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A thread: I came across some residents in Kensington today who were initially very upset by my presence with my camera when I was creating photos of the snowy el. A woman assumed I was taking exploitative photos of residents to post online and began screaming at me.
Honestly, I could have easily avoided her or taken personal offense, but instead I went up to her, introduced myself, explained what I was doing, and showed her some photos I had on my camera of the snow.
She calmed down afterwards and shared with me that she is tired of people coming into Kensington to take photos of people struggling with addiction and experiencing homelessness to post on exploitative outlets or for personal gain.
I’m sharing my experience to highlight how important it is for photographers and journalists to not only respect residents but to communicate with them to create genuine/healthy connections. Also, the photo I’ve shared is an example of a positive photo of the neighborhood!
If anyone has any questions or would like to learn more about how the use of cameras can be harmful or beneficial for communities like Kensington, pls feel free to reach out to me!
