Photo Ethics in the Field

Everyone’s heard the saying ‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’ We wouldn't spend so much time capturing and sharing our images if we didn't believe in the power of images to communicate. The trouble with photography is, managing the effects we as photographers have on our subjects and their environments whether it be ancient historical sites, natural wonders, people or wildlife. Photographs don’t happen in a vacuum; photographers have to interact with their subject and their surroundings.

Although this topic is rather large, and filled with controversy, there are some common ethical problems that arise in travel photography which provide some perspective on how you may want to address them on your own adventures.

Ancient Historical Sites

Jeff Morgan, the owner of the Global Heritage Fund, was recently quoted, saying ‘No one should be allowed to walk on 1000 year old stones.’ Now, I doubt that he literally wants the great cathedrals of Europe to be closed to the public, but he has a good point. Many heavily trafficked areas of landmark temples like Angkor Wat have started to wear down to the point where they are actually losing their original shape and grandeur – authorities have started to protect them with walkways.

Obviously not just photographers, but the overall onslaught of tourists is responsible; unfortunately, it is us photographers that pay the price for the new ropes, railings and signage that are necessary to control the damage. If simple signs were adhered to, then it’s possible that photo opportunities could be left intact for us photographers. Obviously that’s just wishful thinking. The image below shows the classic view of the famous tree growing through Ta Prohm in the Angkor Temple complex. Unfortunately this shot isn't there anymore… The following image shows how the scene has been fenced off with a platform and railing due to the amount of tourists who used to stand on the tree roots and stones to have their photographs taken; this changes the scene entirely for landscape photographers. All too often we see photographers ignoring the efforts of most developing countries to protect their heritage sites; killing the opportunity for future photographers to capture original photographs of world famous landmarks.

Photographing Children

There are thousands if not millions of opportunities around the world to photograph people doing something unique or wearing interesting clothing or with amazing faces. There is nothing more entertaining than casual people or street photography. In saying this, plenty of harm can result as well. Firstly, we’ll start with kids. In developing countries especially, many photographers pay small children to take their photograph; more times than not, those kids should be in school or studying and instead they have been dressed up and sent out to beg. This can quickly become their way of life once they become a source of revenue for their families.

Something that is almost as bad as money, is giving them lollies/sweets. Most of the children who have not been pushed into begging love having their photos taken and would not like or ask for anything in return. Showing them the image you have taken for them on the back of your camera is more times than not, icing on the cake for them.

If you feel you should give the children anything for their photograph, lean more towards things such as pencils or other school supplies. Or an even better alternative is to look for controlled ways to get photo opportunities. Visit monasteries, nunneries or schools and donate money to the institution while also giving the students pencils or school books.

 

Paying adults to take their picture is more complicated than paying children. Obviously there isn’t anything wrong with earning a living by modelling but in cases where the money encourages customs which have outlived their usefulness to continue for sakes of tourism, the photographs no longer justify for social cost.

Wildlife

Everyone would be familiar with scenes of harassment of wildlife, with photographers flushing nesting birds to get photographs of chicks or pursuing animals and making it difficult for them to eat. These are no-brainer bad ideas but there are other less obvious examples of how photographing wild animals can cause them trouble.

Photographing Kills

If you hear stories from anyone who stayed right on top of a hunting animal, ask them whether they had thought through all the consequences down the road.

For some people, there is nothing more exciting than watching predators hunt, whether it be a pack of wild dogs, a pride of lions or a lone leopard; the way they stalk and isolate their prey and the wild chase that follows, is often the highlight of an African safari. These animals are not so dumb. Many have learned to look for tourists or trucks and assume predators are close by. The guides have been trained to back off once a hunting animal gets serious enough to stalk their prey. Obviously, once the prey has seen their predator, the game is afoot and there are photographers everywhere; but giving the animals some space at the right time, we help to avoid stressing them and have helped to ensure they won’t eventually avoid all trucks in the future.

Unintended Consequences

A rare treat for photographers is photographing Meerkats. Some type of habituation is a must for good photo opportunities as Meerkats, when first encountered, aren't very tolerant of people. Having a person near, them most of the time, scares the males that are out looking for nearby Meerkat families to breed with. The guides were smart enough to realise that the animals were getting scared, and learnt to back off when that family is looking for nearby Meerkats; even though this lead to a fall in their business short term.

These are just a few examples of times when a photographer will have to make some ethical decisions. There are new situations everyday as our environment continually changes and the number of tourists and travelling photographers continues to increase. 

Using Themes for Awesome Travel Photography

It’s an overwhelming experience travelling to new places for photography; your attention is on overload. You’re going to be tempted to snap everything in sight, filling your memory cards with content. It’s fun to snap a load of photos but it can also be over powering.

There are some themes that will help you organise your travel photography so that you can tell the story of your trip a lot more easily.

Night Photography

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to pack away your camera as soon as the sun begins to set; most cameras now are able to ‘see’ in the dark and record clean images that could spice up your travel photo montage. You might just get some amazing shots.

Portrait Photographs

Sometimes the most interesting and memorable photographs of a place are the photos you take of people. It could be intimidating at times, but try to take photos of strangers, and at the same time try to tell their story. The charm of portraits are in the details, include a detail or two that give the portrait a context – what do they do? Who are they with?

Fauna and Flora

Animals and flowers can tell a lot about certain places in the world. Try to capture flora and fauna that is native to the place you are visiting.

Documentary Images

Recording events help give depth to travel photography. One story that tells a lot about a place is work. When we learn about how people work, it is revealed what people value and how they interact with their environment.

When a photographer makes travel photos, they also make memories of that place tangible – it’s a story captured that they can flip through and withstand the passing of time. 

Top Ten Travel Photographers Today

10. Elion Paz

Location: New York

Israeli born photographer, Elion Paz, started taking photos at just sixteen years of age after he was given a Canon AE-1 by his father. Paz travelled to the Far East and Australia in 1997. In Sydney, he assisted photographers with various projects ranging from portraits to commercial. He moved back home in 1999 opening up his own studio in Tel-Aviv. He is now living in Brooklyn and has started an interview-based photography project that documents vinyl collectors, Dust and Groove.

9. Justin Mott

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Editorial and Commercial photographer Justin Mott works throughout South-East Asia. He photographs for both personal projects and client assignments. Mott has worked for publications and companies including New York Times, Newsweek, TIME, Bloomberg and the Discovery Channel.

8. Jonas Bendiksen

Location: Oslo, Norway

Beginning his career at nineteen years of age, Jonas Bendiksen interned at Magnum’s London office before breaking out on his own. Bendiksen spent several years in Russia documenting stories on communities. His editorial client’s include National Geographic, Geo, Newsweek and the Rockefeller Foundation. He won the 2003 Infinity Award from the International Centre for Photography and first prize in the Pictures of the Year International Awards as well as several other awards for his work. His work on life in a Nairobi slum, Kiera, which was published in the Paris Review, won a National Magazine Award in 2007.

7. Jessica Sample

Location: Los Angeles

Jessica Sample, a Los Angeles based photographer has studied at Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design and the International Centre of Photography. Sample has acted as the Deputy Photo Editor of Travel and Leisure, prior to her solo photography career. In addition to Travel and Leisure, her long list of clients includes Conde Nast Traveller, National Geographic Traveller, Food and Wine, GQ, The Wall Street Journal and Hemispheres among others.

6. Jake Stangel

Location: San Francisco

Jake Stangel, a San Francisco based photographer, has shot for numerous magazines and companies including The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Esquire, Travel and Leisure, Wired, Nike, Burton, Zara and Wieden and Kennedy.

5. Tim Clinch

Location: England/France/Bulgaria

If he’s not travelling he divides his time between England, France and Bulgaria. Tim Clinch has worked for various publications including Conde Nast Traveller, Forbes, Town and Country and Home and Garden. At the moment Clinch is working on a new project with food writer, Kate Hill, about South West France and its food culture.

4. Marie Takahashi

Location: Tokyo

Specializing in interiors, food and travel photography, Marie Takahashi is a Tokyo based photographer who studied at Nihon University College of art and graduated with a degree in photography. Her work has appeared in many Tokyo publications including Hemispheres and AFAR.

3. Emily Mott

Location: West Sussex, England

Mott studied at Dartmouth College as well as at the Art Centre College of Design in California. The UK based photographer has been featured in many magazines including The New Yorker, Travel and Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Esquire, Vogue UK, GQ, Wired and Savure.

2. Chris Testani

Location: New York

Growing up in New York, Testani studied cinema and photography at Ithaca College. He assisted photographers like Mark Seliger and Ilan Rubin, before beginning his own career as a photographer. He publication clients include AFAR, Destinations, Bon Appetite, Esquire and Glamour among others. Testani made PDN’s list of 30 photographers to watch in 2012.

1.      John Huba

Location: New York

Huba is a travel and portrait photographer who has worked for clients including Vanity Fair, Town and Country and Travel and Leisure. He brings a visual authenticity to his photographs, immersing the viewer into the subject’s culture. John Huba first discovered his excitement for travel photography when he was learning the trade under the great fashion photographer, Bruce Weber.

Best Photography Destinations Around the Globe

Are you travelling for photography and want to find the most visual places in the world? Then you've come to the right place; below is a list of the five places that will keep any travel photographer happy.

1.     Rajasthan, India

Looking for a photography haven? Then you should visit Rajasthan, India. Rajasthan showcases colourful locals rivalled only by their attire, grand palaces, havelis, festivals and landscapes as harsh as they are beautiful. You've got the floating Lake Palace of Udaipur, forts in Jodhpur and Jaipur with sentries standing guard in traditional attire, the Pushkar fair and Jaisalmer’s canvas of sand dotted with camels all offer wonderful opportunities with your camera. Hazy mornings and twilight light lends itself to surreal images – this holds true for most of Rajasthan. Best time to visit: Late October-February.

2.     Yellowstone National Park, USA

A mix of geological wonders – geysters, steam vents, hot springs, rivers, waterfalls, high elevation passes, sweeping vistas and wildlife (elks and grizzly bears). The Midway Geyser is a must-visit location. Yellowstone is spread over two million acres, nature photographers could spend weeks photographing and still return for more. Try and avoid it during Summer as the place is full of tourists. Best time to visit: May as well as late September-October.

3.     Venice, Italy

The ‘Floating City’, arguably the most beautiful one built by man. It’s a city of canals, bridges and masks. Go on a gondola or motorboat and use a low-noise high ISO camera, it will be your best friend. This city forces you to explore slowly on foot which translates to though-out pictures. A photographer’s must is The Carnival of Venice – with fancy dress and mysterious Venetian masks. Best time to visit: Late October-February.

4.     Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong offers a modern skyline worth envying. The Symphony of Lights features buildings either side of the Victoria Harbour. You will receive stunning views from a path along Victoria Peak especially if you shoot at twilight when the lights are switched on. Make sure you carry a tripod as most of the time you will want to shoot with slow exposures. A hallucinogenic mix of colour and lights makes for awesome street photography. Best time to visit: October-March.

5.     Ladakh, India

The most appropriate term to define this city, the highest inhabited region of India, is ‘otherworldly’. Make sure you pack a wide-angle lens to capture the multi-hued mountains. You will probably capture the best image if you capture a panorama. The landscape changes from white sands to steep lunar rock faces in the Nubra Valley and to placid blue water in the Pangong Lake. Make sure you carry a tripod as you’ll want to capture the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries which hang on steep rock faces. Best time to visit: End of July-September.

A Guide to the Best Travel Photographs

Every place we visit has its own look, character and ambience. Of course, we want our photographs of these places to last forever and be of high quality; they should capture all the qualities of each place and say as much as possible about the destination.

Most people will more than likely forget over time the smell and buzz of a new place or the awe of gazing for the first time at new landscapes and buildings that they’ve never seen before. Our photographs need to bring these sensations back as well as others; they need to trigger our memories as well as communicate with others how we felt. For this to be possible, we must think and feel as much as look when setting out to make photographs.

First, think about what made you decide on this place, out of everywhere in the world you could have visited. Whatever it was, obviously it appeals to you. This destination is one of the things you want to photograph. There are probably many other interesting aspects of the place that you are not aware of. This is where research comes in.

Great Photographers spend a lot of time doing research; this helps them figure out what’s out there, what a place is about and what subjects we need to cover. Read brochures and travel books, go to libraries, book stores  or search the web. Even talk to friends, or friends of friends who may have travelled there. Find whatever information you can and devour it.

It is vital to understand the customs and traditions of anywhere that you may be travelling. One thing is, you want to be sure you act in a way that is not rude or offensive while you are there; and it’s hard to know what’s acceptable and what isn't without some knowledge. This research will also help you to understand the things people do that at first encounter you might consider incomprehensible or even sometimes horrifying.

When arriving at your destination, within the first day or two, try to take notes of the first impressions, if you have to write it down, do it. When you see a place for the first time; through the plane window; as you step off of the train; or through the front window of your car as you turn that last sharp bend before you arrive; how do you feel? What is the first thing your eyes travel to? What do you notice about the destination first? A smell? The temperature; Blistering sunlight; Mysterious fog; any particular building or landscape? Whatever it is, remember it. First impressions are invaluable sparks to creative interpretation; and by definition are not repeatable. You have seen the place in many pictures, you've read about it. Now you have arrived it is your turn to let your senses partake.

You need to get out there now. The only way to discover anything or to figure out what to shoot is to experience it. Many places are more active in the morning, and late afternoon, particularly the warmer climates. Make sure you are getting up early and staying out late; every day. If you are touring with a group of people, get up well before they do so that you have time to yourself early in the morning to go exploring before you set out for the day. If everyone else is ready to go back to the hotel at 4, don’t go with them; stay out later, hang around till after sunset and catch a bus back. Use any spare time you have to get out and look for photographs. Apart from giving yourself more opportunities, time spent discovering the place will enrich your experience.

If you can help it, get lost; go wandering, any alleyways you come across, go looking. Just set off down unknown roads to see where they lead. Get as far away from the crowd as possible. If you start to wander away from the tourists and tourist sites, away from what’s comfortable, it will be much easier to adapt to the true rhythm of a place and be more observant.

Number one rule? Always have your camera with you and always keep your eyes open. The most important role in travel photography is serendipity, you never know what you are going to run into, and you must always be ready. A lot of the time you will see what could be a great photograph, but decide that the lighting isn't right, or there could be too many or not enough people around. You will have to come back to that place. Sometimes though, you get lucky. Sometimes you will happen to stumble across a scene at just the right time. If you forget your camera, or don’t have enough memory space, or your batteries have run out; you miss out on that once in a lifetime opportunity. This is true whether you are practising street photography, or visiting a natural or man-made site. Obviously, mountains, trees, monuments and other static subjects are not going anywhere, but that one off ray of sunshine, the soaring eagle, or that couple hand in hand that add the needed element to your photography, most definitely are not going to hang around. An easy way is to think of it as hunting, whenever you leave the confines of your hotel room/camp, you should be ready and able to capture anything that may pop up during your adventures.

Always make time for photography. Many good photographs require a commitment of time and energy, just like doing anything well. The main problem with modern day travel is that days are generally full of scheduled tours, events and meals. Most trips are of limited time and naturally, we want to see as many sites as possible. Itineraries rarely leave room for serious photography, so, you’ll have to make your own time. It may help if you make photography a scheduled part of every day you are away, to ensure that you will have time and won’t get tempted to get lazy and say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’. More than likely, the weather is going to be different tomorrow, than it is today, there will be different people around tomorrow, different wildlife. Don’t procrastinate.

In travel photography, it helps if you are familiar with a variety of different photography subjects; you are likely to encounter many different situations and subjects so you will need to know how to photograph portraits, landscapes and everything in between.

Never be satisfied with the first frame you take of a place or thing; it’s always likely that you can come up with something better, why else would painters make sketches? Get closer, and ever closer still. Try different angles and different lenses. Wait for the crowd, the light; wait for the bird to land on that tree branch. Never be in a hurry to move on to the next site. Tell yourself that there is nothing more important than getting this shot perfect. Once you have experimented with every possibility you can start to work on the next one.

Landscapes

Whether it be mountains, forests, plains, deserts, swamps, lakes, rivers or sea coasts, each landscape has its own characteristics. Individual sites within each category have their own too. The Grand Tetons don’t look like the Andes; the Nile River is different from the Mississippi.

For each different kind of landscape you are shooting, think about what the essential qualities are. Not just the visual ones, think about how the place makes you feel and what kind of emotions it brings out in you. Then look for how you can bring those qualities and emotions into each photograph. Is it a bright, sandy coast or a rocky and violent wave-washed one? If it’s the former you want to show blue skies and sunlight whereas for the latter you want to be showing waves crashing against the shore, probably in stormy weather.

Cities and Towns

Just like landscapes, every city and town has its own look and feel – a distinctive setting, architecture or skyline; some have famous local sites or a particular style of food or dress. In every city, there is always at least one thing that is unique. There are three things you need to do when covering a town, city or even small village; capture a sense of place (usually a wide angle shot that covers thee setting, skyline or other view that gives a feeling for the whole); landmarks that the place is famous for and the life of its inhabitants. It could be a good idea to check out the postcard racks in your hotel or at kiosks for an idea of where the best views are and what is considered well-known for that particular city.

Monuments and Other Buildings

While photographing buildings, statues or other monuments you must think about what they represent before you shoot. For example: There’s a large statue of Vulcan outside Birmingham, Alabama. You could make a perfectly nice image of him standing on his hill on a sunny day; such a picture would not say a lot about who Vulcan is. A photograph on a stormy evening, with maybe lightning in the background, would.  Cannons on a historic battlefield might look better in fog than in bright sunlight. First, get the idea of the subject, then; think of the weather, light, angle etc. that best communicates that monument.

Photographing Family Members and Friends

It is not rare for people to travel with family or friends and naturally we want to come home with pictures of them as souvenirs of said trip. Make sure to get these, but also remember that you can include members of your family, and friends in your other photographs to make them more effective.

When photographing your friends, try and strike a balance between a picture of them and of the place you are visiting. If you are going to take a close up portrait of someone, you may as well take the photograph in your own backyard… often you will want to take a picture to document your shared experience. Show enough of your friend so that he is recognisable, but, don’t take a photo so close that there is no context. If your friend is the main subject, take the photo so that he is strong enough to draw attention and be recognisable, but still have some sense of where he is.

Photographing Strangers

The number one rule of photographing strangers; ask permission; especially if you are working close. Talk to them before you pull out your camera; learn at least how to say ‘hello’ and ‘may I take your photograph’ in the local language – showing that you’ve made a little effort helps a lot. Explain what you want to do and that you want to make a photograph. Most people will be agreeable if they are approached in a friendly manner and many are flattered that someone has shown interest in them and what they do. Sometimes, in places where there is a lot of tourism, you might find that the locals are sick of having their photograph taken because many tourists don’t bother to ask permission first. The only way to overcome this is by becoming friendly with the locals or by going to places less frequented by tourists.

In a lot of tourist destinations, you model may ask for money if you want to photograph them. Most places are desperately poor and people have few ways of getting cash. They money they ask for most like won’t seem like a lot to us but can make a world of difference to them… Now you can choose to deny this and just find someone else to photograph, but just think, every time you buy a post card you are happy to spend money on a photograph that somebody else took, so why not spend a little on your own?

Of course there will be times that you won’t be able to ask permission. If you are shooting a wide angle shot of a market, or a street scene, you are not going to run up to each person and ask if it is ok. Generally, most people don’t mind in that situation, it’s more if they are being singled out that they start to get uncomfortable. But not always. Make sure to be sensitive to what’s in your viewfinder, if you can see people are getting nervous, ask their permission or move on.

Be sure to make use of people in you images to give them life and scale. If the size and structure of a particular building appeals to you, the picture could be much more effective if you shoot it with people walking in front. They will not only give it scale, but will also let viewers know what sort of people live there and how they dress. 

Photography and Travel (The Essentials)

Aside from the obvious, Camera Body, Lenses etc. there are a few essentials for Travel Photography. Here I will go through the utmost important things that every photographer MUST have when travelling abroad.

1.     Insurance.

Before you even decide just what equipment you will need to take with you when you travel you must ensure that you are covered for any damages, loss etc. for the duration of your trip. Travel Insurance is a must have not only to protect your gear but to protect yourself as well. Make sure you get an insurance that will cover you completely, so that if need be, you can replace your equipment with little to no out of pocket expense to you.

2.     Travel Adapter

Most of the time travel photographers will visit many different countries, all of which have different power ports. It is essential to have at least one universal power adapter to ensure you will be able to recharge your cameras/laptops etc. wherever you may go.

3.     Decent Carry Bag

When travelling with photography gear, you should never send it in with your luggage; there’s no guarantee it will arrive at your destination with you. When you’re carrying thousands of dollars worth of equipment, you want to make sure it isn’t going to go missing; so make sure you take it all as your carry-on luggage.

Even on-board, your bags are going to be knocked about a lot with others pushing and shoving through the plane, trying to get their bags to fit in overhead compartments; so; you’re going to need a decent bag to carry and protect all of your equipment.

4.     Portable Hard Drive

If you’re going travelling, you’re going to be shooting a lot of images right? So, you’re going to need some place to store all your photos while on the go. This is where a portable hard drive comes in handy. I would recommend at least 1TB of space, if not more. To ensure minimal wastage of time, I would recommend you have a decent workflow planned out before you leave for your trip, that way you will be able to plug in your camera, transfer the files then keep on the go. When your trip ends, you’ll have all your photographs organised, and in one place.

5.     Laptop or Netbook

Having a portable hard drive is all well and good, but, you are going to need something to connect it to. You really just need something small and lightweight that you can carry with you to review your images and to transfer and save your images on the go. A netbook is ideal as it is going to be smaller and lighter but a laptop will do the job just fine.

6.     Travel Tripod

Sometimes when travelling, the heavy duty tripod you trust and love is not going to be effective. It will be too difficult carrying around a heavy, not so small tripod while you are on an around the world trip. This is where a travel tripod comes in handy. Small, flexible, lightweight tripods are a lot easier to travel with than your average heavy duty tripod. I recommend Benro Travel Angel Tripods.

7.     Battery Grip/Spare Batteries

The last thing you want when you are travelling is to take out your camera to find, those batteries you thought were fully charged, have been run down. Always make sure you have extra batteries handy, or if you can afford it, a battery grip. I recommend Eneloop batteries as they are proven to keep up to 70% of their charge, even after 5 years.

8.     Extra Memory Cards

Going to be out all day shooting without access to a laptop or hard drive? Then you are going to need extra memory cards; SD, Compact Flash etc. Always make sure you leave for your trip with plenty of memory available, you never know, you laptop might die half way through your trip leaving you with no way of transferring your files.

9.     Card Reader

If you happen to have a professional level camera, it is more than likely going to take Compact Flash cards rather than the normal SD cards… You are going to need to pack your card reader so that your laptop/netbook can access the files on your memory card.

Of course this list doesn't include everything you will need in your pack for your trip, it just covers the essentials. I have also included below what I like to include in my pack when I go travelling.

What’s in my pack?

1.      2 Canon Bodies (5D, 500D)

2.      2 lenses (24-105mm, 70-200mm)

3.      Flash meter

4.       Reflector

5.       Tripod

6.       Laptop

7.       2TB External Hard Drive

8.       Spare batteries

9.       At least three memory cards, 8GB or more

10.   3-4 universal travel adapters

11.   Card Reader

12.   All carried in my trustworthy Lowepro Backpack.