CONNECT WITH YOUR SUBJECT MATTER
Shooting skills for undertaking a documentary project
If you’re looking to create a well-rounded documentary project, consider including individuals. Think about them as characters and participants. As you undertake the project, consider how you can learn from each encounter, how can they enrich your process by posing or offering you new information.
It is important to have a general focus of what you want to learn and how you want to interact with the project’s subject matter, but keep in mind the importance of balancing that with being adaptable. Be open to learning from the process and remember to balance your perspective with the expertise of those around you.
Be authentic, as the more honest you are with your intentions and the more genuine interest you show in your topic, the more willing people will be to opening up. This next piece of advice is very simple but is often overlooked: don’t simply converse with your subjects, but enter into a dialogue with them. Think about it as talking with them rather to them. And remember, not all encounters must result in a photograph or a hot tip. Sometimes you have to spend time discussing nothing to learn something. You might have to discuss the weather before you can ask serious questions. Continue to allow time for an introduction and for you to become comfortable with the subject and the subject with you.
Put yourself into the work. The closer you get and the more attachment you form with the subject, the better the work will be. We often forget that the camera can be a barrier, a device that creates distance, so try to limit the distance by being present in the work. Doing this will help you remember that you’re simply one human trying to connect to other humans. Make this your mantra. It will help you avoid the ‘othering’ process that can occur when you photograph. Avoid fetishising their position as this can lead to exploitation. It is difficult to tell when this happens, so it’s important to keep it in mind as you continue your project.
Don’t become discouraged if it’s difficult to connect with a group. Be patient and respectful. Stick with the motto that anything worth doing will be difficult. Often the more difficult the process, the more rewarding it can be. People will say no and will deny you information or their image – that is their right, and however important you feel the image is, handling the encounter respectfully says a lot about your character and may help open doors later.