"E" is for Ethics.

Ethics is an interesting topic because defining what is right and wrong can be different for everyone. I consider myself a pretty ethical person and photographer, but as you will see below, I've made mistakes. Not intentionally, just getting caught up in the moment. 

Nature photography has changed so much in the past decade. With smart phone cameras getting more sophisticated and platforms like Instagram, everyone is a photographer . . . and a model. I think that there is a "cool factor" in getting an image of yourself in popular and sometimes sketchy destinations. Congratulations to the person who invented the selfie stick. I am sure he made a fortune. 

The challenge is, with this rise in people getting out to get that awesome selfie, places that were set aside to protect nature are getting increasingly more crowded. I remember visiting places like Mono Lake 15 years ago and seeing a handful of photographers. Today, you could be joined by 50 of your "closest friends" if conditions are right. And - while most people try to be courteous, there is always that person who walks into your frame, talks loudly, plays music, walks off trail, or harasses the animals. 

Photographers and tourists, Mono Lake Mono Lake on a typical summer evening

When COVID hit and many of the National and State Parks closed, I was sad because I couldn't visit, but so happy for the wildlife and environment that got a moment to recover from the masses. When asked about the bears in Yosemite, one of the rangers responded that they were having a party. A party indeed! No cars speeding down the road, no tourists crowding them and yelling at the to get their attention, no tasty food left unattended that further habituated them to humans. They were free to be bears - in one of the most beautiful parks in the world. When Yosemite re-opened, they put a permit system in place to limit visitation and I really hope they keep it indefinitely. It will make it harder for people like me to visit, but I think the trade-off is worth it. 

I've compiled 5 different types of ethics I try to abide by below. I hope these resonate with you!
 

1. Harassing, getting too close, or feeding wildlife

Boy with chipmunk

A boy interacting with a chipmunk at Crater Lake National Park. What I found interesting was that his parents were supplying him with food to lure the chipmunk over so they could get a picture of him with the wildlife. All I could think was how very close he was to a possible ER visit and tetanus shot. 

Girl feeding chipmunk

A girl feeding a chipmunk at Crater Lake National Park. I think she was the sibling of the boy. Parenting at its finest. . . 

Child feeding squirrel

A very young girl feeding a squirrel at the Golden Gate Park Arboretum - under the strict supervision of her mother of course.

Monk Seal, Kauai

This Monk Seal was resting on a beach in Kauai just as we were arriving to eat our dinner and watch the sunset. What you don't see is the area roped off with stakes and signs to keep tourists at a specific distance. Monk Seals are endangered so I felt so fortunate to see one and was glad they roped off the area to give him some space - and it was a good thing because people walked right up to the rope and leaned in for a photo. 

Cape Kiwanda

These are unique cliffs along the northern Oregon coast and are quiet spectacular when large waves crash up against them. I only had one night here, so I hiked to this spot several hours before sunset so I could ensure I had a good, unobstructed view. About 15 minutes before sunset, a guy and his girlfriend showed up and set up right in front of me. 

Secret Beach, Maui

This is Secret Beach in Maui but there is nothing secret about it. I dragged my poor husband here a couple hours before sunset so I could get some photos and we saw 3 weddings performed, 1 dancer posing for photos, beach combers, people playing fetch with their dogs - all within 20 feet of the front of my camera. I have never had so many people, not only walk into my frame, but stop and linger for a painfully long time. It's a public beach I just had to wait patiently for an opening here and there where I could sneak in a shot.  

Beach garbage: Tire

Beach garbage: aluminum can

I don't even know what to say. Beach Trash. All too common. 

John Day Fossil BedsCryptobiotic crusts comprised of algae, lichens, mosses, microfungi, and bacteria are also important components of many of the plant communities. They are often seen as a black crust or covering on the soils beneath the plants. These small organisms play an integral role in binding and protecting the soils from erosion, in fixing nitrogen for the plants to use, in storing water, and in the nutrient cycling process that further develops the soils. - NPS

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a unique park that contains fossils spanning 40 million years. The park has three different units, all with different landscapes. They ask visitors to the "Don't hurt the dirt" pledge to protect this delicate feature. 

Moving rocks at Death Valley's RacetrackPlease Help
The surface of the playa is very fragile. Driving on it or anywhere off established roads is prohibited. Do not move or remove any of the rocks. When the playa is wet, avoid walking in muddy areas and leaving ugly footprints. This prevents others from enjoying this unique area. Driving offroad is strictly prohibited. - NPS

This is the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park. It is very remote and somewhat difficult to get to, so it's generally uncrowded. It's safe to walk on the playa when it is dry but people have driven on it, leaving lasting tire treads. Others have walked on it when it is wet, which takes years to fade away. And - the truly disrespectful have removed rocks all together. 

These are the tufas of Mono Lake. They takes many, many, many tears to "grow" and are delicate. There are "no climbing" signs all around this area, but sadly, not everyone sees the value in respecting these rare environments. 

Kings Creek, Lassen NPThis RAW image has all the data I need to balance out the shadows and highlights, which is closer to what my eyes saw when I stopped to take this picture.

This is a picture I took while hiking back from Kings Creek Falls in Lassen National Park. This is the RAW image, no edits. 

Kings Creek, Lassen NPBecause the RAW image doesn't reflect the full range of highlights and shadows, I dodged (added light) to the darker areas and burned (reduced light) in the bright areas.

Since I had to sacrifice detail in the shadows to keep the sun from turning the whole image white, I wanted to bring those shadows back up in Lightroom. Our eyes have more capacity to see the range of light and dark than our cameras, so I made the adjustments to represent what I saw when I was there. 

Phacelia sunset, Carrizo Plains National MonumentThis is a lovely sunset in Carrizo Plains, but there is too much contrast between the highlights and shadows. The RAW file contains all this detail, if the photographer wants to balance them out.

This is sunset in the Carrizo Plains National Monument. This is the RAW image, no edits. 

Phacelia sunset, Carrizo Plains National MonumentThis image editing was pretty straight forward. I burned (reduced light) in the highlights and dodged) added light) to the shadows. This is essentially the same thing that is accomplished by using a graduated neutral density filter.

This is essentially the same as the photo above in terms of edits. I brought up the shadows so the viewer could see the beautiful fields of Phacelia, and I removed a distracting bit of sun flare. 

Asilomar State BeachThis RAW image shows that the sky was flat with no clouds on this day. In order to get detail in the foreground, I had to sacrifice detail in the sky, which is why it is mostly white.

This is Asilomar State Beach on a fairly uneventful evening. No clouds or drama to dress up this scene. This is the RAW image, no edits.

Asilomar State BeachIn this edited version, I didn't so much to the foreground, but I added an entirely different sky to the image.

This is something I don't do. I don't add fake skies. Well - I did here to show you that it happens - but it just feels wrong to me. I don't have strong feeling about other people doing this, but its a bit outside my boundaries.