One group of 2 or 3 young girls turns away from being photographed whenever I approach. I do not mind this in individual shots but it damages the picture making, the story telling, in the wide shots with multiple people in it (including the girls). Tonight for example I was photographing the lineups for the garbage truck, probably 40 people being photographed 20/20. Out of all those people 2 girls covered their faces, turned their heads away from the camera ruining the picture.
Later I tried speaking to them, explaining why I was making the pictures. How the pictures sometimes lead to bit of donation money that I could then use to buy headlamps, boots etc. for the people at the dump. The girls did not speak Thai so it fell on deaf ears. Later on I tried again, getting one of the older women who speaks a fair amount of Thai to translate for me. This lady and I have a long term relationship dating back to 2013. She basically berated the girls in angry Burmese after understanding what I wanted her to translate for me. Maybe it will make a different maybe not. Just trying to get this "Families of the Dump" story told to the best of my ability. Sometimes charm works, sometimes an angry Burmese lady handing out a bit of shit will do it.
Will see how it goes, tried my best, if the young women are still reluctant to be photographed I will leave it at that. Everyone has the right to say no to a photo, I always respect those wishes as best I can. The subject is all that matters to me when I tell my stories, at the time and afterwards. If they still say no, then no it is!
Later I tried speaking to them, explaining why I was making the pictures. How the pictures sometimes lead to bit of donation money that I could then use to buy headlamps, boots etc. for the people at the dump. The girls did not speak Thai so it fell on deaf ears. Later on I tried again, getting one of the older women who speaks a fair amount of Thai to translate for me. This lady and I have a long term relationship dating back to 2013. She basically berated the girls in angry Burmese after understanding what I wanted her to translate for me. Maybe it will make a different maybe not. Just trying to get this "Families of the Dump" story told to the best of my ability. Sometimes charm works, sometimes an angry Burmese lady handing out a bit of shit will do it.
Will see how it goes, tried my best, if the young women are still reluctant to be photographed I will leave it at that. Everyone has the right to say no to a photo, I always respect those wishes as best I can. The subject is all that matters to me when I tell my stories, at the time and afterwards. If they still say no, then no it is!
