I have been an outdoor photographer for over 30 years. My photography has taken me underwater to some of our most pristine and fragile ecosystems. Above water, I have photographed while backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains to a number of our National Parks, State Parks, and local parks. In the age of highly capable cell phone cameras to the lastest evolution to mirrorless cameras coupled with instantaneous worldwide dissemination of our photos, it has never been more important for photographers of all kinds to be deliberate in how we treat these natural areas and to think about what effect posting our photos has on these natural areas.
Nature First is an alliance of like-minded nature photographers with common-sense pledge to think about and be deliberate in how we treat and photograph our natural environments which are under increasingly more pressure and quite simply being loved to death. The principles are common sense and many photographers area already practicing them but even for a seasoned nature photographer like myself, they are a reminder to be deliberate in how we treat our natural environments and encourage others to do the same.
THE NATURE FIRST PRINCIPLES
- Prioritize the well-being of nature over photography.
- Educate yourself about the places you photograph.
- Reflect on the possible impact of your actions.
- Use discretion if sharing locations.
- Know and follow rules and regulations.
- Always follow Leave No Trace principles and strive to leave places better than you found them.
- Actively promote and educate others about these principles.
