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Interesting Articles Re: Ethics in Wildlife Photography

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by SantaFeJoe on Sun Mar 12, 2017 2:07 pm

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These articles are written by Melissa Groo for Outdoor photographer. They are a good read for anyone who truly cares about their photo subjects.

Shortcuts that Shortchange Wildlife Photography

Finding the Right Track

Going Deep

Joe

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. -Pablo Picasso

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by david fletcher on Sun Mar 12, 2017 2:50 pm

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Quote "In sum, no image is worth more than the subject and its welfare." Have read the whole article.

Problem lies with people.

There are a whole bunch of people for example, using cameras that need "praise and recognition". there are others that just enjoy being in the wild and the privileged position they enjoy witnessing wildlife. Those that need the "praise and recognition" are usually the same bunch that MUST have that shot and will do anything to get it.

Regretfully, there is no cure. Shallow lives, shallow self esteem but an energy that must be fulfilled.

Just the same as those that must use tripods at the bear falls, ignoring the public that have the same rights to view the spectacle.

Hopefully, more and more publications, highlights, etc, can and may gradually change what is perceived as acceptable behaviour by the public, but I feel the old adage:

"a person convinced against their will is of the same opinion still" will rule and we will always be fighting those that don't give a dime.

Make your life spectacular!

NSN00525

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by richard bledsoe on Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:13 am

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SantaFeJoe wrote:These articles are written by Melissa Groo for Outdoor photographer. They are a good read for anyone who truly cares about their photo subjects.

Shortcuts that Shortchange Wildlife Photography

Finding the Right Track

Going Deep

Joe

Joe,

Thanks for posting these links, they are good reading indeed.

David,

I agree with your comments, well said!

Richard
My Flickr Photostream

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by WDCarrier on Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:54 am

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There’s an old saying, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” I find this applicable to wildlife photography. I began taking wildlife images 40 years ago. I was often the only person with a long-lens (400mm) camera on an elk in Yellowstone, a moose in Teton NP, or a Dall sheep in Denali. As Carl indicated, the crowds at Brooks Falls have become unmanageable and every image of a bear biting a fish has already been taken, everything now are just duplicates. Finding a parking spot in Lamar Valley when wolves are about is like going to a rock concert. I’m every bit as guilty as the next person but sometimes I wonder if all change is for the better.

[font=Helvetica, sans-serif]“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” MLK[/font]

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by Karl Egressy on Mon Mar 13, 2017 5:08 pm

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The article mostly talks about feeding Raptors and Owls and mammals.
However, feeding wildlife is not always bad.
In Burlington Ontario there is a Club with dedicated hard working members.
Their goal is to maintain a population of wild Trumpeter Swans and help them to propagate the species which was not too long ago extinct from Ontario and was reintroduced.
They started out with only a handful, feeding them all winter long at the Bay.
I asked the most enthusiastic member of the Club who even names them as to how many they had. (2012)
They had 150 individuals there and their number is over a thousand now in Ontario, thank to dedicated "feeders" who deeply care for their welfare. (There are other places with similar settings and intention in Ontario as I saw it on TV)
Without human help most of them would have died as there was no food source other that they got from their human friends.
This is a well known and well documented case.
They even have open house days when they introduce their wild Swans to schoolchildren and their parents.

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by SantaFeJoe on Mon Mar 13, 2017 6:36 pm

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Hey Karl

This page specifically recommends against feeding the swans and explains the specific reason why the group feeds them corn:

http://www.trumpeterswancoalition.com/l ... -park.html

Joe

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. -Pablo Picasso

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by Karl Egressy on Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:59 am

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SantaFeJoe wrote:Hey Karl

This page specifically recommends against feeding the swans and explains the specific reason why the group feeds them corn:

http://www.trumpeterswancoalition.com/l ... -park.html

Joe

Hi Joe,
The blond lady on the left is the one I was talking to many times in fact. She is so devoted to this recovery project that she earned our heart.
This is exactly the place. I have never seen anyone feeding the Swans or other waterfowl with anything else but corn.
And they are the feeders, the Swan Club members, that is.

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by Karl Egressy on Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:38 am

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Karl Egressy wrote:
SantaFeJoe wrote:Hey Karl

This page specifically recommends against feeding the swans and explains the specific reason why the group feeds them corn:

http://www.trumpeterswancoalition.com/l ... -park.html

Joe

Hi Joe,
The blond lady on the left is the one I was talking to many times in fact. She is so devoted to this recovery project that she earned our heart.
This is exactly the place. I have never seen anyone feeding the Swans or other waterfowl with anything else but corn.
And they are the feeders, the Swan Club members, that is.
I just want to add that never is never fully true, but I can assure you that if it happened my wife was very quick to educate them about bread and other nonsense bird foods.