Sincerity Always Wins: A Truth from Photography and Life
How sincerity in photography can transform your art, create meaningful connections, and open new opportunities in life
Here are practical examples of how sincerity can transform our relationships. If you find this meaningful and want to help others discover it, please like and share.
Facing the Fear of Connection
In photography, as in life, we sometimes encounter people with whom we need to form a genuine connection. We can’t always remain incognito or slip by with just a quick “hello.” Sometimes, people will notice us photographing them, or we’ll see a perfect shot we can’t capture without being seen.
Even now, after more than two years of active photography, the thought of being noticed and having to engage directly — or worse, face confrontation — still makes me feel a bit uneasy. People often view photographers as unwelcome intruders, and because of this assumption, I’ve missed out on some incredible shots, regretting later that I wasn’t braver.
I also think about life opportunities I’ve missed because I hesitated to approach others. These missed chances, both in photography and in life, happened because I didn’t know how to connect with people and was held back. Over time, I’ve discovered the key to approaching people, at least in photography, is sincerity.
The Magic of a Sincere Approach
Sincerity is powerful because it allows us to be genuinely authentic. When we’re sincere, we can be ourselves and avoid wasting energy switching from one “role” to another.
I’ve seen firsthand how sincerity can transform interactions, especially in photography. Although I haven’t had many encounters with strangers — maybe fifteen or so — almost every subject responded positively to my sincere approach, often asking me to photograph them more than I initially planned.
A sincere approach naturally entails adapting to each situation. There’s no template or script because it isn’t a sales pitch. Sincere interaction doesn’t require preparation; it’s based on honest and friendly communication of our intentions.
When I want to photograph someone, I sincerely compliment their appearance and explain why I find them interesting. I don’t use the same words for everyone; instead, I speak spontaneously, crafting a personalized approach suited to each person’s uniqueness.
Furthermore, I strive to be as kind and approachable as possible, so people don’t think I have bad intentions — because I genuinely don’t. My intentions are positive, both for myself and for the person I’m photographing. For myself, I seek an opportunity to practice my art, and if the result is good, perhaps even create some good photos.
What I offer others is their photograph, my perspective on them, capturing the colors, shapes, textures, and emotions that drew me to them. I always ask for their email so I can send them the photos — and they readily give it to me. After all, who wouldn’t want to keep a memory of these authentic moments?
To me, this feels like a fair exchange. I believe that when I explain my intentions openly and honestly, there’s little chance of being turned down. And truly, I’ve never been rejected, nor have I received a strange look. All I’ve received is a voluntary opportunity to photograph, along with the genuine connection that arises from a sincere approach to people I wish to photograph. This interaction can be so powerful that it can often completely change the course of my day, making it fulfilling, energizing, and motivating.
Capturing Moments That Matter
To keep this from sounding purely theoretical, I’ll share a few photos of people I’ve encountered, along with descriptions of how I approached each.
Passing by the dry dock on the island of Hvar, I noticed a group of older men, one of whom was cleaning the hull of an old wooden boat. The expressive colors of the vintage varnish and his work clothes were intensified by the Western sun, making this scene irresistible for a photo. I approached them sincerely, explained what I wanted, and after they gave me the green light, I waited for the moment when the man cleaning the hull, unaware of my presence, turned around. That’s how this candid photo was created.
Walking through the same island, I came across this local scene where two fishermen were each cleaning a skate (fish) on the pier by the sea. It would have been a shame not to capture such a scene, so I approached them, asking for permission to photograph. They readily agreed, letting me take photos of them as they cleaned the fish without paying attention to me. In the end, I sent them the photos via email.
This shot was a relatively simple task, although photographing people, especially attractive women like this one, takes courage. I was at a photo meetup when I spotted the girl in the picture. After asking her permission to take her photo, we went to a nearby playground, where I photographed her as she joyfully posed. Of the twenty or so shots I took, this one stood out to me the most.
Wandering through the city of Zagreb, hunting for street photography moments, I noticed two guys — one standing, one sitting in front of a barbershop. Seeing the beautiful colors and contrasts, I openly communicated this with them, sharing my idea to photograph them. They were happy to participate, and we had an interesting conversation along the way. I later sent them the photos via email.
Walking through the streets of an old town on the island of Hvar, a woman caught my attention as she turned a corner. Noticing her interesting blue-and-white outfit, I called out, “Excuse me, you’re dressed very interestingly. I love the color blue, and it matches your eyes beautifully. May I take your photo?” She happily agreed and shared that she was also an artist, and a painter. We took around twenty photos, which I later sent to her via email.
Unlike the previous examples, in this case, I was caught taking the photo. This young woman noticed me just as I pressed the shutter. Seeing that I’d been caught, I approached her and explained that she was an interesting subject standing among the old, colorful houses. We exchanged a few friendly words and then went our separate ways.
Takeaway
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that sincerity changes everything. In photography and in life, being genuinely open leads to the most memorable, meaningful connections. When I approach people with honesty, photography stops being just about capturing an image — it becomes a shared experience, a moment of trust. This approach lets me see beyond appearances, and it invites others to let their guard down too.
Yes, sincerity requires courage and vulnerability, but it is a small price for gaining the ability to create and live freely, with real joy and fulfillment. It’s a simple choice, but one that brings depth to my work and meaning to my days. And along the way, perhaps a great photo or two will come to life — both for me and for those I photograph.
“I should say that sincerity, a deep, great, genuine sincerity, is the first characteristic of all men in any way heroic.” — Thomas Carlyle
Thank you for reading my story.
You're on to something here. Photographers do invade a person's privacy, so it's imperative to ask permission. The challenge then becomes capturing spontaneity when the subject becomes self-aware. Building trust as you say works!
Love the pics!
Beautiful photos! Great story!
Photographing people, strangers has always been my weak side as an amateur photographer, as I have found that they very often don't want it or feel suspicious about it. At least in the corner of the world where I live. In other parts of the globe, people have usually been more happy about it.
You have the courage, as you say, and some great skills that can make it happen in a good way.