I cannot tell you how many times I have come to a location to do a photo-shoot, only to be discouraged from shooting due to the damage that has been done to the environment.  One such time is when I was taking the long way home through South Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and I found a beautiful overlook that would have been an outstanding photo opportunity if not for all the graffiti painted everywhere on the rocks.  It seems that it is more important to ‘leave your mark’ on the places that they have visited at the expense of preserving the place for others to enjoy for years to come.  Here is another example documenting vandalism, this one on a fragile rock formation in a park in central Kansas.

Rock formation in Kansas

Close-up of carved graffiti on monument

Just today I saw a video on Facebook of a (so-called) photographer approaching a bear much too closely, just to get that shot;  a man with a camera coming within a few feet of a mama bear and her cubs.  This is nothing more than asking for trouble.  Getting that shot is not worth the risk of injury to either the individual or the bear in which they are harassing.  Should the bear have attacked to protect her cubs, she most likely would have been put down.  In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park it is the law not to approach the wildlife and to maintain a distance of 50 yards.  It is people like this that can ruin it for everybody.

The impact that visitors have to an area can be severe.  A couple months ago in Lake Elsinore, California officials had to shut down Walker Canyon.  Tourist seeking wildflowers slid and fell down the hill side of the canyon, an area that was not meant to be walked on, destroying the flowers as they went.  All of this ruined the opportunity for others to enjoy the blooming poppies that came behind them.

Each of us needs to pay more attention to our environment and take responsibility for own actions.  We cannot stop the irresponsible actions of a few, but just maybe we can help educate others and mitigate some of the damage that they cause.

I have found a group of nature photographers online that are dedicated to preserving nature and being responsible stewards for the environment in which we photograph.  I am proud to say that I have become a member of the Nature First: Alliance for Responsible Nature Photography group.  With this membership, I have sworn to adhere to following the Nature First Principles.  These principles are as follows:

1. Prioritize the well-being of nature over photography.
2. Be educated about the places I photograph.
3. Reflect on the possible impact of my actions.
4. Use discretion when sharing locations.
5. Know and follow all rules and regulations.
6. Always follow ‘Leave No Trace’ principles and strive to leave places better than I find it.
7. Actively promote and educate others about these principles

I will certainly pay more attention to the environment as I visit areas, both locally and when traveling.  Much of my photography is from well known areas that have a lot of traffic from visitors.  I do though visit places that are less traveled, and going forward I will not include detailed locations of the places that I visit.

#NatureFirst

Image details

“The Rock”
Kansas
Image # 285