[Leica] Documenting DC folks - was "sneak thief photographers! " still longish

["Bill Larsen" <ohlen@lightspeed.net>]

Francois,

To make a small suggestion.  If your really want to document
folks in the SE side of Washington, D.C., why don' you
approach this in a slightly sideways manner?  Approach one
of  the non-profits that are providing aid and ask them if
they would like or need your photographic services.  I would
probably look for one that looks for their funding from the
hinterlands and has some type of newsletter or bulletin
about activities.  (e.g. perhaps a outreach mission from a
medium sized church group or philanthropic organization).

This approach would give you the advantage of:  (now the
list)
1.  You would be providing a service that the service
provider needs whether they know it or not.
2.  You would be making contacts in the area you want to
photograph (which makes it much safer).
3.  You could probably finagle a guide who knows the area
and can probably keep you safe and attuned to the local
culture.
4.  You can decide at some point if you really want to
continue your project.
5.  A lot of the abstract analysis that we have read about
sneak photography will become clear to you and you won't
have a big problem deciding when and how to take a Leica
picture (situational ethics?).

Regards,  Bill Larsen  ohlen@lightspeed.net

Francois writes:

>Jim,
>I wonder what would have been his reaction if you had asked
him right now and
>then, upfront, that you wanted some shots of him?  I'd like
to have your guts
>(can one write it this way in English?) 'cause I've been
thinking for some
>time now about reaching in the South East side of
Washington D.C. to document
>these people way of living.  Someday I hope to find an
organization that needs
>to document the street people in their environment and just
bget the
>assignment.