Street photography tip: Always keep ethics in mind

Tuesday 5 May 2026, 20:30 by Michiel Heijmans | 1,355 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Street photography has unwritten rules, but there is also such a thing as ethics. This has been the subject of heated discussions for years. Amnesty describes ethics as 'the collection of thoughts about the rules of conduct that people should observe towards each other'.

London - f/1.8, 1/500s, 640 ISO @ 50mm
It may be too limited according to some, but for me it has a lot to do with respecting each other.

I would not be quick to photograph someone eating a hamburger in a rather unappetising way. If I am walking on the beach and someone is just changing their child's clothes, no photos. Someone lying in a park, absolutely drunk? Yes. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Any grey areas? Just ask. I do not photograph homeless people, although they are a popular subject for many photographers. But if you have just bought the street paper, you can certainly ask if you may take a portrait!

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