[luftfluss]

This interactive discussion with Canadian Wildlife photographers and experts John E. Marriott , Brad Hill, and Dave Elphinstone, will explore topics related to photographing wildlife in a variety of locations from the wilderness to natural city parks. We will cover best practices with recommendations from these experts. They will also highlight ways that photographers can help make a difference to protect wildlife and preserve natural areas.

https://youtu.be/wmYcgE1IUtw?t=207

[aslyfox]

@ luftfluss

thanks for posting

working through this video - have to stop now made it to the 54 minute mark, 90 minute video

don't know anything about the panel or presenter

_____________

thought provoking:

what is the photograph worth

will you be proud of how you obtained the image as you look back

injury to yourself or your subject

causing " unnatural " changes to your subject by

-- baiting/feeding
-- calling
-- spending too much time on the subject causing " stress/change in behavior "

learn as much as possible about the subject before

learn from your experiences and " evolve " your practices

consider your technique with the modern cameras, lenses and post processing opportunity

- do you really need flash

- if you have a " big " lens how close do you really need to be to your subject

consider the cumulative effect of your interactions and others with the subject

nice that there is discussion about differences between the professional photographer who has time to seek out subjects and those whose time is limited and may not have time to do so

[luftfluss]

^^^ That's a good outline of the discussion topics, thanks for posting it.

[Michail_P]

There are many documentaries in which photographers really camouflage themselves to capture wildlife in an absolutely natural state. Observe, don’t interfere. If some can do it, everybody should.

[jacamar]

It was a thought-provoking video. Tha Canadian panel may not have been familiar to American / international viewers but they are obviously well qualified - and it's good that a (Calgary-based) camera store is holding events like this.

The idea of not providing any food supplementation presented by one of the panelists would be hard for a lot of us. In Ontario some local conservation authorities are restrictive on this, but in Algonquin Provincial Park, for example, the feeders at the visitor centre are very popular and probably contribute to winter entrance fees. At the same time feeders are disruptive to birds' winter territories and it's claimed they can cause conflict among birds.

https://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/virtual/webcam/wild_bird_cam.php

The Park also puts out suet at one of the trail entrances, and in some winters they have even been known to drop a road-killed moose to attract wolves for visitors to see. I often leave a handful of sunflower seeds on the snow along the trails and that has given me some great Marten shots. It sems to me that there's a big difference between this and luring owls with live bait, which I have a knee-jerk opposition to, but I do feel a bit conflicted.

One thing that wasn't mentioned is interference with birds by the general public who just happen across an owl and think they can take a smartphone shot from ten feet away. While hobby photographers can place a lot of pressure on roosting owls they are usually a bit more circumspect than that.

[luftfluss]

don't know anything about the panel or presenter

The presenter is Evelyn Drake, the wife of DPRTV's Jordan Drake and also the Voice of Pentax in their Which One Will Survive? stop-motion film.

[Sidney Porter]

I am not a wild life shooter so I am not aware of all of the debates. But I think I would have liked to have heard some differences in opinion.

I think sharing location could be an opportunity for debate. The one guy said he lies about the location or doesn't give a location. Lying about the location could cause just as much damage to the environment. I also think that sharing the location is an opportunity to stress the importance of being a good steward of the environment. The alternative is to figure it out on your own which can be more harmful

[luftfluss]

I am not a wild life shooter so I am not aware of all of the debates. But I think I would have liked to have heard some differences in opinion.

I think sharing location could be an opportunity for debate. The one guy said he lies about the location or doesn't give a location. Lying about the location could cause just as much damage to the environment. I also think that sharing the location is an opportunity to stress the importance of being a good steward of the environment. The alternative is to figure it out on your own which can be more harmful

Sharing the location is not really about "damage to the environment", it's more about stress to the subject animal. Most animals do not like having a crowd of humans concentrating on them. On the handful of occasions I have been asked by other photographers about location, I've been deliberately vague.

[aslyfox]

. . . it's more about stress to the subject animal. Most animals do not like having a crowd of humans concentrating on them. . . . ..

wild animals are often creatures of habit and routine

not only where they nest or feed but how they travel in between those areas

and when forced to change those habits and routine, it can throw off the " cycle of life " affecting both predator and prey

so, unless accustomed to humans ( not a good thing generally for any type of wildlife ), having their " haunts " generally known can lead to stress and worse

[aslyfox]

Confession time

perhaps

at Yellowstone, at times, I have joined groups viewing and photographing black bears, elk and Big Horn Sheep - keeping the NP's rules on distance

[ except when a ram and yews came up from the river and stood within 15 feet of me , luckily, they decided to just cross the road instead of the ram butting me down into the river ]

in 2011 on a cruise ship excursion in a 40 person boat observed humpback whales " bubble feeding " and a cow and calf breeching

the captain maintained the proper distance and was quite irate at a vessel which cut right through the whales

now my wife and I are planning on similar wildlife/whale watching tours out of Friday Harbor, San Juan Island and Victoria BC

just have to trust the professionals to do their best to look out after the welfare of what we see

after all it is in their best interests to preserve the wildlife which is the basis of their profession