Budget travel and the question of photography etiquette in different cultures — because getting this right matters for both the interaction quality and the photos themselves.

The consent spectrum: at one end, street photography of public scenes (markets, cityscapes, festivals) where individuals aren't the focus. At the other end, close-up portraits of identifiable individuals who haven't agreed to be photographed. The ethical questions increase significantly as you move from the first to the second.

Countries where photographing people is natural and welcomed: Georgia (Georgians genuinely enjoy being photographed and often pose enthusiastically), most of Southeast Asia (children especially, though with appropriate boundaries), Morocco (varies — some people welcome it, others strongly object, always ask).

Countries where privacy expectations are higher: Germany and much of Western Europe (GDPR culture, general privacy norms are higher than elsewhere), Japan (privacy norms are strong in urban contexts though less so in festive contexts), some communities in India (particularly conservative areas).

The practical approach: make eye contact before raising the camera. A questioning gesture (eyebrows up, point to camera) and a smile either gets a nod or a shake. Accept the answer gracefully. The photos taken with permission are almost universally better than candid shots anyway because the subject relaxes.