The best portrait I ever took came after twenty minutes of conversation and a cup of tea. The worst ones came from pointing a long lens at strangers. The difference wasn’t the camera — it was whether I treated the person as a subject or as a person.
Simple rules I follow
- Ask first, with words or a gesture. Accept a “no” with a smile.
- Spend time before you shoot. Say hello, buy something, talk.
- Show people the photo. It often leads to a better second one.
- Be careful at religious sites and never photograph people in difficult moments.
- Share back — send photos to people when you can.
