If you enjoy documenting your experiences with photography, a phenomena you are sure to encounter in Puno is that MOST locals seem to hate getting their pictures taken. Unless you’ve got a long lens, catching a natural shot of a local is a challenge.
At first you may chalk this up to thinking the people are just camera shy, but it’s actually much more than that. Once you learn about the local culture, religions, and superstitions, you will discover that most locals believe that your camera sort of “sucks out their soul” when you capture their image. They are quite adamant about avoiding looking into your lens. We recommend you be understanding of this idea and respectful to the people- and don’t push them…
So what’s the best way to get a great shot of a local “being natural” ? Smiling helps, and paying money is always a good strategy…
Tags: Puno photograpy, taking pictures in Puno