Taking good pictures at any price?  That’s a temptation photographers shouldn’t fall prey to.  Taking good photos is important, but so is taking into account the people you’re photographing, their dignity, and the customs of the given country or culture.  When disrespecting the basic rules of ethics, many photographers have even run into major problems. Learn to avoid them!

In reportage, it’s important to be in the right place at the right time, and also to press the trigger at the right moment. That’s definitely the foundation, but it’s just as important to know how to put together a gripping story from the photos you get. Like every other story, a reportage should pull the audience in, keep them in suspense, and bring them a certain denouement. Now let’s take a look at how to tell it through photos.

From a left-wing activist to a master of humanist photography. The work of Sebastião Salgado (*1944) is amazing in both its sheer volume and the passport stamps and worn-out boots behind it. It shows us the suffering and beauty of the world, often hand in hand. Through his pictures, Salgado evokes in us a desire to understand and protect the world, or at least discuss its downfall. Additionally, he reminds us of just how enchanting black-and-white photography can be as a medium.

Naturally, classical reportage is mainly connected with the work of photojournalists. But reportage photography is currently also at the center of attention among wedding photographers, for example. It helps them tell a story and present the whole wedding-day atmosphere better. So let’s take a look at the challenges a reportage photographer has to know how to handle.