I was reading this post about ethics in photography and it occurred to me how different photography has been for me in the small town I call home.
You can’t go full Bruce Gilden here. I promise you it won’t end well for you. I’ve seen people start fights for a lot less than someone pushing a camera in their face.
People tend to think about cameras in two ways here.
First, as something used by people working for a newspaper. Perhaps a reference drawn from a movie or television series. When I went out with my camera a few years ago I regularly got the question: “Do you work for a newspaper?”
Two, cameras are ways of capturing indiscretion. Cameras are means to expose people. Used to make people pay for crimes or as tools to gather evidence.
Knowing this makes street photography here a bit more difficult than say New York. A camera draws attention. Not only for the interested or the curious but also for the potential thief. Theft is something which happens a lot. People stealing to eat or to feed a drug habit.
Having written all this – the ethics remain the same. Not matter where you take photos.
If you’re a hobby photographer, I think it weighs less on you than someone in a professional capacity. The photographer going into war zones, who has the mandate to document, is different. The photographer on assignment, looking to capture a gritty photo to share a different way of life.
When I go out I think about situations: if I see someone in a bad situation, do I want to take a photo to showcase & share their misery? Just because I can take the photo doesn’t mean I should. Will I lose out on a moment which could have made for a stunning photo? Perhaps. It is something I will have to live with.
With these things in mind I adopted my approach and style to suit the conditions. I capture moments where I aim to show the subject but also leave them unidentified. I like the “back of the head” photos. Subjects walking away, subjects walking past. Subjects not ever looking directly at the camera.
If you’re interested in more about this topic please have a look at the newsletter I linked to, you’ll find it very enlightening.
Thanks for reading : )