The correct way
On Permission, Dignity, and Doing Things the Right Way
We’re supposed to get permission in writing before we publish photos of people online. That used to be Journalism 101. But we’ve broken down the rules. We’ve let anyone with a phone become a “journalist.” A blogger is not a journalist. A writer needs training in ethics. A photographer needs to be skilled, and part of that skill is knowing you need consent to publish someone’s image.
If you go into communities to do work, you need written permission to showcase another person’s story or face. Their dignity isn’t content. Their pain isn’t your platform. We’ve become a society where we skip the work — the paperwork, the ethics, the respect — because “posting” feels faster than doing it right.
And speaking of work… we have people who work and go to school but still can’t pay student loans. The system is heavy. Some don’t know that if you’re on Social Security disability, you may qualify for student loan discharge. I think many people, in spirit, learned that lesson and opted not to work because the math didn’t make sense.
But that brings up a harder question: What’s the long-term effect of working when you’re mentally ill? When your brain is already fighting battles nobody sees, and now you add deadlines, bosses, and burnout? Some days pushing through builds strength. Other days it breaks you. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
We need more compassion. For the people we photograph. For the students drowning in debt. For the ones deciding if work will help or hurt their mental health.
Doing things the right way takes longer. But people are worth it.
If you’re navigating mental illness and work, please talk to a doctor or mental health professional. You don’t have to figure out the long-term impact alone. You deserve support that honors both your livelihood and your health.
Let’s bring back consent. Let’s bring back standards. Let’s bring back humanity in how we tell stories — and how we live ours.
