Disclaimer: Now I am all for creativity and expression and I would never try to gatekeep what photos you take. What my point in this blog post is when you take a sacred item or belief system or way of life that is not of your own and exploit it for clout with no intent other than getting some likes or hoping to go viral. It’s the intent behind the session that makes the difference here. It’s taking someone’s way of honoring their deceased loved ones and making a photographic mockery of it. Or putting war paint on, screaming “For Odin!” into the camera yet you’re wearing Fenrir Dog adornments (iykyk). And I’m not saying don’t do it, I’m reminding you to be respectful when you do!
We’ve all seen it, especially as October rolls around. A “Day of the Dead” group shoot organized by people with zero ties to Hispanic culture. A model wearing a sacred Bindi paired with “Viking” furs and synthetic dreads (which by the way are two TOTALLY different cultures). A creator using Google Translate to write captions in Spanish to chase a “Latina Goth” aesthetic that isn’t their own.
In the photography world, we often call this “creative exploration.” But let’s call it what it actually is: clout-chasing through cultural theft.
Your “Vision” Isn’t More Important Than Their Reality
Cultural appropriation happens when you take elements from a culture, especially one that has been historically marginalized and use them for creative or financial gain without permission, credit, or understanding.
When you use a community’s belief system or sacred regalia as a “vibe” for a seasonal shoot, you aren’t being edgy. You are being colonizing. You are stripping away centuries of meaning and reducing a living identity into a background for your portfolio.
And honestly, I’ve seen people fake “slavery” for aesthetic purposes (yuck). I’ve seen some use editing that depicts Tibetan spiritual views yet neither the photographer nor the model practiced any of that in reality. Or the one that really got me was the war paint, someone used a Bindi (the symbolic red dot in between eyebrows, primarily by Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist women in South Asia to represent the “third eye,” Ajna chakra (seat of concealed wisdom), or marital status and literally dressed as a blue haired “Viking”.
The “Aesthetic” Trap
I’ve watched local photographers treat cultures like a wardrobe. One day it’s a Bindi used as a fashion accessory; the next, it’s a “Gomez and Morticia” shoot where a very non-Hispanic creator uses a language they don’t speak to sell a persona they don’t live.
Sacred items are not costumes. If you are picking and choosing “cool” parts of a culture while ignoring the people and the history behind them, you aren’t an artist; you’re a tourist with a camera.
Research vs. Robbery
There is a way to honor history without stealing it. When I shot my Norse Viking series, it wasn’t a “costume party.” It was backed by:
- Deep Research: Ensuring everything was true to the era.
- Historical Context: Pairing the work with facts in a publication.
- Personal Connection: Honoring my own genetic lineage.
If you can’t prove a connection, and you haven’t done the work to respect the source, you shouldn’t be pressing the shutter.
Stop Using People as Props
Before you plan your next “themed” shoot, ask yourself:
- Am I invited by those who practice or live this?
- Am I profiting off someone else’s identity?
- Who does this photo serve? If the answer is “just my Instagram feed,” put the camera down. Photography should be about connection and truth, not the commodification of cultures you don’t belong to.
“Finding Your Authentic Lens”
1. Dig Into Your Own Roots
- The Advice: Instead of looking outward at “exotic” cultures, look inward at your own heritage, family stories, or local environment.
- The “Voice”: Authenticity comes from a place of lived experience; your best work often happens when you have a personal skin in the game.
2. Focus on Universal Human Emotion
- The Advice: Strip away the “costumes” and props. Focus on capturing raw emotions like grief, joy, or resilience that transcend specific cultural aesthetics.
- The “Voice”: Great photography connects people through shared feelings rather than shared wardrobes.
3. Build Your Own “Worlds”
- The Advice: Use your imagination to create high-concept or surreal environments that aren’t tied to any existing culture. Think “Solarpunk,” “Cyberpunk,” or abstract minimalism.
- The “Voice”: This allows you to be 100% creative without the risk of misrepresenting a real-world community.
4. Collaborative Storytelling
- The Advice: If you are drawn to a specific culture, don’t just “take” a photo of it. Collaborate with someone from that community to tell their story from their perspective.
- The “Voice”: Your voice then becomes that of a respectful storyteller and ally, rather than a “tourist with a camera”.
The Final Word: Connection, Not Clout
Let’s be blunt: using someone’s heritage as a costume isn’t “cute.” It shouldn’t be done for clout, and it shouldn’t be done for likes. If you haven’t lived the experience, if you haven’t walked the path of those who have been historically oppressed, and if you haven’t done the genuine work to understand their struggle, then your “aesthetic” is offensive. Period. Photography has the power to bridge worlds, but it also has the power to exploit them. Choose to be a creator who respects the human story behind the image, rather than someone who loots it for a viral moment.
