The times are changing: understanding past, current and future resource use in rural Papua New Guinea using participatory photography

•Local people's voices need to be included in research and planning processes using inclusive and innovative methods.•We used participatory photography to capture local perspectives on resources, changes and adaptations in Papua New Guinea.•Results show that villagers are facing rapid social-ecological changes, including growing populations, more cash crop diseases and land shortages.•People have adapted by shifting to well yielding crop species, setting up small businesses and aiming to get an education.•Results can be used in future research and planning processes in Papua New Guinea.