Beyond the obvious

Emiel is a horse breeder. He also helps out in his community doing things like driving the school bus. Here he listens to an amusing anecdote his wife is relating during a chat with friends and family at his kitchen table. Emiel amused. Emiel day dreaming. As a photographer I consider it a great priviledge to be allowed into people's lives. When someone chooses to share a few moments of their life with you in front of your camera it is a gift. I have the impression that some photographers think that owning a camera gives them the right to take photographs of anyone they come across. I do not share that view. To me every smile or glance that says, "Yes, it's fine; you can take a picture of me," is a precious gift, to be treated with respect and care,and to honoured with the best photograph that I can make. It's sad that when someone says "no" to a photographer they go away in a huff, feeling angry and rejected, as if their camera has given ...

10 minutes after it happened. What do you do first as a photo journalist if you see someone in grave danger? Take a picture or help. I know the answer 100 per cent, from personal experience, because that's the situation I was in on Sunday 4 April 2010. As a photojournalist I've been in many tight spots and when it's your own life on the line you just take risk as a given. In certain situations you expect danger. But when you're out for a walk on a beach in Belgium, taking pictures on a clear afternoon, you don't expect to be plunged into a life and death situation. Magda, my wife, and I were photographing near the harbour in Ostend. As photographers we often venture into areas not open to the general public to get more interesting images. So we went under the rope cordon and crossed into a construction area. 20 minutes later I heard a shout for help and to my horror 10 meters away I saw Magda sinking into quicksand. I rushed over and managed to stay just ...