Candid shots and safety

[Lindsey Lucas]

I'm visiting West Africa in a couple of weeks and would like to take some candid shots of people, fisherman, market traders, kids, hawkers etc.
What is the best way to do this and how do I keep safe if I have to carry my equipment with me?
Any advice would be great.

[GeoffWessex]

That's a tough one..... I'd think it's better to use a quality point'n'shoot rather than a bag full of DSLR, but some of the best pictures in that kind of region, seen in National Geographic (and many others), are clearly taken on top quality cameras.
You have to bear in mind that even something like a Canon G12 equates to about six months wages in some areas, so it's best not to flaunt it.

[dan123]

very tough one indeed, just keep your head down at times, my sisters going to kenya,i now its not simialr but the same rules apply, thye were advised to be extremely carefull, keep out of stuff that may escalte and leave you with unwanted attention, dont wear any camo or military clothing, and if your going to be giving out any gifts or things to kids you see, leave it till the last day or when you leave the area or you wont be left alone, things can turn ugly very quickly. keep kit to a minimum, you will attract far less atention this way, hope this helps, keep safe and be sensible out there,

dan,

[ianpinion]

Hi Lindsey and welcome to the forums.

You should have been at Focus and listened to the seminar given by John Freeman on the PhotoRadar stand. I suppose you could always contact him and see if would pass on some tips to help you.