pictures of local people, asking for permission
Whether you should ask permission is a ten-people-ten-opinion kind of discussion, and there is, of course, not one perfect answer that works for everybody, all the time. In cities, or places where people are used to photography, or simply don't care, you most likely won't have a problem.
When travelling in rural areas and Muslim countries, however, you will often find that photographing people (generally women) is frowned upon. It may therefore be wise to ask permission to avoid insulting somebody. In Muslim countries you will probably score high by asking a husband or male member of the family for permission to photograph a woman.
Tip: It may seem a trivial matter but don't forget to thank the person afterwards for having been allowed to take a picture. Showing that you didn't take this for granted will often gain you a lot of respect.
Why does a person not want to be photographed?
Reasons of people for not wanting to be photographed, which I have come across in my travels:
- Indigenous people still believe that a photo will take their soul or spirit away.
- People are tired of having to pose for a photograph, especially on markets.
- They just don't like to be photographed. Period.
- Their husband / brother or other male member of the family doesn't allow it.
- They have found their picture on postcards or in magazines without ever having received a penny for it, or find the picture deeply embarrassing. In case you are somebody who is very conscious about your appearance, you can imagine how you would feel seeing yourself portrayed in a magazine wearing your jogging suit and without make-up. To some people, their daily dress is not considered appropriate for a (commercial) photograph.
Tip: Respect a 'no', even if you don't understand the reason. Don't take secret pictures; people will most likely sense you are doing this, even if they don't show it because they don't want to make a scene. Respecting their wishes not only helps your relationship with that particular person or culture, your respect will also guarantee future visitors being welcome here.
In extreme cases, taking photos can have severe consequences, as this article tells about a tourist who died because he was taking pictures.
Do you pay for taking a picture?
Whether or not to pay for photographing people is another never-ending, ten-people-ten-opinions kind of issue.
Some people are tired of posing and figure it has become work. That laundry woman probably has had to pose dozens if not hundreds of times, depending on how popular her village is on the tourist trail. I know from personal experience that the first time somebody wants to photograph you is fun. The tenth time it gets a bit tiring. The twenty-fifth time on the same day is utterly annoying, to say the least.
Some tourists pay because they are loaded and don't mind paying. Is this responsible tourism? Of course it's great for you personally to have gotten your picture, but what situation do you create for future visitors? How welcome will low-budget backpackers be to take a picture after some rich visitors have been throwing ten, or even hundred dollar bills around to get their photographs. Not to mention how throwing money around is likely to disrupt the whole social and financial structure of a traditionally-organised community.
Tip: Discuss the issue with your guide, or when travelling independently with the head of the village. Can you agree on a reasonable price and how should it be paid? Do you pay the person you're photographing, or somebody (e.g. head of village or school) who will see to a fair distribution or spend the money on, for example, school necessities?
How to make the best of the picture-taking moment
Some people are simply nervous about having their picture taken. Sometimes, when they hesitate and when you feel they'd like to say 'yes' but are afraid or nervous, you could opt to quickly shoot a picture. Don't bother trying to make the perfect picture, just take it and walk up to them to show it on the digital window.
Laughter is the most common reaction in my experience, at least with women and children. They generally don't mind, or even start insisting, to have more pictures taken – at times to the extent that you start worrying about your battery. Only recently I have sat a whole afternoon shooting pictures of kids. They loved my sunglasses, which are practically nonexistent in their jungle village. It was a game of them posing with my sunglasses, seeing themselves on the LCD screen, laughing a lot and taking turns.
Since I can push a button but know hardly anything about photography, most pictures were deleted afterwards. I didn't care. That afternoon has become a memory of my stay in that village.
Tip: Don't show your camera when introducing yourself. Give people time to get used to you, for confidence to grow. This especially works in rural areas where photography is frowned upon or not common practice. Make friends and return later, or another day, with your camera and ask if you can take a picture.
Travel photography – create a win-win situation when taking pictures of people
What can you do so not only you, but also they have a long-lasting, tangible memory?
- Bring a Polaroid camera and give them a copy.
- Modern cameras can be directly connected to a hand-size, portable printer (no need for a laptop), which gives better quality pictures to hand out than a Polaroid.
- Send the pictures to the person you photographed after you return home.
Tip: In the above-mentioned example with the kids, I agreed to send pictures to my guide because in this jungle village there are no addresses. The next time he returns to the village he will hand them out.
I wish you a pleasant journey with lots of great pictures, but especially fond memories of time spent with people in extraordinary places.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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