I had just come out of a school, where the Rwandan genocide had left unbelievable horrors just 15 years ago. I was moved and still in deep thoughts when this young guy was standing proud on the street. His eyes catched directly my attention and i knew i wanted to photograph him. He seemed to be so self-confident and at the same time serious, knowing what this place means. Maybe he even lost also parts of his family here. I could never find out. He spoke no english, but that was also not important in this moment. Our eyes communicated with each other. We greeted each other. It took some minutes, but when i finally raised my camera, he looked at me, honest and deep. I never got his story in his words, but he shared it with me with his eyes. Communication is not always in need of words.

When i started writing this article i just thought of two words that described for me what is important when we photograph people, especially strangers and especially when we don’t speak their language. This two words were Interest and Respect. But of course there is more than that. And even when most of my experiences is coming from photographing in different cultures and sometimes harsh contexts, it could easily also be transmitted inside your own culture. So let’s think of eleven things what could help you to get closer to the people you want to photograph. It might all feel basic and natural and maybe at the end it also is.

Don’t be shy. I know that is the biggest barrier for many to shoot with a telelens instead of getting close, talking with the people. And it is never easy, for sure not. There are a couple of tricks that help quite often, when you don’t feel like walking by and directly start talking. Like snapping some pictures around of other things, just to make them interested as well. It’s a bit of a game. A creating interest on both sides game. But i normally recommend to put the camera down and just get in contact. At the end 90% of the people allow you take pictures and most of them also really like it.

Be interested. Seriously, this is what i think is more important than anything else. Forget about your camera for a moment. I quite seldom approach people directly with my camera. I have a reason why i want to photograph this person, there is something what interests me. So i keep the camera down, to find out about it. And after some time i think of photographing again. It is not always like that, but most often.

Show respect. You step into privacy, never forget that. Taking a portrait of someone is really close and private. So stay sensible all the time. Especially when you take pictures of people in harsh or difficult conditions. It is a big gift that they offer you to step into their lifes and the smallest thing you could do is show respect for their situation and give everything to try to understand it or honestly care.

Be honest. Be clear about your intentions. There is nothing more wrong as telling them a story why you want the picture of them. Tell them your intentions and why it is important for you. It will help you a lot, i promise. Nothing destroys trust as fast as the feeling of not really knowing what the other ones intentions are. You want them to be honest, be it too.

Be open. The more open you are in your way to approach them, the more you allow them to get an understanding of who you are, the more it will help you that people trust you, sometimes even after some seconds. And only when they trust you they allow you to get close, not only physically. And people sense that.

Communicate. Even when you don’t speak their language. There are thousand more ways to communicate than only with words. Eye contact is something important, body language and a smile goes always a long way. And it creates an relaxed atmosphere.

Share. One of the easiest ways to break the ice is to share the pictures with the people you photograph. Especially when you don’t speak their language. In the moment you share, you don’t take something away from them, but share something with them. And to share something together is always a good starting point. Maybe even let them take pictures as well. My camera is quite often first of all a tool to communicate, not a snapper that takes something.

Take time. This is very important as well. Take your time. As i said, i try to keep the camera down when i first talk to people. I try to get interested and make them interested. And also while you take pictures, take your time, when you have it. Make them feel comfortable and forget about the camera. But at the same time, know when it is enough. You might like to take pictures all day long, but there is a moment where it gets to much. So sense that.

Forget about stereotypes. When your only intention is to photograph the exotic, move on. It might be one of your intention, what is not bad at all, but when the only reason you photograph is the exotic the person is showing you in your eyes, you will never get close. First because he/she is for you just a picture of something formed before in your mind, but also because people sense that. It has a lot to do with the first point, being interested. I can’t imagine a moment where people liked to be treated as art objects (beside maybe in a carnival with amazing costums…).

Give your pictures. I always try to carry a Polaroid Pogo, a small pocket sized printer with battery with me. It changed the whole game for me. It is my chance to really give something back to the people i photograph. I can print the pictures directly on location. Many people i photograph do not have email or other ways to easily send them pictures. And there is nothing better than the beady eyes of a child when it gets the first picture in his life. And when i don’t have it with me, i’ll try to get back, when there is time. I once made this reportage about street kids in Butare, Rwanda. I was quite some time in this area for another project, so i came back some days after with my laptop and showed them the pictures and printed them for them on the street, what must have been a little bit of magic to some of them, but we had a great time. And i took not one picture.

A NO is always a NO. Never forget that. I’ve seen too often people snapping pictures secretly even when the person denied to get the picture taken of him or her. It is the most disrespectful thing you could do. And i guess you are the last one who would like to be treated like that.

As i said before, all that is basic and should be natural, but sometimes it is so easy to forget about some of the points. This is what helped me and how i try to be with people i want to photograph. Maybe it helps you as well. And if you have more ideas, i’m happy to hear them.

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