{"id":78627,"date":"2018-02-14T11:11:49","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T19:11:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=78627"},"modified":"2018-02-14T11:15:13","modified_gmt":"2018-02-14T19:15:13","slug":"how-to-overcome-guilt-in-street-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/14\/how-to-overcome-guilt-in-street-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Overcome Guilt in Street Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

One interesting thing I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve noticed in a lot of street photographers which debilitates them from shooting street photography: the feeling of guilt of photographing a stranger without their permission, the feeling of guilt that they are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153bothering\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153upsetting\u00e2\u20ac\u009d their subjects, and the feeling of guilt that what they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing is inherently wrong or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153evil\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Master Street Photography<\/h2>\n
\"Ultimate<\/a>
Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Street Photography<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Become the best street photographer possible by picking up a copy of Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Street Photography.<\/a> This book is full of all my distilled knowledge and wisdom on street photography over the last 10 years, crafted specifically to empower you in street photography.<\/p>\n

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\n

What is guilt?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

To start, let us analyze guilt. What is guilt, where does it come from, and how does it manifest in our lives and in street photography?<\/p>\n

\n Guilt<\/strong>: a painful psychological spur that embeds itself into our mind; a self-inflicted punishment that we have done something \u00e2\u20ac\u0153evil\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wrong\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, I think that guilt is something that is more socialized than something that is biologically embedded into ourselves from birth.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For example, in different societies and cultures, notions of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153good\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153evil\u00e2\u20ac\u009d are different. By doing something \u00e2\u20ac\u0153evil\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in a certain culture, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re trained (by your parents and society) to feel bad, or to feel guilt.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For example, Asian Confucian cultures have trained you to feel guilt for disobeying your parents. But in the rebellious and individualistic culture of America, to disobey your parents seems to be the norm, and not that big of a deal \u00e2\u20ac\u201d almost to be expected.<\/p>\n

\n

Ethics are socialized<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Anyways, this notion of photographing people without their permission to be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153bad\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153rude\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153evil\u00e2\u20ac\u009d thing is totally socialized. In some cultures in the world (Southeast Asia, India) people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really care being photographed. In fact, your problem is having people not<\/em> pose for you in the photos.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In the Western world (America, Europe, Australia, etc) there seems to be more paranoia about being photographed. There is a fear of pedophiles, fear of privacy, etc. But these are all socialized modern concepts. The camera hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t existed as an instrument for very long \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and it seems that we are still quite unsure how to feel being photographed.<\/p>\n

\n

You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t harm people by making their photo<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Let us consider the physical fact of making a photo.<\/p>\n

You lift up a little metal box, and you press a button. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s it. What is so offensive about the action motion and act of making a photograph? Nothing.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Yet of course, people are more offended that somehow that you are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153taking\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153stealing\u00e2\u20ac\u009d their soul or image by using a photo capture device. And if we think about the physics, who owns the photons that bounces off their bodies?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Anyways, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not harming anybody by making photos of them. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not physically touching anyone when you take their photo. The only perhaps aggressive thing that can \u00e2\u20ac\u0153harm\u00e2\u20ac\u009d someone else is shooting with a flash at full power at night, when the harshness and brightness of the flash can cause visual pain to the eyeballs of your subjects. But otherwise, taking a photo of someone without their permission does them no physical harm.<\/p>\n

\n

Why do your subjects get upset or offended?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve noticed that sometimes people get angry if you take their photo, if that individual has something to hide.<\/p>\n

\"Man
Man with hand over face. Tokyo, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For example, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you make a photograph of a nice coupe in the streets (a man and a woman). But what if the man is cheating on his wife with this woman? You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve just captured \u00e2\u20ac\u0153evidence\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cheating on his wife. Thus, the man might get aggressive and threaten you, and try to get you to delete the photograph, because he (of course) doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t what the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153proof\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that he is cheating on his wife to somehow exist in the world.<\/p>\n

\"Tokyo
Tokyo woman with hand. 1.2 meters, flash, Kodak Tri-X 400, Leica M6, 35mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also sometimes when I photograph certain marketplaces, people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like to be photographed because what they are doing is illegal (like selling puppies, birds, etc). Or sometimes some people are illegal immigrants, and they are just afraid that you might be some undercover immigration officer or something.<\/p>\n

\n

Prepare for the worst case scenario<\/h2>\n
\"Japanese
Japanese suit with hand on face. Tokyo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also realize in street photography, sooner or later you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to piss someone off or offend someone. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s like driving a car, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not a matter if<\/em> you will ever get into an accident or not, it is a matter of when<\/em> you will get into an accident.<\/p>\n

\"Man
Man with hand in light. Istanbul, 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thus the practical advice is this:<\/p>\n

\n Prepare how you are going to respond to an angry subject when<\/em> one day you do piss someone off.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For myself, when I get people who confront me in an angry or aggressive manner, I will generally just apologize and just keep walking on. At this point I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel any guilt for photographing a stranger without their permission, because I know I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not doing anything wrong. Yet, I still apologize, because it makes others feel better. And I just walk on and keep moving, because if you stand still and apologize too much<\/em>, some people will use this opportunity to try to bully you, threaten to call the cops, or try to force you to delete the photo. But realize, it is your legal right to photograph anything and anyone in a public space. And if people put a hand or finger on you, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re breaking the law, and you can technically sue them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Jazz
Jazz hands. Hollywood, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That means often it is good for you to stand up for yourself. Be nice, and say something like, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sorry that I offended you and upset you. But I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t delete photos.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s it. No need to overly apologize. And if they threaten to call the cops, stand your ground and let the cops come. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not doing anything wrong. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had the cops called on me a few times, and when the cops come, they tell the subject that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in the legal right to photograph them, and they tell us just to move along.<\/p>\n

\"Man
Man with hand on face. Prague, 2017.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Never let anyone bully you in the streets, especially considering the fact that you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re an artist. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re capturing and documenting beauty in the streets. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing a good<\/em> thing by shooting street photography. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let anyone else make you feel guilty for shooting street photography, and certainly don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel guilty yourself.<\/p>\n

\n

How do you feel being photographed?<\/h2>\n
\"Macro
Cindy with hands on face. Red, Kyoto 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you feel guilty photographing others, ask yourself:<\/p>\n

\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How do I feel being photographed?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like being photographed, ask yourself,<\/p>\n

\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Why not?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Abstract.
Abstract. Cindy with hands on face. Red, Kyoto 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do you not like the way you look? Do you dislike the proportions of your face? Do you not like your body image (you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like the excess body fat on your body?) Do you not like the way your eyes, teeth, cheeks, forehead, chin, or something else?<\/p>\n

If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like being photographed, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to make the wrong assumption that others don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like being photographed.<\/strong> Because the truth is, there are many people in the world (like myself) who like<\/em> being photographed.<\/p>\n

\"Cindy
Cindy with hand on chin. Red. Kyoto, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of us follow the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153silver rule\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of ethics: Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do unto others as you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like others doing unto you. Which means, if you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like being photographed, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to assume everyone else doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like to be photographed.<\/p>\n

\"Abstract.
Abstract. Cindy with hand on chin. Red. Kyoto, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But this line of thinking is wrong, because you assume that everyone else in the world thinks like you. And the truth is, we all think differently.<\/strong> Therefore you cannot always use your own mind as a reference point for the thinking of everyone else in the world.<\/p>\n

\"Cindy
Cindy with framed hands. Saigon, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m lucky because I like being photographed, and I generally assume that others don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mind being photographed. Of course I know that there are some people who don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like being photographed, but I still shoot anyways. Why? Because I feel that my duty as a street photographer of making beautiful and important photographs of modern society is more important than (slightly) annoying or offending someone else.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Hand
Hand tattoo. Amsterdam, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Therefore another practical idea:<\/p>\n

\n To overcome the feeling of guilt of shooting street photographs of strangers, realize that your DUTY as a street photographer is more important than the (slight) annoyance you might give others.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Woman
Woman with hand. Green, red. Chicago, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And once again, this is an ethical thing. For myself, I believe that the collective of humanity (and the future of humanity) is more important than the individual.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, if I could make a photograph that inspires 100 people but mildly upsets 1 person (the subject), I can still sleep at night.<\/p>\n

\"Man
Man with hand on face. Sapa, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But this is just ERIC KIM ethics. Follow your own code of ethics in your street photography and life<\/strong>. But if you feel guilt in street photography and no longer want to feel that guilt, just follow my lead.<\/p>\n

\n

Creating your own code of ethics in street photography (and life)<\/h2>\n
\"Yellow
Yellow tones. Man with hands in prayer. Wisconsin, 2017. Pentax 645Z.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I am anti dogma, and anti tyranny. Which means, you MUST create your own code of ethics for your street photography and life. There are no ultimate \u00e2\u20ac\u0153right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wrong\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in ethics.<\/p>\n

\"Suit
Man washing hands in bathroom. Yellow background, and face obstructed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153invincible order of Assasins\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (an Islamic sect founded in the eleventh century) once said,<\/p>\n

\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Nothing is true, everything is permitted.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which means, there is no ultimate set of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wrong\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153false\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in life. Rather, we must dictate our own personal ethics and rules of good\/bad, right\/wrong.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel guilty<\/h2>\n
\"New
New Orleans, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thus to conclude, realize that you shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel guilty for shooting street photography<\/a>. Realize that feelings of guilt come within yourself, and you have the power to change your own code of ethics.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Hanoi, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whatever code of ethics was thrust upon you as a child, realize you have the control to challenge, evaluate, and change your code of ethics<\/a>.<\/p>\n

BE STRONG,
\nERIC<\/p>\n

\n

Street Photography 101<\/a><\/h1>\n

If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re new to street photography, start here:<\/p>\n