On creativity
I tend to think that creativity is not the sole prerogative of artists. Much to the contrary, creativity is a way of looking at the world that can be helpful to anyone independently of their age, profession and other circumstances.
Creativity is not something you teach: it is something you experience — more exactly, it is an energy you can learn to mobilize and bring into play. Creativity is a skill you can train. Our photo walks aim at creating a context in which you can get in touch with, and mobilize, your creativity.
In addition to the much-discussed 'impostor syndrome', fears and mental habits can undermine our capacity to think and act creatively. Our photo walks do not purport to magically rid you of such blocks, as this can only be achieved through a longer personal process of self-exploration: here's a few suggestions of books that may be of help on that path.
A small reading list:
- Austin Kleon, Steal like an Artist (10th annniversary edition)
- Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way
- Sophie Howarth, The Mindful Photographer
- Sophie Howarth, Everyday Wonder: How to find beauty in the ordinary
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The Law in Portugal (The very short version):
When making photographs in public spaces with no commercial purpose, you may include people in an image of public places, public events or facts of public interest. However, for a portrait (an image is a portrait even if the face is not visible, as long as the person can be recognised), you need the consent of the photographed person (or consent of the responsible adult in the case of minors). Consent can be implicit, such as a smile or a gesture. In any case, an image may never harm the ‘honor, reputation or dignity’ of the person photographed.
It is important to understand that these are the general legal principles but each individual case could be discussed in light of its particular circumstances.
And even within the limits of the law, personal ethics may inspire a different attitude.
Reference: Mário Serra Pereira, Fotografia e direito.
The ethics of making pictures in public spaces
It's important to adopt an ethical approach when making photographs in the street as your behaviour, even the simple act of pointing a camera in at someone, could have impact on that person. In addition to being aware of the laws, photographers should keep in mind such concerns as the privacy and dignity of people they photograph, the power dynamics that are at play, their cultural and personal biases as well as cultural sensitivity.
A very basic guideline could be to put yourself in the shoes of the person you photograph — how would you feel if the roles were reversed? How would you feel if you were being photographed in such situation and circumstances? Ethics depend a lot on the particular moment, on the context. And they are personal choices, too.
To learn more about ethics in photography, see the Photo Ethics Centre's Photographer's Ethical Toolkit at https://www.photoethics.org/online-courses.
