Ethical considerations when taking photographs in social work.
Ethics in the Non-Governmental world is important, but you may find that it can be applied very subjectively and at some organisations be a grey area.
Every NGO, business and even a country has a story they want to tell. But how do we use our organisation’s story within the framework of our country’s laws, our organisational ethics and our belief systems in an over-stimulated visual environment?
The subject/s, which is the child or adult from your organisation who you are photographing, is the most important consideration in taking photographs for promotional purposes. This person/s are representing the story you are telling.
I believe the secret is finding the balance between respect for the subject and being truthful and transparent towards your cause. Your donors and supporters have the right to know what you are doing, while on the other hand you need to fulfil your mandate of protecting the vulnerable.
There always must be a golden thread of a non-verbal story consistently running through all your online and marketing material. Therefore, words like “socially responsible marketing” have to be always in the back of your mind when you package your organisation’s communicating of your brand on your website, your marketing material or social media pages.
And it is in this grey area where many organisations may lose their focus. This causes that they either protect their subject/s by never using a photograph of them in the public domain or use photos that infringe on the rights and dignity of the subject/s.
In South Africa we have strict laws, all with the aim to protect the vulnerable. Some important considerations are national acts such as the Children’s Act and Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act, while in medical environments the personnel are led by guidelines of the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA).
With the many laws in mind, a NGO’s own organisational culture and regulations provide further guidelines to what and who you will allow to be photographed.
Consent from the subject/s to take a photograph is another grey area where many NGOs get lost. Not all vulnerable people in the care of a NGO can give consent to a photo. This causes that many NGOs will photoshop hearts over the subjects’ faces or blot the smiles out. This type of photo does not reflect the organisation’s true story.
To ensure consistency, the leadership at the Non-Governmental organisation must decide on a visual story-telling style and stick to it to create a continuous visual narrative.
At the end it is the photographer’s duty to ensure that the person photographed is retaining his/her dignity and is not clearly identifiable if he is not allowed to be photographed. The photographer further has to protect the subject’s rights while telling a good visual story. To do this, the photographer must think of interesting and creative camera angles to balance all the elements and requirements of the photo.
To get the desired outcomes it is always wise to plan specific photo shoots. Set up the scene and give the photographer clear instructions on what you require. Also make sure that your subject/s are clean and neat!
Spontaneous photographs by an internal employee may be a better option for telling a consistently good visual story. This type of photograph is not taken in a hurry. This is done at times when the subject/s are relaxed and ready for a smile, even if you have set up the scene.
I believe it is better to have an employee (or someone close to the organisation) who understands the organization’s ethos to consistently take photos for external use. The added advantage is that this person also knows the subjects.
If needed, carefully select an external photographer. Before clicking any photo, make sure, as an organisation, that your photographer understands not only the country’s laws, but also your organisation’s ethos, code of conduct and internal regulations.
Telling the truth of your organisation in a respectful way towards the subject and organisation is an ongoing work of art. Always ask: “How do I want the world to perceive my organisation?”, because one social media post can change the world’s view about you. On the other side, many consistently good posts will build you a sound online reputation and profile that will attract long-term visitors, donors, and supporters.
*Annalie Anticevich is a passionate photographer and storyteller with over 30 years of experience in journalism. She currently works as a photographer and social media assistant at a non-profit institution for people with disabilities in South Africa. She can be emailed at annathewarrior@gmail.com
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