One of the most asked question by starting photographers or journalists in general is: How to get access? How to earn trust? How to let people be photographed in the most intimate situations? Robert Capa always used to respond to these questions: “Like people and let them know.” The best answers are often the simplest.
Bieke Depoorter, a young photographer from Beligium, just won the Magnum Expression Award for her work on the Russian hinterland called “On mania” or “With me”. But her work is really about getting access. She can’t speak Russian so she carried a little paper with some russian words scribled on it with her and showed up at peoples’ doors. The note read:
“I am looking for a place to spend the night. Do you know people who would have a bed, or a couch? I don’t need anything in particular, and I have a sleeping-bag. I prefer not to stay in a hotel, because I don’t have a lot of money and because I want to see the way people live in Russia. Could I stay at your place, perhaps? Thank you very much for your help!”
The result is pretty amazing, I’d say. See for yourself here.
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