By Amy Novotny
During a recent photography tour in Mongolia, I was exposed to a wide variety of photographic opportunities–landscapes, wildlife, night, street, event, and portrait. The first three types of photography were easier to accomplish since we did not have to ask permission or be as concerned with privacy issues. With street photography, this could be minimized by not focusing on a specific person or groups of persons, as shown below.
Image: Kazak women walk down the street market before it opens in Bayan-Olgii, Mongolia.
When taking photos of events or festivals, part of the price of admissions was a photography permit, so I was assured that I would not offend anyone while firing the shutter. In these situations, I often nodded my head and held up the camera a little to get approval, as I did in the photos below.
Image: Aisholpan sits on her horse with her golden eagle at the Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Olgii, Mongolia.
Image: Kazak woman sits with her grandchildren watching the festivities at the Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Olgii, Mongolia.
The difficult and often most meaningful shots came when I wanted to capture a portrait of a random person or family to show part of the culture. As we found out, Mongolians are a peaceful people with a nomadic lifestyle in the countryside. The country comprises of approximately 3 million people, of which almost 1 million live in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, and the rest in the countryside or small towns. They have a quiet demeanor but a calm curiosity. I wanted to demonstrate this in a photograph but at the same time, respect their culture and way of life.
Image: Mongolian Kazak man enjoys traditional Mongolian tea in a ger in Sagsai, Mongolia
Image: Mongolian man was curious about the camera in Tsengel, Mongolia
A couple strategies worked in my favor and I was able to capture the beauty of these people and their emotions. Since we had an interpreter with our group, I asked him how to say “Hello,” “My name is…,” and “What is your name?” in Mongolian and Kazak. Those three simple phrases opened the world to me when the interpreter was not present. I became a person with a sense of realness instead of just a camera. I could get closer to the person or even photograph families.
Image: Mongolian Kazak women sits in her ger with her son in Sagsai, Mongolia.
Image: Mongolian girl cares for her younger brother in Tsengel, Mongolia.
I also learned to show the person the image I took of him or her to gain his or her interest. This sometimes backfired on me if I was trying to capture a serious pose, but I didn’t mind seeing the spark of a smile. Most times, the person wanted more images taken. Families also gathered around me to see the images of their loved ones.
Image: Mongolian family gathers around me, curious about the camera in Tsengel, Mongolia. Image by Rick Jacobi.
This strategy helped with shy children as well as they realized what a camera could do. The connection made during these moments made the images even more meaningful.
Image: Mongolian toddler was curious about the camera as his mother washes dishes in Bayan-Olgii, Mongolia.
Although these strategies — a head nod, learning a some foreign phrases, and showing what a camera can capture–were performed in a land where I did not speak the native language, I imagine they would work in our country as well. Connections are priceless.
Amy Novotny is a Volunteer Trip Leader with Arizona Highways Photo Workshops.
Twitter: @amynovotnyaz
Instagram: @anovotn
www.amysimpressions.com