Inclusive Photography In Practice
Inclusive practice isn’t something static that begins and ends with funding and an informed consent form. It’s a dynamic and evolving process, and all practitioners who are responsible for representing identities should regularly reflect and review how and why we represent people, places and communities. I truly believe that with our work comes great responsibility.
Society is currently going through a lot of introspection, and rightly so! All of us, regardless of our labels, need to consider what it really means to be an inclusive and ethical photographer. In order to help us consider this I have shared some questions below, which are taken from PhotoShelter’s excellent resource The Guide to Inclusive Photography.
1. Am I perpetuating stereotypical narratives with my work?
2. Have I considered how my perspective or privilege may affect how I approach photography?
3. When selecting photos from other countries and of at-risk populations, am I applying the same standards I would apply for photos of my own community?
4. How can I expand the types of people, places (…) from which I draw story ideas and angles?
5. How many award-winning photographs feature black and brown people from the global South? How many of the photographers winning the awards are from that demographic?
Being honest with ourselves when considering the questions above could be the first step to better understanding what it means to be an inclusive photographer.