In our paper we take a look at the starting points for inviting the symposium for ECER2014 conference and discuss about our individual perspectives in doing ethnographic and life historical research which we have done separately but working in the same research network in Helsinki University, Centre for Cultural and Feminist Resarch in Education (Kufe) for over ten years already. Resently the network has been connected to the Nordic network “Justice through education in the Nordic Countries” and we have been actively building the co-operation in “Team4” of the network which has strong focus in ethnocraphic and life historical metholologies. Our individual projects have been plenty. For Sirpa most recent study has been a three years ethnography in vocational upper-secondary educational context of social services and health care, where students get a qualification of practical nurse. Katariina has been studying people with learning disability learning to live in the service system for people with disabilities. In our paper we will discuss about paradoxes of anonymity and professional secrecy in doing ethnography which makes visible some aspects of how research epistemology and ethics intertwine with each other.