Everybody wants to take photos when they travel — it’s one of the best ways to preserve moments, trigger memories and share your experiences with others at home. A few years back, my partner and I forgot our digital camera at a trail head on Kauai. When we retraced out steps and found that it was gone, it was the photos that felt like the biggest loss, not the brand-new costly camera! Photos from past trips are a treasure trove for every traveler.
That said, there are a few considerations to be made for responsible photo-taking when traveling.
1. Never take someone’s photo without asking.
If you are taking a landscape, cityscape or some sort of all-encompassing shot, this is not an issue. However, any time you are focusing on one person, or even a small group of people, you should always ask them first.
2. Better yet, strike up a conversation first.
Engage with the people you want to photograph before you lift the lens. Introduce yourself, ask their name, tell them a bit about your home country, ask a bit about their home and what they do. This will allow you to build the most primary of relationships that will allow you to assess if they might be amenable to being in a shot or two. When you do ask their permission for a photo after your initial chat, not only are your chances far better that they will allow it, but you will have a name and a story to go with this photo now – they are no longer just some stranger in the frame!
3. Do your cultural research.
Many traditional cultures hold beliefs or superstitions that prohibit photography. For example, most of the hill tribes in Thailand believe that taking a photo of someone can steal their soul. Indigenous communities that have had more exposure to western influences often have updated their beliefs in this regard; always ask first. I have learned the phrase “May I take your photograph?” in the local language of every place I’ve visited.
4. Zoom, zoom.
When shopping for your travel camera, consider investing in a fair amount of zoom on the lens. (Optical zoom produces far clearer results than digital zoom) This will allow you to be more discrete about your photo-taking in general. It will also allow you to maintain a respectful distance from animals in the wild and still grab a nice shot.
5. Don’t wear it like a tourist.
When you are visiting a tourist site, such as the ruins of Machu Picchu or Australia’s Kakadu Park, it’s fine to have your camera slung around your neck for easy access. But when you are walking the streets of a town or village, keep it handy but stowed away. It’s not wise (or cool) to wear your tourist status like a billboard, and the camera around your neck proclaims that you intend to take a photo at any moment. Take some time and look around before grabbing for that camera. You will have a much better sense of the essence and nuance of the place you will eventually be shooting.
6. Remember that it always looks better in real life than in photos.
Keeping this in mind will help counteract the urge for rapid-fire photographing. You’re going to get home, look at the photos and think – “Wow, this looks nice, but it can’t really capture what it felt like to be there.” Also remember that getting behind the lens separates you from your surroundings – in essence, you step out of the experience for a second and become an observer rather than a participant. Sometimes it’s better to leave the camera in your bag and just put all your energy into soaking up the moment instead.