Photography guidelines for non-specialists doing field-work
This page is a work in progress. It is intended to provide general photography guidelines for non-photo specialists working in the field, doing documentary work for humanitarian, development, community or scientific reasons.

See latter half of the document for more details, a summary of which is:

Ethics: To photograph is like being a good conversationalist. There needs to be correspondence, but also humility to the point where a photographer almost disappears into the situation.

Location: Where is the lens; what is in the frame; when is the photograph taken

Equipment:

Full frame mirrorless camera with interchangeable lens mount
35mm (or equivalent to full-frame sensor) lens
F2.8 or larger aperture (i.e. in numbers, less than 2.8, e.g. 1.4)
RAW format, sRGB color space
(A) Aperture Priority Mode
White Balance set to Cloudy
ISO set to 200 to 1600, preferably 400
Set date and time to the proper time zone
8GB minimum
16 Mbps read/write speed
Two cards minimum
Card reader
Reformat cards in camera
2 batteries
External charger
Label with date of first use
Padded bags that can easily be inserted into backpacks etc.
Ziplocs
Firmware

Ethics

Photography is often used for recording, telling stories, providing evidence and sharing experiences as a way of understanding ourselves and our environment. Photographs have some bearing on the preservation and reading of phenomena and experience, but the act and process of photography can itself affect what is being photographed.

Anyone using a camera as a tool is urged to consider photography not only as a technical, record collecting tool, but also as a method and an interface. Methods suggest that there are agreed-upon procedures and best practices for accomplishing any endeavor. Interfaces mean that actions and reactions are passing back and forth through some kind of medium, or interpreter, or, in this case the photograph. To ‘take’ a photograph is certainly an act of recording, but it is also a declaration of being in a place and having access to that place. At best, this act should be considerate, respectful, and by the time the photograph is shown, serve as a truthful mediation.

In practical terms then, a photographer should ask for permission to photograph, especially when working in private spaces or with people. To understand, and then express, a place and the state of people in that place requires consideration, close observation, and deep engagement. Familiarity and respect inform good photography. The photographs, especially of people, should be shown and used after having clearly received at least a tacit permission from the subjects. The more private and personal the imagery, the more specific and formal should this permission be. Posting images on social media should be done with great care, if at all.

To photograph is like being a good conversationalist. One needs to be acutely aware of how the act of photographing affects the conversation, as such. There needs to be correspondence, but also humility to the point where a photographer almost disappears into the situation. This kind of transparency takes practice. A good conversation is less about egos and soliloquies, and more about listening and discovery.

Location

In a photograph, light is space, and the subject matter may be honored or completely denigrated, depending on the location of photographer. By location, we are thinking of location in physical space, emotional space and temporal space. Location is shaped by an awareness of three general areas:

Where is the lens

Framing in terms of proportion, distance and position and how these depend on the relationship of photographer to subject and ultimately condition the viewer’s experience of the photograph.

What is In the frame

(optical and subjective): The fundamental components of a photograph are shaped by its graphic structures, which can stand as symbols beyond what was actually photographed, and the tonal lights, darks and edges (focus) and how these can stand as metaphors.

When is the photograph taken:

The moment of a photograph being taken, which can be the time of year, or day, or even down to the split second, determines the quality of light in a photograph, the state of relationships within the frame, and the moment in which action is frozen. Furthermore, the point of focus in the lens, and the shutter speed also affect our experience of time in a photograph.

Equipment

Cameras, lenses, tripods and any extra equipment should be light in weight, compact, and unobtrusive. It should be able to render images of a high quality that at least fulfills the reasons for photographing, but should anticipate possible future needs and uses.
As of this writing, the minimum specifications are listed here.

Camera

should have as large a sensor as possible without compromising compactness. The ideal is a full frame, 35mm sensor, or better, a ‘Backside-illuminated’ 35mm sensor. Smaller and cheaper sensors in more compact cameras, but with increasing trade-offs in quality are available, but it is not recommended that anything smaller than a Micro Four Thirds sensor be used. Very compact full frame cameras are now available in a ‘mirrorless’ form, designed with optical or electronic viewfinders, or with both as switchable options, and may be the most suitable camera type.

Full frame mirrorless camera with interchangeable lens mount

Lens

The lens determines resolution, detail, depth of focus and perspectival relationships in the image frame. The degree to which a lens magnifies the image is referred to in terms of its focal length. A lens with a small focal length has a wider field of view than a large focal length, or telephoto lens. Wide-angle lenses can also distort the image, while telephoto lenses can compress front to back spatial relationships. A zoom lens allows for a variety of focal lengths to be selected, as opposed to a fixed focal length lens, which only has one magnification.  While a zoom lens is widely recommended, it has disadvantages for field work. Zoom lenses are often bulkier, do not easily allow for a set magnification (essential for quantitative and comparative documentation), and frequently have cheaper optics than their fixed focal length equivalents. They also tend to have a smaller maximum aperture. All of this disadvantages may be reduced in certain lens designs, but with a significant increase in price and bulk. Thus, it is recommended that, for ‘full-frame’ sensors, either a 35mm or 50mm lens with an aperture of at least F 2.8 be used. Consult the manufacturer’s data for equivalent focal length if the sensor is different from this (sensor-size equivalents are also referred to as ‘crop factors’).

35mm (or equivalent to full-frame sensor) lens

F2.8 or larger aperture (i.e. in numbers, less than 2.8, e.g. 1.4)

Settings

Cameras should be set to capture at maximum quality. If capable of RAW formats, use this. If not, set all options to the highest quality settings for JPEG. Avoid in-camera filters and manipulations. Auto-exposures should be prioritized for Aperture, Shutter speeds of lower than 1/125s should be avoided, unless using a support.

RAW format, sRGB color space

(A) Aperture Priority Mode

White Balance set to Cloudy

ISO set to 200 to 1600, preferably 400

Set date and time to the proper time zone

Memory Cards

Use professional grade memory cards, that have read/write speeds of at least 16Mb/second, and a memory of at least 8GB. Label the cards with your name, and number them. Have at least two cards. Store them in a clean, waterproof case. Never delete files in-camera. Always reformat a card after its contents have been uploaded to a computer and the computer/drive has been backed up.

8GB minimum

16 Mbps read/write speed

Two cards minimum

Card reader

Reformat cards in camera

Batteries

Use the camera manufacturer’s batteries if your budget permits. Always carry a battery charger, avoid charging in-camera. Have two or more batteries. Label all batteries with date of first use.

2 batteries

External charger

Label with date of first use

Protection

Equipment bags protect gear, and they should be padded and at least dust and water-resistant. Insertable units are most versatile, and should be able to slip into daypacks as well as larger expedition bags. They should also allow easy access, and should always be used in a habitual way: in other words, keep items in the same location, so you know how to get to stuff promptly. Carry a couple of 1 gallon and 2 gallon strong (freezer type) resealable plastic bags.

Padded bags that can easily be inserted into backpacks etc.

Ziplocs

Firmware

Always check the camera manufacturer’s website for the latest firmware (the camera’s operating software) well ahead of any extended travel. Follow online instructions on how to install this.

Image Management