Photographing Living Subjects

Photographing People

Taking photos of the people you meet is always a delicate matter. Generally, when travelling, you’re just passing through and don’t have much time to build trust with the people you encounter—a basic condition for obtaining their consent. Without that, you’ll often face either a refusal or an agreement in exchange for sending a photo or, worse, a "gift" to give.

Dilemma

When faced with a refusal or, more subtly, a lack of clear agreement, the travelling photographer is left with a dilemma. On one hand, the desire to capture the person’s image; on the other, the feeling that taking the shot anyway means "stealing" their likeness purely to satisfy a selfish urge. Imagine tourists photographing you at home during your daily activities—how would you react? This might even make you lose the urge to photograph the next local who comes within range of your lens!

Despite this, the "worst" approach is undoubtedly trying to pay for photo sessions, especially with children by giving them sweets or pens. Not only can sweets cause cavities they may struggle to treat due to lack of means or nearby dentists, but systematically giving something quickly leads to the idea that tourist = sweets + pens. From there, it’s no surprise to be harassed upon arriving anywhere in the world by kids shouting, "Hello, give a pen!" "Give me one dollar!" "Donne-moi un bonbon!"

Portraits

This is often the highlight of many photo stories. A good portrait first requires the subject to forget the camera—so it’s up to you to be discreet or put them at ease.

While framing is important (give the subject "room to breathe"), it’s the light that often makes the difference. Avoid frontal lighting to play with shadows and backlighting, which add depth. The most beautiful light is at dawn and dusk. Reducing depth of field also helps isolate the face from the background and allows faster shutter speeds for moving subjects.

Group Photos

Everyday Scenes

How do you capture the intensity of a moment in a single still image? By working the scene, because many events or atmospheres actually require a series of shots to convey their essence. Even if you only keep one photo, it’s often a story within a story.

Plan your approach by identifying key elements (moments, actions, people, etc.), varying angles and framing, which will also influence the impression the image gives. Be mindful of the urge to zoom—while useful for close-ups, the most interesting images are often obtained by getting closer to the subject with a wide-angle lens. And, of course, prioritise the human or living element, which is the least you can do for scenes of life...

Wildlife Photography

Your turn to expand: Whether it’s a photo safari or an occasional hunt, tracking animals requires more time than equipment. And remember, patience (or a zoo) is key to the best shots in this field...