Where is the Line?
Nature photographers reveal the hidden wonders of our earth. But where’s the line between exploration and invasion, and have we crossed it?
A few years ago, National Geographic released a mini-documentary highlighting the discovery of new pollinators for the rare Ghost orchid. With this discovery came great enthusiasm in the scientific community—not to mention the incredible photos that accompanied the project. But, did we truly need to know that the Ghost orchid is pollinated by many insects? To what extent do scientists and photographers get to invade nature in order to explain an occurrence that would take place with or without human knowledge?
Nature photography captivates humans for the core reason that as a species, we are biophilic, meaning we have an innate bond with nature. Seeing photos of plants and animals conjures a sense of connectivity to the natural world. However, humans can over step their boundaries when going to extents to satiate the human craving for “nature.”
We consider the lengths that these photographers put into their projects to capture such incredible moments from shipwreck ecosystems to mating-season behaviors. But has the photographer ever considered how these animals feel about a human or device impeding upon their environment? Cameras can be frightening to small animals, so much so that these projects can span months waiting for one photograph of something “rare.” Perhaps it’s only rare because these animals cannot function naturally in their habitat with human presence.
Often, professional shoots for wildlife photography take some steps to make their integration as seamless as possible, such as camouflage-colored cameras and traveling through marshes by paddleboard.
Despite these efforts, however, some harm is unavoidable. Wherever the set up resides, some sort of organism’s home is being impeded upon. Trampling vegetation or leaving behind some sort of waste, photographers may not realize or find significance in the footprints they leave. Mrs. Shuster, SJHS biology teacher, enjoys watching nature documentaries and seeing photos of wildlife, but acknowledges that we humans have to be very careful with our intentions.
“Once you harm one organism, you create a chain reaction. You are affecting all the other organisms connected to it,” she said.
Shuster stresses the need for photographers and scientists to not harm—or if harm is done, replace—organisms involved in photoshoots and experiments.
In addition to the tangible damage caused to wildlife, there are some unquantifiable repercussions to these photography shoots. While seemingly insignificant to human activity, induced trauma to even the smallest of organisms is an effect we have when invading these ecosystems. After all, the world was not made only for humans, so we must share this space with our fellow organisms.