Intentional or not, tourists are sure to display offensive behavior when exploring foreign territory. Nicolas Demeersman knows this too well.
Inspired by a poor encounter with a man overseas, the French photographer traveled to Peru, Cuba and beyond to snap portraits of local citizens flipping the finger to globetrotters who choose to treat them like spectacles rather than human beings.
“I was motivated by a man who refused me asking to take his portrait, which he answered: ‘F**k off, I don’t want to end up in a postcard,'” he told The Huffington Post in 2014. “Every time I take a picture I spend some time in discussion with locals to understand the culture and the way they perceive tourists.”
Demeersman’s “F**king Tourist” series shows the side of tourism that we rarely see in advertisements while addressing the world’s most insensitive travelers—including Americans, a group that has an infamous history atop “World’s Worst Tourists” lists.
Taking a moment to research before packing for a trip abroad and thinking twice about actions while overseas are simple first steps to reversing the persisting trend of disrespect.
Check out the “F**king Tourist” series in full here.