How to Take Someone’s Photo in a Foreign Country Without Being a Jerk
People travel for a variety of reasons, including food, scenery, weather, and culture. For many, the most interesting part of visiting another country is getting to know the people who live there. But before you start taking pictures, it is important to think about what you are doing and think about the people you plan to photograph. Here’s what you need to know.
Know local laws and customs
Before you even try to photograph someone, it is best to familiarize yourself with local laws or customs regarding photographing strangers. For example, National Geographic points out that tourists who photograph a geisha in Kyoto without their consent are liable to a fine of ¥ 10,000 ($ 91). The article also mentions other guidelines to be aware of:
Taking certain photographs may be prohibited by religion, conventions, or local law; religious ceremonies, women or children, and private homes are general prohibitions.
While we were exploring Havana, one of the best pieces of advice I got from National Geographic director and photographer Renan Oztürk was to connect with your topic . If you are photographing, say, a baseball player, this may mean that you are good at baseball and know when is the best time to take a combat shot. Or, if you are photographing a building, it could mean knowing the architecture and photographing the most interesting features of the building. Basically, in order to capture a subject well, you need to know it.
It’s the same with people. If you want to photograph them, you might want to get to know them. This means you need to know a little about their language and start a conversation. Ask them about their culture, area, and if they agree, ask them about yourself. Make a serious effort to communicate with them and show that you do not want to harm. But at the same time, if they are not interested in talking to you, take your time. For example, if you happen to catch someone on the morning drive to work, they will not be able to stop and chat.
Now is probably the time to mention that you should always be mindful of your privileges when traveling, especially as a white American. Avoid participating in slum or poor tourism or any other activity that may be exploited by the local population. Don’t treat other people’s socioeconomic status as a tourist attraction.
All of this may sound like ordinary decency – and it is – but you’d be surprised how many tourists walk up to the locals and take a point-blank photo without saying a word. Not cool. Plus, talking to them first will give you a great story to complement your photography. And you never know what advice they can give good travelers.
Always, always ask
Once you strike up a conversation and feel connected with them, ask them if they can be photographed. This is very, very important. Many people will be perfectly fine if you take a picture, but some will strongly oppose it. If there is a language barrier, it is enough to smile and gesture towards the camera (or a phone that is positioned as a camera).
People will appreciate your question anyway. If they say no, respect it, leave them alone and move on. Also, if in doubt, do not take pictures. Better to be careful than upset someone. If they don’t like it, say thank you anyway and carry on.
Be fast and not be assertive
If and only if they say yes, take photos quickly. They are already doing you a favor by being your model, so respect their time. This means you need to know your camera well and get your camera ready to shoot before you even start talking to them. You should be able to ask them and get straight to the point so that there are no delays. This will help you avoid wasting their time, and they will have less time to get nervous and change their minds.
When you’re filming, you can ask them to pose, smile, or look away from the camera, but don’t be too persistent. Remember, whatever you ask is a favor to you. If you make it easy and fun, they’ll probably have some fun too.
Offer them something and be willing to pay
Depending on where in the world you are, people may expect more than just “please” and “thank you” for taking their picture. You have to be willing to offer them something if they ask, and it’s nice to have items to give anyway. A little money works, but it can also be a gift of some kind.
If you are not sure what will be a good and simple gift in the country you are visiting, do a little research beforehand. Things like pens and pencils, notepads, small toys, and other similar knickknacks can be good. Josh Haftel, mobile product manager for Adobe Lightroom, uses a small, portable photo printer for his offerings . Children love to photograph themselves, and for many adults it is a special treat. In some places, not many people will take pictures of themselves or their family. If you can take a photo of them and print them right now, it would be a pretty sweet deal for both parties. At the very least, invite the person to show the photo after they have taken it, or email them if they wish.
Also be aware of the people whose job it is to photograph and give advice. There were people all over Havana who did this. Is this woman in a pretty dress smoking a cigar in a perfect sunbeam? She will let you take a picture of her, but she will chase you for a fee.
Thank them
It goes without saying that you need to thank the person for even taking care of a tourist like you, but I’ll say it here anyway. Smile and say thank you in their language. You are a guest – behave like a guest.
This story was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with new information on 01/14/2020.