How to Be an Environmentally Conscious Photographer

There are a number of ways you can enjoy the beauty of the outdoors as a photographer and be an advocate for preserving those views for future generations. Here are 5 ways to be an environmentally conscious photographer.

1. Use Designated Car Parks

Check out where the closest car park is to your destination. Don’t be tempted to make your own parking space on the verge of a road or at the entrance gate of a farmer’s field. This could cause a hazard for other road users and businesses. It’s best to stick to designated car parks and walk the rest of the route.

2. Avoid Veering from Footpaths

While photography is all about exploring and capturing something unique, being environmentally conscious while doing preserves the land for others. Check out the local walking routes and aim to stick to the footpaths to reach your destination.

Veering off the beaten track means precious plant life and important vegetation could be destroyed. All it takes is one person to start a new trail and then others will follow making it seem the norm. Stick to the approved paths where possible to protect nature.

3. Take Your Rubbish With You

The countryside code is something photographers, in the UK at least, should be aware of. Take any food/drink waste home with you. Place a carrier bag in your camera bag to keep all your rubbish in.

Don’t be tempted to leave it stuff in a tree or bus – we all know plastic sticks around for years. Certain foods like fruit are biodegradable and can benefit nature by rotting in the land. Find out which foods are biodegradable here.

4. Leave Pets at Home

Pets love a run around in the countryside and mixing a walk with your best friend and photography seems ideal – but not for the countryside wildlife!

Dogs (not all I’ll say) can end up chasing sheep, birds, cows and bulls in open fields. They should always be on a lead, unless they are in an enclosed field. Dogs chasing wildlife across fields can push them from their grazing patches and away from drinking troughs.

It could also be harmful for your dog too. Cows and Bulls may not always run scarred. If they turn and attack your dog this could be extremely traumatic.

Best to leave them at home when you’re on your photography adventures!

5. Lock Gates Behind You

To make sure all grazing wildlife stay where the farmer expects them to be lock all gates behind you as you cross the fields. Even if you see other walkers in the distance coming your way, don’t leave it open for them.

Gates are not only positioned to stop wildlife crossing into other farmer’s territories but also there may be vegetation in neighboring fields that are poisonous to the grazing animals.