Photos That Are Disrespectful, Dangerous, or Downright Illegal Abroad

9. Poverty Play for Social Media

Photographing someone at their lowest point—sleeping rough, begging, or visibly suffering—turns their pain into your content. This form of poverty play is both exploitative and common, especially across developing nations. Even well-intentioned captions (“This broke my heart…”) can come off as self-congratulatory or performative. You’re not raising awareness—you’re mining struggle for likes. Instead, photograph dignity, not despair. Show community, resilience, vibrance—if you must photograph at all. Or better yet: choose not to click.