A camera trap captured several grizzly bears at a small pond in Yellowstone Park. Camera traps have minimal impact on habitat and are one way to ensure wildlife does not adapt to human presence. The photography team also worked closely with the National Park Service to obtain relevant permits and prioritize animal welfare. Photography: MICHAEL NICHOLS WITH RONAN DONOVAN AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Putting animal welfare first should be every photographer’s goal. Let’s take a look at the tips shared by National Geographic photographers.
Written by MELISSA GROO
Photographers use unprecedented tools, opportunities and perspectives to find animal subjects to photograph.
At the same time, wild animals are facing unprecedented threats to their survival. Over the past few decades, habitat loss, climate change, illegal wildlife trade, overfishing and pollution have led to catastrophic declines in the populations of birds, insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. A recent report by United Nations found that one in four species is endangered. Furthermore, modern society’s disconnection from nature poses a threat to itself as a culture of indifference. We live virtual lives, invested in devices, rather than outdoors.
Wildlife photography has the power to make people interested in the magic of nature. This is a vital tool that inspires people to protect wildlife from their hearts and bring about real change. Within minutes, photos can go viral on social media, drawing more attention to wildlife in crisis.
At the same time, social media showcases two kinds of people: those who capture nature from a visual perspective in an authentic and careful way; and those who take shortcuts at the expense of their subjects and just want more likes and followers. We in front of the screen cannot tell the difference between the two.
So, what does it mean to be an ethical wildlife photographer?
“The ethics of photography, like the ethics of life, revolve around respect,” says National Geographic photographer Beverly Joubert, who has spent decades photographing African animals. There are almost no one-size-fits-all rules, but rather a lot of gray areas. What is moral for one animal may not be so for another. We must be guided by empathy and protection of animals and put the welfare of our subjects first.
Although there is no instruction manual, some basic principles can help us understand the problem more clearly.
1. Don’t harm animals
·Don’t destroy or change their habitat to get a better view or scenery.
·Let the animals do their own thing. Do not seek their attention or interaction.
·Special attention should be paid during the breeding season.
·Understand the signs of stress your subjects are showing.
There is no doubt that when we venture into the territory of wild animals, there are consequences. We seek out or stumble upon their roosts and nests, where they feed and congregate. Does this mean we shouldn't go out and raise our cameras? of course not. Nature needs us to tell its stories now more than ever. But nature also needs us to be more aware of the impact we have.
Tourists flock to try to photograph a cheetah in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The presence of humans can interfere with the natural behavior of animals. Photography: FRANS LANTING, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
Joel Sartore, founder and photographer of National Geographic’s “Image Ark” column, emphasized that the first principle is “don’t hurt animals.” Basically, this means that habitats cannot be destroyed for the sake of more beautiful scenery; wild animals cannot be stopped from hunting, eating and resting, and photographers cannot be threatened or attacked.
requires special attention during the breeding season. Avoid keeping parents away from their pups, which can make the pups more vulnerable to predators and the environment. Also do not change the vegetation around the nest, which not only serves as important camouflage but also as protection from the sun, wind and rain.
We must constantly observe animal behavior to know when we need to back off or walk away. Understanding the behavior of wild animals in advance is the best way to tell when an animal is alerting or avoiding.
2. Stay wild
·Be careful when feeding wild animals.
·Avoid getting wild animals accustomed to human presence.
For wild animals, all we can do is respect their wildness. The quickest way to compromise with the wildness is to provide food so we can take photos. However, Yellowstone National Park's website clearly states, "Feeding means death—for better or worse, the Park Service will kill animals that have become accustomed to human contact and food."
fox,coyote, Predators such as wolves, bears, owls, and other birds of prey quickly associate humans with food and become accustomed to approaching humans in search of food; if they become too aggressive and aggressive, wildlife agencies often kill them. Animals may also roam the roadside as many people feed them from their cars, putting them at risk of being hit and killed by vehicles.
What is it like in places like Romania and Finland with wild bears, wolves and wolverines beside the blinds, providing footage for photographers? This has become a big business in Eastern Europe and the United States. The only drawback so far is that this is more artificial than reality: there is only one possibility for bears and wolves to hang out as "friends": they happen to have a lot of food around them, so they don't fight over it.
National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry captured this great white shark swimming near the Neptune Islands in South Australia. By baiting or luring sharks with fish, divers can see great whites in the wild, but the long-term effects on shark behavior are unclear. PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN J. SKERRY, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
So, when is it okay to use food to attract your subjects? There is no direct answer to this question, but the following questions can guide our thinking.
1 Will feeding this animal adversely affect their behavior? If it lives in or moves to an area where it is hunted, feeding may accustom it to human presence and make it an easy target. It is also possible that it becomes too bold and approaches humans for food, which could result in it being killed by wildlife managers.
2 Is the food provided appropriate and safe? For example, providing bird food means regular cleaning to prevent the spread of viruses and parasites; food should be placed at a certain distance from windows to avoid bird attacks; and keeping cats indoors.
3 Is it against the law to feed this animal? It is illegal to feed wild animals in national parks. Most states have laws prohibiting the feeding of certain wild animals. For example, New York State prohibits feeding deer, bears, and moose. Even local municipalities have their own regulations and penalties range from fines to jail time.
3. Obey the Laws
·Laws vary from place to place and from species to species.
·Laws vary depending on the purpose and method of filming.
It is important to learn and follow local, state and national park laws and regulations, such as how much distance to keep from certain species. Laws exist to keep us and wildlife safe. News of injuries caused by ignoring national park rules on distance is not uncommon. In many cases, animals that injure humans must be killed.
If you plan to conduct commercial photography, lead tours, or place camera traps in any park or other protected area, you must obtain the necessary permits. This also includes marine protected areas.
Zebra runs on the plains of Namibia, disturbed by the photographer's paraglider . Before the advent of drones, it was difficult to capture disturbed wildlife from the air.Photography: GEORGE STEINMETZ, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
In the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the " Micro Helicopter " captured footage of a lioness and cub resting behind a rock outcrop. The family was not disturbed by the drone's presence. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL NICHOLS, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
The use of drones around wildlife is a controversial topic, and laws vary widely. Drones are not allowed in U.S. national parks, wilderness and nature preserves. And where use is allowed, we must consider the impact on wildlife. In 2015, a notable study documented the impact of drones on the heart rates of black bears in Minnesota. Although there were no obvious signs of stress, the bear's heart rate increased to 123 beats per minute when the drone appeared.
4. Consider keeping animals in captivity
· Be alert to opportunities to photograph wild animals in captivity.
·Know legal sanctuaries or zoos and avoid going to places that exploit wild animals for profit.
Captive wildlife photography is very popular, especially among those who are unable or unwilling to travel to distant places to see wildlife in nature. Opportunities to photograph rare animals are offered by a variety of institutions, including zoos, rescue centres, sanctuaries, game farms, wildlife centres, sanctuaries, adventure and safari parks. The conditions in which wild animals are kept in captivity vary from squalid to tidy, just as they are kept in captivity for reasons ranging from greedy pursuit of profit to compassion.
Captive wildlife is a large, lightly regulated industry. Agencies can call themselves whatever they want, so there are many so-called "pseudo-sanctuaries." In the US they only need a Department of Agriculture license to show wildlife to the public.
In some cases, captive wild animals may be injured in the wild and rescued. They are well cared for and become ambassadors for the species. In other cases, they are collected from abusive institutions and spend the rest of their lives in safe and peaceful sanctuaries. Or, they are put on display in roadside zoos and spend their entire lives in small cages on the concrete floor.
There is also a wildlife photography farm. These captive establishments are dedicated to serving the shots and are mostly located in , Montana, and Minnesota. There you can see spectacular sights of rare wild animals, such as Siberian tigers and snow leopards, as well as local elusive species such as wolves, lynxes and bobcats. These naturally wild animals instinctively like to hunt and roam long distances, but now live in small enclosures and can only stretch out when performing in front of tourists; off camera, trainers use food and sticks to lure them into facing the wind and snow , or standing motionless on a tree branch. Sometimes they are shipped to other states and posed in various locations, such as the Red Rocks in Utah. They are impeccable, spotless and not sleepy.
Farm owners argue that animals born in captivity do not have the same needs as wild animals because they have a reliable food source, are free from predators and the elements, and live longer. But Carl Safina, an expert on animal consciousness and author of Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel, believes that “it’s not just survival that matters. People can live healthily in prison.” A long time. What matters is the quality of life. The quality of life of animals varies greatly in different institutions."
There is a lot of criticism in the photography industry; photos from the farms are banned from appearing in the highly publicized sites. The attention-grabbing Photography Contest and most mainstream magazines, including National Geographic. For each species on the farm, a conservation photographer carefully captures them in the wild, in their true habitat, showing their natural behavior.
We must realize that the money we spend should recreate and maintain the living conditions of these animals in the wild, although they have no choice of their own.
There are organizations that can help determine whether an organization claiming to be a "sanctuary," "sanctuary," or "rescue center" is really what it is. The first is the Global Alliance for Sanctuaries (GFSA). GFSA-certified facilities must meet high standards of care and management. Another is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). One could debate whether each of the AZA-accredited facilities provides the standard of living we expect for captive animals, but these places do have high standards of care. (Note that AZA is not ZAA, the American Association for Animals, and the acronyms of the two are easily confused.)
5. Caption and authenticity
·Disclose the process of taking the photo.
Ethical wildlife photography doesn’t end when we return to the comfort of our homes. When sharing photos, how you represent animal life is important.
“Tell the reader the truth,” says Sartore. “If some information is not visible, tell it through a backstory. If the animal is being photographed, or the animal is taking a selfie with a camera trap, this should be done in advance. Inform." If the photo was taken by accident and there is a lot of meaning behind it, add an explanation.
Photographer Joel Sartore photographed Crocodile crocodile at Sunset Zoo for National Geographic's "Image Ark" column. Image Ark captions often include the location where the photo was taken so readers will know how the photo was taken. Sartore works closely with keepers to ensure animal welfare issues are taken care of during filming. Photography: JOEL SARTORE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO ARK
Brian Skerry, a senior photographer at National Geographic who specializes in photographing marine wildlife, said: "If I was photographing tiger sharks , I would not disclose the purpose in the caption or when asked. To lure it in, then I’m being dishonest. At its most fundamental, it’s wrong to do it with the intention of deceiving the reader.” The same is true when working with photos. For example, modifying colors, changing the authenticity of a scene by copying or adding elements that were not originally there, are all transgressions in photojournalism.
Caption text is also an effective method of self-checking. If we're reluctant to share how we got this photo, then maybe there's something wrong with our approach.
Reputation is everything
In the world of wildlife photography, word travels fast, and fraud or damage to a scene can easily be exposed. Today, it’s not just editors and other photographers who are paying attention, but a growing audience on social media who are raising questions when something fishy happens.
"I would tell young photographers to never forget that reputation is everything. If you try to take shortcuts, if you get exposed, it will set everything back decades," Skerry said. "You have to be blameless, you have to behave "It's also the photo editor's responsibility to ask questions," says National Geographic photo editor Kathy Moran. "We have a responsibility to ask the photographer how the photo was taken, and we have a responsibility to look at the original file. We also have a responsibility to ensure that the photo is taken." Authenticity mission."
takes the time to work with scientists and researchers to ensure the content published is accurate, Skerry said. Build a bridge between science and photography and add authenticity to your photography.
These basic principles provide a starting point, after which it is up to each of us to develop common sense and empathy in photography. We may not get the answers, and we may make mistakes, but we can keep trying to empathize. It’s up to each of us to use our power as wildlife photographers to take good care of these animals; their presence makes us who we are. To us, these are just photos; to wildlife, every moment is about survival.
(Translator: sky4)
