The photo I feel guilty about taking.
Whether you ask for permission or not, do tourists have a right to wander through villages taking photos of people?
We pulled up at the side of the road so the driver could have a quick toilet break. It was as good a place as any. There were a few shops to buy drinks and weird-flavoured crisps in, there were some good views down over the mountain valleys and we had a chance to explore village life.
Mountainside villages in Laos tend to be very simple. Roofs will be thatched or made of corrugated iron, chickens will be kept behind rudimentary bamboo fences. Outdoor taps will be used for showering under and the shaded area under the stilted houses will be used for working or relaxing in.
Very little is hidden behind closed doors, and subsequently it’s pretty easy to pull up by the side of the road, wander around the village and pry into things. And, of course, take some photos of the villagers.
This is something I don’t feel comfortable with. Wandering around, effectively on other people’s property, and sneaking down the gaps between people’s houses to see the view on the other side feels like an invasion of privacy to me. Yet most tourists seem quite happy mooching about, getting a taste of village life and taking a few snaps for the album.
If people came to my street and did this, I’d find it suspicious if not outright intrusive. If I was in my back garden and someone showed up with a camera, then started taking pictures of me, I’d be outright furious.
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So why is this seen to be OK when we’re on holiday?
Conventional wisdom says that you should always ask people for permission before you start taking photographs of them. I’m not sure this goes far enough.
How would you feel if someone walked down your street and asked to take a photograph of you? You’d probably either ask why they wanted the photo or acquiesce and then feel incredibly awkward while it was taken. Chances are you woudn’t be happy about it even if you did go along with it.
These villagers, whether they’re in Laos, Peru, Fiji or Togo, must have similar feelings.
I asked for permission before taking the photo of the girl in the top right corner of this post. But I regret taking it now. I had no right to saunter through her village, poking my nose around where it probably wasn’t wanted and randomly taking photos of things.
Sure, I bought a drink and a packet of crisps at the village shop, but does that make everything OK? It’s probably great for the village that buses stop there and people spend money on snacks. But does that investment in bottled water and treats really give the purchasers a licence to do as they please in the village? I’m not sure it does.
And next time I’m in such a situation, I won’t be asking villagers for permission to take photos of them. My camera will be staying in my pocket.
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My answer: Yes it’s mostly ok. I know because I do it for a living.
What’s interesting in your article is it’s all about your discomfort. You’re still dwelling on it, the little girl probably forgot about it the moment your car sped off around the corner. So the issue here is how you dealt with it, not what it means to the locals. You claim to have felt guilty about taking the photo – but you still posted it for all to see, & then tweeted it to the world.
I can’t speak for them, but in my countless interactions with locals across Asia & Africa, I saw more smiles & more joy (mine & theirs) at the chance to interact with someone from another culture, than suspicion or discomfort. You’re right to suggest our cultures are different to theirs. But that doesn’t equate with us exploiting them. In fact, in developing countries where locals have phone cameras, they’ll be snapping you as much as you’re snapping them. It’s a cross-cultural, non-linguistic kind of interaction, & it can be a blast if you treat it like that.
Feel deeply uncomfortable taking photos of locals. Transforms what could be a natural relationship (however fleeting) into a buyer/seller relationship. I always think of how I would feel if a foreign tourist walked into my local pub and started taking photos of me – I’d tell them to bugger off.
If I really want a photo, I’d buy something off someone selling tourist trinkets, and ask to take a photo of them afterwards.
I have no problem with taking pictures of strangers whatsoever. From Polish hookers, to people on the street in Iran, Malaysia, Latvia, wherever – or even in the “third world, I’m constantly doing it.
It’s up to each of us to decide whether a particular photo is exploitative or not, and then decide whether that photo is appropriate for public distribution. I would say around 80 – 90% of the time, I don’t ask for permission.
Or, we could all just publish shitty pictures of tourist traps and sites that everyone has seen a thousand times before.
I could add some more here so I don’t seem like a total jerk, but who cares.
I think it’s totally fine to take pictures of locals and their surroundings. In Laos we found when we showed the pictures to the children, they loved seeing images of themselves, they thought it was great! Also it works both ways – when we were in Hanoi, Vietnam, a girl of around 12 yrs came up to me and took a photo of me with her mobile phone! She smiled, I smiled, she walked off! I didn’t mind – she was just taking a picture of something different, which is what we’re all doing. Also, when travelling in Lanzhou, China with friends who had two blonde-haired, blue-eyed children, they were stopped every few minutes by locals wanting photos of them – they were inundated!
Of course I don’t think it’s right to be invasive and I’m respectful of people and I ask permission where possible but I’m happy and comfortable with all of the photos I’ve taken of different cultures around the world.
I don’t feel uncomfortable in the slightest, in fact I use it as a way to talk to people, because at the end of the day travelling is about people interspersed with interesting stuff you see..
There is no one particular way of doing this except is far as possible show some respect why don’t you, but sometimes I’ve taken a quick sneeky because the beauty was in the moment of no one noticing, sometimes I’ve given money because they looked like they would appreciate that, sometimes I’ve got people to sign a release, but almost always I take the time to try and talk, talk to people make a connection and let them know why their culture and way of life is interesting or beautiful or why it is outside my experience and something to be proud in..
But ultimately tourism is about the whole country and the people in it not just the tourist hotspots, so my perspective is never feel awkward or ashamed, in fact there is a reverse snobbery in that somewhere, rather be human and give of yourself in return, then for me it’s all good..
This is a great thread because it is basically about people taking positions on a touchy subject. “I feel totally ok about” or “I never do this…” in other words exhibiting indignance of one kind or another. But the OP is about a process of reconsidering a habit, which is more subtle and interesting. It might be that the motive of the photographer is a factor here, it also might be that the motive is obvious to the person being photographed which is unnerving because we like to imagine that we can hide this, or that it may in some legalistic sense be discounted as a legitimate factor in the act. Or maybe we think that we have a right to photograph, like whistling in an elevator. Think about it.
I fall somewhere in between. I find it terribly rude when tourists walk right up to a local, stick a camera in their face, take a picture without asking and then walk away without so much as looking their ‘subject’ in the eye. If someone did that to me in my home country, I would be annoyed. My rule is this: if the person/people know I’m taking their picture, I ask first. I always ask with an enthusiastic smile that shows I’m interested in what they’re doing, or selling or whatever, and their answer is almost always a ‘yes’ accompanied by a smile. Usually I find it makes people feel good about themselves… That a foreigner thinks who they are or what they’re doing is interesting enough to take a picture of it. I used to tend bar back home in the States, and if a tourist from Africa or China or wherever came up and smiled while asking to take a picture of me working, I would have assumed that my work was foreign or exotic to them in some way, and I would have been delighted. The other rule is that if the person/people have no idea they’re being photographed, no harm done. Anything or anyone outside a private home or business is fair game, but in either case it should always be done with tact.
When I was in Indonesia I visited Borobodur temple. I lost count of the many adults and tour groups if school children wanting to take my photo just because I had blonde hair! There was one particular Indonesian man with a wife and child who asked for a photo, I assumed he would take the picture of me and the child but he handed his camera to the child to take the photo! We all take photos of what
We think to be different cultures. Everybody asked my permission to take photos and I always do the same.
I know you don’t mean it this way, but assuming that because these people are villagers in a “lesser developed” country they are somehow less capable than you or any other traveler of making a decision that takes into account their own best interest is, in itself, arrogant. Villagers are not helpless and they’re not dumb.
As others have said, it’s about asking permission. I’ve had locals in Asia and Turkey come up to me and ask if their friend can take a photo of them with me. If the request is nicely done and genuine, I usually say yes. If I’m busy or in a horrid mood I say no, politely. A villager is as capable of making those kind of calculations as I am. A village child is as capable of making those kind of calculations as a 6 year-old in the United States (or wherever).
It’s also about not doing the “drive-by” — breezing into a village (or anywhere, really), striding through the lanes and streets and pointing your camera as if it’s a weapon, shooting here and shooting there, and leaving a trail of disgusted locals in your wake. I’ve seen it done, even by professional photographers, and it’s gross.
A camera can be a great means of connecting with people. My husband’s requests to photograph people in their environments has led to shared meals and friendships that we still maintain. We send photos — proper portraits — that are treasured and that will be in the family for generations. He asks nicely, and when they say no he smiles and says “OK, thanks anyway.”
Peter’s right — as sincerely as I know this was written, I feel like this post is more about your own disquiet than it is about what’s in the best interest of villagers.
Thanks all for the responses. Very interesting debate.
I’ve tried not to make any sweeping pronouncements on whether taking photos of people is right or wrong, full stop. I’ve just arrived at the conclusion of the way I’ll behave in such situations in future. Those who’ve said the post is mostly about my own feelings of discomfort are probably right – but this is mainly due to an ingrained “do unto others as you would like done to yourself” outlook on life.
I think the issue has to be tackled on a case by case basis. There’s a massive difference between spending a few hours in the village talking to people and rocking up in a tour bus that disgorges 20 camera-wielding tourists for 10 minutes before driving away again.
Personally, I’m not OK with the only interaction being turning up, asking to take a photo, taking it then leaving again. Others may feel differently, and it’s not a black and white issue. There are certain circumstances where that person can reasonably expect to be photographed (ie. A Beefeater at the Tower of London).
I also agree that if nobody notices you taking the photo, it’s fair game. Nobody is hurt. But these photos tend to be crowd shots or wider scenes rather than portraits.
Also, I should point out that I’m not trying to say that people in lesser developed countries are any less capable of making decisions/ having feelings etc. But first world to third world (or whatever labels you wish to use) tourism is far more prevalent than the other way round, so that’s where the majority of instances that would fall within this debate’s spectrum would lie.
I’d like to assert that taking a photo if nobody notices absolutely does not make it OK (unless it is a crowd shot, of course). When you’re shooting an individual you simply must ask. If you’re uncomfortable doing that then you shouldn’t be photographing that person, period. It’s rude and intrusive. I’ve had it done to me in China when the photographer in question thought I wasn’t looking. I almost clocked him. If he’d just asked, I would have been fine with it.
Yep – I mean in the context of a crowd shot. If it’s of the scene, fine. If it’s of the specific person, you really ought to be asking.
Or as Steve McCurry said: ‘Don’t forget to say hello’.
http://uk.phaidon.com/agenda/photography/video/2011/october/26/steve-mccurrys-one-minute-masterclass/
I suppose a lot of it’s all about intent – whether you’re creating a portrait of someone you’ve somehow had some connection with (however corny and idealised that sounds) or whether you’re objectifying your subjects, and really just focusing on them as an other.
Definitely think that common sense manners are due. My last experience, which still makes me cringe, was visiting the Lung Khao Ninh markets out of Lao Cai. There was a Flower Hmong woman sitting with a giant basket of shiny red chillies. I asked if I could please take her picture and she declined. The local (Vietnamese, non-minority) guide we had then took the camera from me, thinking he was doing me a favour, to take lots of snaps of her and other locals at the market, even pointing the camera right into the faces of kids slung over their sister’s shoulder. The chilli seller and another woman who was at her stall at the time were shown their photos and they weren’t upset after the shots were taken – their protest was that they ‘weren’t beautiful enough’ and they seemed to have a bit of a laugh with the guide about it – but I still feel like it wasn’t the most respectful or sensitive way to go about procuring a bunch of images.
As with everyone and my initial post I’m totally about respect and communication, but in terms of the secret photo I certainly fall in to absolutely go for it and yes it’s ok, even if you are spotted and the person is not happy..
For me those unplanned, unstructured and moment captured photos tend to be the most memorable.
So you upset someone ! so what ! it’s a photo, ultimately it’s not going to hurt them or anyone else. as a traveller you are open to being robbed, mugged, ripped off and beaten up, if in return you occasionally rub someone up because they’re grumpy about it, tough, live with it..
With all respect, lifes too short..
Well spoken Lawrence! A perfect reaction of a person who feels justifiably guilty about their conduct and pretends otherwise.
haha I don’t feel guilty in the slightest and only an idiot would, in fact I would say that anyone who actually feels that taking a photo of a native is in fact a racist twat, assuming the poor natives can’t fully understand or their sensibilities are somewhat abused, it’s racist snobbery and I would suggest again that getting to know the locals, give of your time and take the time is a far better approach than some up your own arse preconceived idea of what is right..