Be respectful

Being respectful means being conscious of both the taboos and the accepted behavior. It means taking off your shoes, or covering your head, or walking clockwise instead of counterclockwise. It means being mindful of what you touch, how loud you speak—if at all—and where you sit. I can’t relay too strongly the importance of research in this regard. Be observant, and take your cues from others.

Kashmir, India.

Canon 5D, 17mm, 1/160 @ f/4, ISO 800

Wukro, Ethiopia. I spent half an hour with this Orthodox priest before feeling we’d established enough of a relationship for me to ask if I could photograph him.

Canon 20D, 32mm, 1/3200 @ ...

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