Region-wide
Ask, wait for the answer, and mean it
Consent for photographs in the Pacific is specific — to the person, the moment and the use.
The Pacific is heavily photographed and rarely asked. Consent here is not a formality: people distinguish between a portrait, a ceremony, a child, a house and a burial ground, and between a private picture and something that will be posted publicly. Ask each time, accept refusal without negotiating, and say what the picture is for.
Children
A parent, not the child, gives permission
Children everywhere will happily pose. That is not consent. Find the adult responsible, ask them, and do not post images of identifiable children without being explicit about where the photo will appear. If you promise to send a copy, send it.
Ceremony
Some things are not photographed at all
Funerals, certain ceremonies, sacred sites, some objects and some parts of a performance are not for cameras, and the boundary is not obvious from outside. Your host knows. Asking once at the start — “what shouldn't I photograph today?” — is worth more than asking repeatedly in the moment.
Payment
At festivals, paying for portraits is the norm
At the large Highlands shows in Papua New Guinea, performers expect payment for close portraits and it is a legitimate part of the day. Agree the amount before you shoot, carry small notes, and do not photograph first and negotiate after.
Reference: PNG Tourism Promotion Authority
Publishing
Say where it will end up
There is a difference between “can I take your picture” and “can I put your picture on the internet”. Say which you mean. If the image is going somewhere public, say that plainly, and be prepared for the answer to change.
Questions visitors ask
Is a drone acceptable?
Usually not without permission, and in some places not at all. Villages, ceremonies and sacred sites are the obvious cases; check national civil-aviation rules and ask locally before flying anywhere near people.
Can I photograph inside a church?
Ask, and assume the answer is no during a service. Congregational singing is a common thing visitors want to record; permission for that is a separate question.
Someone asked me to delete a photo. What do I do?
Delete it, in front of them, without argument.
Revised August 2026. Protocol varies by island and by village; on the ground your host is the authority.