Photographer Anthony S. Karen has spent years documenting the Ku Klux Klan:
The series began in 2005, when Karen was allowed to attend and photograph a Klan event. The trust he gained at that and subsequent events eventually earned him unrestricted access. When asked in an interview with FotoEvidence how he managed to achieve this, he explained that in photojournalism, you get what you give:
I think a lot of the credibility I’ve earned stems from my basic philosophy that you need to give some of yourself in order to receive anything back. I spend time with people, I listen to what they have to say, and I treat each person as an individual. I don’t have to believe what they believe, but whenever I’m in someone’s space, I feel I’m obliged to observe without judgment.
(Photo of a bride with a KKK wedding veil and her fiancé by Anthony S. Karen)
The Dish 