For me ethics is not only a set of principles that I carry in my toolkit, but also a set of questions that are constantly changing and being reformed. These questions are dependent on so many things, which may include: the people I am working with, the place I am working in, the publication I am working for.
Things that I stand by: - Being sensitive to the needs of the people that I photograph. I do this by listening, questioning and re-evaluating my own actions. - It is my responsibility that the people I photograph feel valued, heard and acknowledged. Asking for consent at each development within a project. - Building relationships of trust and working closely with those I photograph is important to me. I have the utmost respect for those who so openly share their stories. - Creating work that prompts conversations about the issues being photographed. Acknowledging and being aware of the power that photographs/photographers possess.
Questions I raise: If I am the person who is telling the story, have I done the appropriate amount of research and am I being transparent about the way in which the story is being told? What do those taking part in the project gain from being involved?