Wildflower Paparazzi

[Jack]

Just returned from photographing wildflowers in Colorado, and I find
myself, for the first time, very unhappy with an aspect of photography
that seems to assume carte blanche to trash the environment just
because we carry cameras. Probably the best example is American
Basin. Within one week, the flowers have been trampled by numerous
photographers looking for that perfect shot. It breaks my heart to
see this pristine environment, which includes dozens of species, so
trashed.

And it is having a long term effect. Old-timers tell me that Yankee
Boy isn't even worth visiting any more. The columbines no longer grow
where they used to, because of soil compaction.

I saw, on my last visit to Maroon Bells, a good example of this
change. Much of what used to be covered in a great variety now shows
very few species.

Most of the photos shot in these places will be tossed as outtakes, or
left in a drawer. Not much of an honor for so much destruction.

So, fellow nature photographers, just what are our ethics on this
issue?

[Norm]

How long a macro lens do you carry?

[Jack]

Which brings up another point:

Why would anyone drive 22 miles on a rough, 4wd road to do macro work
on a columbine that they could just as easily see in a nursery in
Denver?

[Norm]

Which brings up another point:

Why would anyone drive 22 miles on a rough, 4wd road to do macro work
on a columbine that they could just as easily see in a nursery in
Denver?


Well, I'm not the OP but I'll give you my answer:

It's quite likely that there was much more there , even if just
background scenery, than just one kind of flower.

[Dean]

Which brings up another point:

Why would anyone drive 22 miles on a rough, 4wd road to do macro work
on a columbine that they could just as easily see in a nursery in
Denver?


That's simple: because it's not in Denver, nor in
any other overpopulated, overpolluted, concrete
rabbit warren.

[Jack]

Well, that's what we photographers are doing to it. Making it
overpopulated and polluting it.

Listen:

I am a photographer. I'm not just trolling here. This is a serious
issue, in my mind, because we serve as an example. If ma and pa
snapshooter see us out there trampling the flora, then won't they,
because they also have cameras and want that"best shot" feel empowered
to do the same?

[Unregistered]

If ma and pa
snapshooter see us out there trampling the flora, then won't they,
because they also have cameras and want that"best shot" feel empowered
to do the same?[/QUOTE]

I 'spect they will. I gotta run; I want to get there afore they do.

It sounds like you're suggesting that we should all just stay
home, secure in the knowledge that there are beautiful places
out there even if we can't go see them? The sad news for you,
is that the idiots who trample everything into mud will do so
with or without someone in front of them. People are born
ignorant, and without education they grow up stupid. Maybe
a few more of us should be out there showing some respect
for the environment as an example. I try to leave the landscape
in as good, or better, condition than I find it.

If it is the destiny of our wild places, to be stomped to death
by hoards of nature lovers, my presence or absence will make
little difference

[Roger]

Just returned from photographing wildflowers in Colorado, and I find
myself, for the first time, very unhappy with an aspect of photography
that seems to assume carte blanche to trash the environment just
because we carry cameras. Probably the best example is American
Basin. Within one week, the flowers have been trampled by numerous
photographers looking for that perfect shot. It breaks my heart to
see this pristine environment, which includes dozens of species, so
trashed.

And it is having a long term effect. Old-timers tell me that Yankee
Boy isn't even worth visiting any more. The columbines no longer grow
where they used to, because of soil compaction.

I saw, on my last visit to Maroon Bells, a good example of this
change. Much of what used to be covered in a great variety now shows
very few species.

Most of the photos shot in these places will be tossed as outtakes, or
left in a drawer. Not much of an honor for so much destruction.

So, fellow nature photographers, just what are our ethics on this
issue?

Jack,
Just this afternoon I returned from a week in the Colorado
mountains hiking and photographing wildflowers. I live in the
Denver area and have been photographing wildflowers in
Colorado for over 20 years. My most serious wildflower photography began when I started
with large format (4x5), about 15 years ago.

I was in the San Juans the last few days, as I am most summers,
as well as many other areas around the state, and I am very
aware of the species of flowers in different areas and how they
change from year to year. And I must say, the species
appearing in the same spot has varied a lot over the last few
years. We have been in a drought for several years until
this last winter. This spring was very wet and the winter
was a larger than average snow pack. It was looking like it
might be a record year for wildflowers (the last was 1997).
June was the second wettest June on record in Denver.
But then it dried out. The snow was still crushing any
vegetation in the high country (areas I visited in early
July that normally would be carpets of wildflowers were
either covered in snow as deep as 6 feet or the vegetation
was still smashed into the ground from the heavy snow pack).

The last month of dry weather smashed hopes of a great
or even good wildflower year. Places I visited in the San Juans
in the last week had 1/4 to 1/8 the wildflowers seen in a
normal year. I've been to multiple basins multiple times
including American and Yankee Boy basins. Over the last
6 years, wildflower populations have changed dramatically
all across the state. Flowers that were there one year
were not the next, nor the next. This year there has been
very little color: mostly little white flowers (a couple
of varieties I need to look up).

While I do not doubt that people, including photographers,
can have an impact on an area, what you have seen this year
is most likely not due to people, but the heavy and late melting
snow pack combined with years of drought. Yankee Boy basin
can be very crowded, and I would not blame any trampling
of vegetation solely on photographers (amateur or pro), but
by the shear mass of people tromping all over the area.

Personally, I no longer identify specific basins, but will only
specify the mountains (like "San Juans"). There are so
many basins with great wildflowers that one need not go solely
to Yankee Boy or American basin. The basins I visited on this
trip had 1 to 2 dozen people, mostly 4-wheelers and hikers,
and only a couple of photographers. In general, it is my opinion
that they had little impact compared to what the snow pack did,
the drought, or the month of virtually no rain.

When I photograph wildflowers, I try and find local bare
spots to put my gear down, and to stand in bare spots
while photographing (my back usually hurts from contorted
positions in the usual 45-minute session for one 4x5 scene).
But no matter how hard I try, some vegetation gets smashed
to the ground. When I leave, I try and ruffle (if that is
the right word) the vegetation so it does not remain smashed
to the ground. It should recover in a day or so, given some
rain. It is no different than when deer or elk bed down
for the night. Some vegetation gets smashed, but will recover.

So, in summary, the change in wildflowers you've observed is
natural due to changing conditions. High mountain basins
are just now emerging from heavy snow pack and the vegetation is
still smashed to the ground in many areas, especially near
or above treelike.

"Old Timers" who say Yankee Boy isn't worth visiting any more
don't understand the ecosystem, or are annoyed with the crowds.
I rarely go to Yankee Boy any more but mostly because I
want to explore new areas. Areas like American Basin are so
large that I suspect if you paid 100 people to spend 10 hours
per day trying to trample it down for a week, they couldn't
do it.

Here is a good example of the compaction issue due to the heavy
snow, and change in flowers:

Notice only a few white flowers in 2005, but many varieties in
2002, including bluebells near the top of the stream.
This has NOTHING to do with people impact.

[Pat]

Jack, I understand your concern about trampling flowers down.
Sometimes it's impossible though to miss some of the flora when getting
from Point A to Point B in certain areas.

I tend to just stay on the trails through our nature areas and that
seems to work quite well but it's not Colorado! ;)