Steve Mansfield-Devine

"Partner Content" allows today's industry thought leaders to share their unique insight and perspective with the greater ASPENCORE audience.

It's a familiar story. An anthropologist from the days of imperial conquest is in the presence of a charming and friendly indigenous person and raises a camera to memorialise the moment. And suddenly the charm and friendliness have vanished. The indigenous person first shies and then runs away. Why? "They are afraid of their soul being stolen," says the anthropologist (or tourist or influencer).

The photograph that got me arrested We were headed towards the local wine bar because it offered good food on Saturday lunchtimes. It took three attempts to get out of the house. The first failed because we realised neither of us had enough cash and I had to go back for my credit card. I aborted the second attempt in order to go back for my camera. That turned out to be a fateful decision. It was 25 January 1985. I was still living in Stoke Newington, a lively part of the London Borough of Hackney.