WildMaven’s World

Wildlife Photographer’s Ethics
THE NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER’S CODE OF ETHICS
Compiled by Photography Department Tidewater Community College 1428 Cedar Road Chesapeake, VA 23320
804-549-5190 V/TDD 804-549-5101 To promote the conservation and awareness of our natural heritage through photography, observation and exhibition.
Used with permission from Spook Skelton (spook@exis.net)

Purpose:
The TCC Chesapeake Campus Photography Department, in order to help protect all natural subjects and the environment, proposes a code of ethics for photographers to follow, whether they are operating in national parks, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas or their own backyards. As a photographer, you should always remember that the welfare of nature is of prime importance. You are an intruder and, as such, must respect both living things and the ecosystem. Your aim must always be to preserve our heritage. Courtesy and respect must be shown to all, be they animal, vegetable, mineral or human. Respect encompasses knowledge and understanding of your subject as well as familiarity with natural
history. The law as it affects all natural subjects must always be observed.

Definition:
“Nature photography” is defined as the use of the photographic process to depict all observations of facts and phenomena from the various branches of natural history, including botany, zoology, geology, physics, chemistry, meteorology, paleontology, anthropology, and archaeology, in such a fashion that a well-informed person will be able to identify the subject material and certify to its honest presentation. Human elements, if present, should be unobtrusive and enhance the nature story. Photographs depicting cultivated plants, still-life studies, domestic animals, mounted specimens, museum habits or groups, derivations or any form of photographic manipulation are not considered nature photography, with the exeption of detailed photomicro or photomacro photographs.

PARKS, WILDLIFE REFUGES AND WILDERNESS AREAS:
When driving in these areas, you should be aware of and obey all traffic regulations. When you approach a stopped vehicle, slow down, pause a short distance away and either wait to be waved on or make sure that you will not disturb anything before driving on. Do not box other cars in, particularly when near dangerous animals such as bears. Your passengers, too, should observe normal safety precautions and common courtesies. No one should lean out of windows or play radios or taped music. Nature has a wonderful sound all its own; stop and listen and enjoy all facets of our natural history. If any creature shows uneasiness caused by your presence, move off rather than force the creature to move. It is unethical to throw anything into an area that might cause harm or provoke the creature to move out of its natural habitat. Thoughtless conduct could force a creature to leave its familiar surroundings because it finds you an unbearable nuisance. If this happens, the whole ecosystem can be disturbed.

NESTS AND DENS:
It is particularly important that photographic prints or viewing of breeding creatures be undertaken only by those who understand the breeding behavior. Take advantage of books and nature study groups to further your knowledge before attempting this type of photography. It is generally best to use a blind in order not to disturb the creatures. Do not erect a blind on regularly used approach lines or where the attention of the public or predators is likely to endanger the subject. You should not approach a nest or den too closely; careful judgment is necessary. An occupant or his/her equipment should not be visible through or from outside the blind. Do not keep a blind set up if the parents do not return to their young within approximately half an hour, especially on very cold or very hot days. Although the best time for viewing and for photographing is at the time of the hatch or birth, this is not the time to erect a blind. You must wait until the reaction of the subject’s parents is firmly established before proceeding. Fledglings should never be handled or removed from the nest, nor may you restrict their movements while photographing. Scientific banding is acceptable in photographs. “Gardening,” i.e., interference with surrounding vegetation, is sometimes necessary for photography. This should be kept to a minimum, not exposing the subject to predators, people or adverse weather. Gardening should be carried out by tying back but not cutting off branches and grasses. In between each shooting session and at the conclusion of all sessions, everything should be returned to the way it was and tracks to and from the area should be inconspicuous.

INSECTS & REPTILES:
Removal of these creatures to a studio for photographing is acceptable, provided that they are returned to their original habitat as soon as is practical. Proper permission should be secured from authorities prior to removing creatures from an area. Chilling, freezing and light anesthesia of any creature is not acceptable. The photographer must not endanger the life of any specimen. Diurnal and nocturnal creatures should be photographed in the early morning or late afternoon or when the weather is colder and they are inactive. Photographing these creatures in the field would undoubtedly tell a more accurate story.

TIDE POOLS:
Tide pool animals have a definite role in our ecology, and creatures living on top of or below rocks will die if those rocks are turned over and not replaced the way they were found. Only photographers knowledgeable about tide pool ecology should work with tide pools.

GEOLOGY:
The appearance of pictographs and petroglyphs should never be altered by applying any substance, even the simplest of compounds. Cave formations and crystals should never be removed, broken or tampered with. These ancient arts and structures can never be restored.

BOTANY:
It is most important that preparations to photograph or view one specimen do not involve disturbing others. Avoid trampling on fragile habitats, especially grasslands, marshes and wild-flower patches, because damage to them affects all species in the ecosystem. A competent photographer or botanist should never pick wild flowers. No rarity should be picked or dug up for studio photography or to facilitate the in situ photography of another specimen. Also, no part should be removed in order to photograph another part. If rocks or logs or other objects natural to the area are brought in to provide a scientifically correct but more photogenic background, these should be returned to their original place.

CONCLUSION:
Whatever your interest in nature, be it to photograph or to observe, you will achieve your aim and be able to consider yourself a true naturalist only when you become one with your surroundings. We suggest that the photographing and viewing of any natural subject is best achieved in the subject’s natural surroundings with a minimum of intrusion by the photographer.

I once purchased a telescope for the sole purpose of astrophotography (taking pictures of deep space objects). I purchased an adapter to attach the telescope to my camera, only to find out that the telescope I had purchased, according to the company (after a long phone debate) “didn’t have enough inward travel to take photos.” Why, then, did they even sell me the adapter when I purchased the telescope? Why did they show a photo of the moon on their website, with a caption below it, stating it was taken with that very telescope? The answer: there is no regulation on what they can and can’t say when advertising telescopes. Many astronomy clubs are fighting to establish rules, but it is a losing battle. Money talks, and small clubs just don’t have the funding to fight the large companies.

Before you buy:

Are you familiar with the night sky? If not, you may want to spend a small amount of money first on a nice pair of binoculars and spend some time learning your way around up there. This is especially important because, with a telescope, you are only seeing a small portion of the sky, and it can get a bit confusing if you aren’t familiar with the area.

What scope to buy:

Once you are ready to buy a telescope, a good idea is to go to a star party. Many cities have star parties, which are gatherings of astronomy fans, sometimes as often as once a month. Many bring their telescopes and, if you ask politely, will let you look through them. This is a good way to see the different models and styles that are available, and to ask questions. You might also consider joining a local club.

So, how do you go about buying a telescope that suits your needs? First, decide what its use will be. Will it be a beginner scope, just a step above binoculars, to get you started learning the universe? Do you want to take photos with the telescope? Do you live in a light polluted city and need to carry it with you to a darker location? All these come into play when purchasing your scope. With telescopes, “you get what you pay for” is certainly true. The small Christmas scopes you see popping up in department stores around the holidays will be good for seeing the craters on the moon and star clusters. You will be able to see the wonderful blues and reds of some stars. When I first started out, I could spend hours just gazing at the moon. If that’s all you want, then a small, inexpensive scope will suit you just fine. For anything else, you are going to need to spend some money.

There are three basic types of telescopes:

Reflectors

These scopes will get you more aperature for you money, but they can be large and bulky. Reflectors have the eyepiece at the side of the scope. They use mirrors instead of lenses, so they are cheaper to make.

1. Newtonians - these reflectors have two mirrors, allowing for large aperatures. However, the sharpness of the image is degraded slightly, especially with “fast Newtonians” (focal lengths of f/4 or f/5). They also require occasional recollimation, which isn’t too hard, but is just another chore you will have to do. These scopes are open on the end and dust can get in. They are fantastic for observing deep space objects.

2. Cassegrain - these scopes have tried to solve some of the Newtonian problems. A convex mirror is used, instead of a flat one, changing the focal length and allowing the Cassegrains to be built more compact.

Refractors

These are usually the kinds of scopes most people think of when they think of telescopes, with a lens at one end and the eyepiece at the other. A refractor will turn images upside down, something you will eventually get used to, but you can buy lenses that correct this. However, the more lenses you use, the more loss of light, so it’s probably best to just adjust to it yourself. Advantages of the refractor is that they require little maintenence, dust won’t gather in an open tube like it can with the reflector, and they aren’t disturbed as much by outside temperatures. They produce very sharp images, but are more expensive than the reflectors. The image quality makes them very good for photography.

Catadioptric Telescopes

These use a combination of mirrors and lenses.

1. Schmidt-Cassegrain - the use of a huge “corrector plate” in front of the opening eliminates dust and air turbulence. Very compact, they are becoming the most popular, especially for people who have to travel to get to dark skies.

2. Maksutov-Cassegrain - another “corrector plate” scope, but heavier. These are favored by photographers.

3. Klevsov-Cassegrain - uses a secondary mirror with a lens and concave mirror which has been coated on the back. I have never seen one, nor know of anyone who owns one, since they are quite rare. They are also open in the front, allowing dust and air turbulance to cause problems.

4. Catadioptric Newtonian - these “short tube Newtonians” are becoming very popular due to their lower prices. They are just priced over a regular Netwonian. The front is open, again allowing dust to enter.

Once you have purchased your telescope:

1. Remember, a child’s attention can be short, especially standing outside when it’s really cold while staring at a little blur. Mix fun activities, like trying to find the crater the astronauts landed in, with more intellectual pursuits such as finding a double star.

2. Keep the scope in a safe place, maybe even purchase a case for it. Sometimes even the smallest bump can send it out of alignment.

3. If it came with a lens cover, use it!

4. Don’t use the tripod to tie up the dog. The dog WILL pull over the scope, making it nothing more than a very heavy paperweight.

5. Cool temperatures are prime viewing times, but remember to dress for the weather.

6. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: DO NOT ****EVER**** LOOK INTO THE SUN WITH YOUR TELESCOPE. Blindness and scope damage will occur. If you do use a solar filter, make sure it is on SECURELY. Many accidents have happened when the filter fell off, exposing the viewer’s tender eyes to the sun.