Almost every volunteer brings a camera on their trip to Haiti. To begin with, I would not recommend bringing an SLR style camera (ie Nikon D300/D700 or Canon 7D/5D) for many reasons. Unless your specific role is photojournalism, you're here to contribute to the relief effort at the hospital and not primarily to take pictures, so the larger format is overkill. Frequently needing one hand to hang on to a heavy camera body/lens combo dangling around your neck or constantly worrying about where you've left your gear is counter-intuitive to your mission and contributes to an overall lack of spontaneity.
I love taking pictures and own a full frame system, but in this situation, I believe that bringing a small point and shoot camera is the way to go. All of the images from this 2009 Haiti trip were shot with a small pocket camera and are more than acceptable for their intended purpose...simple documentation.
You can keep your point and shoot in your pocket or in a fanny pack or belt holster where it will always be accessible. Furthermore, people are less guarded and more open with the less intimidating size of a point and shoot camera.
If you're looking for camera recommendations, my current favorite from the point and shoot category is the Canon Powershot S90 recently reviewed here.
You can keep your point and shoot in your pocket or in a fanny pack or belt holster where it will always be accessible. Furthermore, people are less guarded and more open with the less intimidating size of a point and shoot camera.
If you're looking for camera recommendations, my current favorite from the point and shoot category is the Canon Powershot S90 recently reviewed here.
Don't forget to bring along a spare battery, charger, and extra memory card.
Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the ethics of crisis photography, but please be sensitive when photographing people, particularly on the hospital grounds. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine how you would react if a busload of tourists from a foreign country walked into your hospital room and starting shooting pics of you in a flimsy hospital gown writhing around in pain.
Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the ethics of crisis photography, but please be sensitive when photographing people, particularly on the hospital grounds. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine how you would react if a busload of tourists from a foreign country walked into your hospital room and starting shooting pics of you in a flimsy hospital gown writhing around in pain.
A simple rule of thumb is that if y0u can make eye contact with your subject, you can easily communicate (you don't have to be fluent in French or Creole) your intent to take their photo. If they convey an objection, respect their wishes and don't take their picture.
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