These pictures were taken in a two days during a workshop in the south of France. The simple part was photographing the campsite but trying to take pictures of a Gitan family who lived with other families in mobile caravans was not so easy. I learnt that it is worth going back and having faith even when doors are slammed in your face. Slammed in your face due to aggressive temperaments fueled by a history of photographers taking from them and giving nothing. I would come back to the workshop to say- 'No, it's impossible. It would take me weeks to get permission to take pictures with those families- they hate photographers.'

Antione would simply say- 'Leonie, you must go back. You'll get in. Keep trying.' I'd walk away thinking- 'This is madness. No way.' And then after jumping a few hurdles there I was with a little crack in the door. It was only a crack, but that is enough to look forward to going to see them again when back in the south of France.

» Enter the story | Skip to thumbnails