Ethics of Street Photography

“To photograph people is to violate them, by seeing them as they never see themselves, by having intimate knowledge of them that they can never have; it turns people into objects that can be symbolically possessed.”

Susan Sontag

My camera lens has always been my window into other worlds–often those of other individuals. It makes me a witness to the mundane lives we all live. Yet, I pause and I find myself wanting to capture these ordinary moments. I become an onlooker, hiding behind my carbon fibre and glass box. I capture people unnoticed in their candid states. Are they my muse?

As a photographer, I  must consider my positioning, my viewpoint, my surroundings. These elements will shape the story that is displayed. They determine the ethics in which compels me to take these images. Photos can be reimagined or staged to create intentional messages for the purpose of media, advertisements, and even pleasure. It divides the line of modern photography as an artistic pursuit and a journalistic one.

Photographers hold the key to truths they tell and lies they hide behind. But for me, I do not fabricate people on the streets, they are simply moments unfolding in front of me. These unscripted encounters come into focus.

I consider the forgotten people I have shied away from, the pleading hands that I ignore. Too often we make ourselves the stars of our own lives, the world befalling us in our grandiose tales. We weep, we struggle, we anguish and we feel lonely in our pain. However, these feelings that can overwhelm us, they become easier to understand, to manage when we realise that we all share these follies. Our human sufferings may look different but they feel the same.

This is what I like about my photos: For a moment, in the stillness, people become entire worlds–their existence–even a sliver are the centre of my attention. No one is alone in that moment when I gaze upon them. They have lives, they have worth to me. I occupy this moment with them and pause to be present. It forces me to have empathy and look beyond. It is the very reason I watch movies, shows, plays: it is about acknowledging the billions of people who matter. It is about realising that we create impacts upon each other in even the smallest greetings.

I admit my photos, especially those that are taken without my subjects being aware is a precarious pursuit. I hope my images do not exploit or judge those who are observed, because utilising photography for good and being conscientious can humanise one another. As I think of how I want to move forward with my photographic interests, I contemplate the ways I can use my photos to bring people together. I can highlight stories, experiences, and make what is veiled, seen.