Salman Rashid

Travel writer, Fellow of Royal Geographical Society

Fine art of conversation
15 May 2013

The people I meet on the road are generally very forthcoming. There are, however, others who are both camera and tape recorder shy. But with the taking over of the modern digital recording machine which looks quite like a cell phone, the shyness seems to have been overcome.

So, recording someone's conversation is easy. I must hasten to add that I have never ever recorded anyone surreptitiously; always with their permission and knowledge. Once we start talking the formality quickly melts and even people who initially did not want to be photographed acquiesce.

The ticket to get people in an easy conversation mode is to NOT make the whole thing out like an interview. Also, I joke and set people at ease. The conversation starts and at some point when I feel it is getting very interesting I ask if it is ok to record. No one ever says no. It is wonderful that people open up more and more as the conversation progresses.

And I get the most remarkable insights into their lives. Of course there are instances when a conversation goes nowhere. In such cases the interview ends in a few minutes.

Labels: Telling a Story, Travel