Ethics in Nature Photography
Most of us enjoy to be in nature for inspiration, sport activities or simply for our mental well-being. The great outdoors, the beauty of the landscapes and the chance encounters with the fauna allow us to find ourselves and take a breather. As a nature photographer, I much prefer to spend my time outdoors than in front of my computer. However, when I am in the field, I realize that I am in a world that does not belong to me. Here live plants and animals while I am only a visitor, and it is clear that each of our passages disturbs ecosystems, bubbles of life.
This is why I strive to reduce my impact on the environment by applying ethical principles in my profession as a photographer, even if it is sometimes to the detriment of the end result of my expeditions: what is essential for me is not to get the photo of the century but to respect nature. Patience and perseverance then become key factors in obtaining interesting photos, especially of the behaviour of wild animals in their natural environment.
When I had the privilege of photographing an elk nursing three calves, it was she who established the distance between us and determined the length of the encounter. When she quietly returned to the forest, I could have followed her for a personal purpose of getting more photographs, but I thought about the stress that would cause them. My calm and respectful attitude towards wildlife allows me to experience intimate moments like this one where everyone observes and assesses each other before continuing their activities. Only patience and determination give great results, in addition to the satisfaction of respecting nature.