Welcome to the Photography Ethics Centre

At the Photography Ethics Centre, we believe that photography is powerful. 

Photographs shape how we see, understand and engage with the world.  From photojournalism to social media advertising, images contribute to a visual ecosystem, and have an impact on photographers, the people they photograph and those who encounter their images.

We advocate for a principles-based approach to ethics, understanding the importance of respect, representation and responsibility.

We work across all genres of photography - including (but not limited to) documentary, humanitarian, travel, commercial, and fine art - with people who work with images such as photographers, photo editors, curators, marketers, archivists, and researchers.

Our mission is to educate, facilitate, and advocate for ethical literacy and practice in photography.

We are focused specifically on the ethics of photorealistic visual media. This includes things like photographs, film and video, and AI-generated images.

What are photography ethics?

Photography ethics encompasses many things. It is about being respectful, gaining consent, and representing people with dignity. It is about the selfies you take and whether you edit them before you post them to social media. It is about filming a stranger on the train and whether you ask for their consent before sharing it in a group message. It is about asking “why” you want to record something with a camera.

It is about pausing to think about the impact before you click the shutter or the share button.

Ultimately, photography ethics is about power. It is about understanding the power that you wield when you make and share visual media, and it is about choosing to wield that power responsibly.

“Made me more aware of the potential impact of my photos and choices as a photographer.”

- Workshop participant

“An excellent way to think about your role as a photographer.”

- Workshop participant