Traveling the world and snapping photos of everything that catches your eye definitely sounds fun. Supporting organizations and communities that need visibility with your work might sound admirable. And just creating art for art’s sake sounds totally reasonable, right?
Maybe.
When it comes to photography, it’s important to remember a few rules and guidelines to ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Fortunately, several organizations, including the National Press Photographers Association and Photographers Without Borders have come up with Codes of Photography Ethics.
As visual storytellers, we quite literally hold a certain amount of power in our hands, and it’s important to make sure we all adhere to the “Do No Harm” rule. Even if you think you’re doing it right (don’t we always think we’re doing it right?), it’s worth a review for photographers of any type, from journalists to portrait artists to phone photography enthusiasts and everyone in between.
Here are some basics to consider:
Permission, permission, permission
While this is doubly important for vulnerable or marginalized peoples, it’s always an absolute must to ask your subject permission to take their photo and to let them know:
A) What you’re doing
B) Why you’re doing it
C) They can ask you to stop at any time
Preserve dignity, practice empathy
You owe respect to your subject. Do not ever capture and publish any photo that depicts a fellow human in a situation of indignity. You can capture harsh living conditions without dehumanizing a person. Look for a glimmer of hope. Capture that. Photography has also a lot to do with empathy. The more you are able to put yourself in another person’s shoes, the stronger and more powerful your images will be.
Integrity is Integral
Bribes and other means of influence can be pretty common in the photography world. Heck, it’s common in any industry. But an ethical visual storyteller must resist those attempts to manipulate the story and images in an untruthful direction.
Know the Laws
Sometimes it’s about more than just phone photography ethics... sometimes it’s about photography laws. Be sure to research the laws in your area, and the areas you’re travelling in, to save yourself some headaches later.
Be a Good Ally
When capturing these images and telling stories, whose story are you telling? Are you treating your photo shoot like a cultural tourist, viewing it from an angle of privilege and distance? Or are you taking the time to understand the culture and unseen forces at play that create the environment for these images?
Obviously, there are many other guidelines worth brushing up on that apply not just to creating art, but being a human on Earth. Try reviewing a few of these before going off to your next assignment, or even before sitting down in post-production, to ensure you’re putting your best foot—and work—forward.