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Photographing Strangers: Consider Your Camera a Validation Tool

By Jay Dickman 

Even after 38 years of shooting for a living, I am always amazed at how my camera can open doors into the lives of people I might not otherwise meet—both in the US and internationally. Journalistic photographers such as myself are constantly approaching someone to ask permission to take his or her photograph.

It’s part of our business. But it’s a task that many aspiring pro photographers (and even some established pros) find intimidating. Walk up to a perfect stranger and ask to spend time photographing them?  What if they say “no”? 

Whether I’m in Delhi or Dallas, if I see someone doing something intriguing, I won’t hesitate to approach that individual and explain that I am fascinated by what they’re doing. Everyone I approach this way seems to enjoy having their activities validated as relevant or interesting. Thus, a camera can be a tool of validation.

Still, I understand that it can take new photographers some time to overcome their innate reluctance to approach strangers. That’s why when photographers attend one of my FirstLight Workshop sessions, I make it a point to pre-scout locations and pre-arrange permissions before giving students their assignments to go out and shoot. If I can eliminate that often frightening dynamic of approaching a stranger, it will help get my students into the process of shooting more quickly and allow them to fully immerse themselves in capturing their subject(s). 

Some workshop participants may find this hard to believe, but over the past 30+ years, I can probably count on two hands the number of times I’ve been refused when I asked to take stranger’s picture. The key to getting permission to photograph a stranger is showing a sincere interest in both your potential subject and what they are doing at the time you encounter them.

Posted 08-22-2008 2:21 PM by Eileen Fritsch
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Comments

Chris Rasmussen wrote re: Photographing Strangers: Consider Your Camera a Validation Tool
on 12-07-2008 7:14 PM

Asking a stranger for permission to take their photograph shouldn't be so hair-raising a prospect.  And what if they DO say 'No'?  No big deal--"No" probably has been said to you before, so let it roll.  It's not life-and-death.  Thank them anyway and move on.

I agree with Jay's view--if you approach them with courtesy and express some particular interest in what they are doing or how they look, then the vast majority of people will agree.

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