David Kittos, who does not follow Twitter, was alerted to the use of the image by friends.
A keen photographer, he told the BBC he originally took the picture in his home studio: "I was just experimenting with something called off-camera flash.
"This was six years ago when there were no Syrian refugees at the time and it was never done with the intention of spreading a political message.
"I have never put this image up for sale. This was not done with my permission, I don't support Trump's politics and I would never take his money to use it."
Mr Kittos' personal history means he is particularly dismayed by his image being used in a debate around accepting refugees.
"I am now a British citizen but I am Greek-Cypriot by birth and in 1974 I was a refugee because of the Turkish occupation.
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