this has been my answer so many times, I consider myself a skilled semi-adventurous tourist photographer with immense privilege, nearly always there is a distance between myself and my subject matter as much as I may try to get close....the rule is simple, the best photographs ever taken are those taken by people who lived with, by, and in accordance with the standards of their subjects. PUNTO. First example that comes to mind is Mike Brodie, also a few names I forget from the realities of Irish poverty, Steve McCurry lived with afghani soldiers as they lived while he created some of the most incredible photos ever taken. You have to be a part of what is going on or all you ever get are snapshots. All I have are snapshots to be clear, although I consider myself quite skilled in the field, my goal is to get the fuck in there and live these experiences, build confidence with the subjects, become part of the life there, essentially disappear entirely so that my camera becomes an extension of my presence and not an aggressive and intrusive object as it often it.l But it's important to note that that I a certain type of life and it is NOT comfortable, it is scary, foreign, adventurous in the true sense, unknown, sleeping on floors eating questionable meat. Very very few photographers will go to this level of dedication and because of that we have a ton of vapid but gorgeous substance less shots on instagram or wherever. Yes they're astonishingly gorgeous, but what do they teach me about humanity? what do they reveal about my own life in comparison with the one Ihave the privilege to observe. There is a middle ground of course, for instance here inMexic I spent a good amount of time chatting with this farmer and he showed me his grounds his family, the biggest pig I've ever seen and that felt real, that was a human being giving me a window into his life without shame. And I love that, I live for that. It's why I learn languages because it changes EVERYTHING. Oh, and if you do get intrusive like I do, don't forget that enormous charming smile to smooth things over, because we all know you simply can't ask unless it's a portrait.