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ethics

A mosaic of example of staged photos from Inle lake fishermen

The library of fake travel photos in Asia

By Etienne / March 24, 2020 / 66 Comments

Finally, it’s arrived! A tool to help the world’s photography competition judges work out if the “travel” images they are judging are real or not! Yep, this is the first library of fake travel photos focusing on people photography in Asia. You’re welcome! What is a fake travel image? Well, it’s an image which doesn’t…

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Image captured in the streets of Kolkata during a street photography workshop by Pics of Asia

Can We Justify Ethics in Street Photography?

By Etienne / February 19, 2020 / 14 Comments

I would like to write about my reaction to what happened last week with Fujifilm and Mr Tatsuo Suzuki. I am personally very disappointed with how the situation evolved (like I am with most world situations today) and I’d like to share my two cents on the issue.  As a travel photographer and instructor, I’m…

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Vietnamese photographers taking photos of models in the rice fields of Mu Cang Chai

To stage or not to stage in Travel Photography

By Etienne / March 22, 2019 / 25 Comments

With the recent polemics surrounding a certain image that won a photography competition this week, I feel like we need to talk about travel photography. About people photography, in our case. And to set up boundaries as to what’s acceptable in both cases. Honestly, in my opinion, it’s a matter of common sense – but…

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a group of photographers on a photography tour taking photos of a staged scene, used to illustrate an article about ethics in travel photography for Pics of Asia

Are you doing it for photography or for fame?

By Etienne / March 18, 2019 / 70 Comments

Once again photography competitions are proving us their complete lack of ethics and simple photography knowledge. This week in Vietnam this image has been going around. Another classic photo of a photography tour group gathered around one subject, shooting the same image from almost the same angle. The woman seems to pose for them, probably…

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A huge group of photographers in Mu Cang Chai lining up with their tripods

Open letter to photographers

By Etienne / September 25, 2018 / 21 Comments

After spending the last couple of years talking about the Ethics of Travel photography and trying to spread the word about said ethics, I feel the task is getting more difficult on a daily basis. When travelling around Asia, l have increasingly witnessed actions by some photographers that left me with a bad taste in…

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The ethics of Travel Photography

By Etienne / December 9, 2016 / 10 Comments

Last week while I was traveling with my group into Bangladesh I received a link to an article from my friend Thierry. The article was written by Amanda Machado and talks about the ethics of taking photos when traveling to developing countries. I read the article before heading outside and didn’t think much about it…

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