Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 13 - 17, 2002 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife.

Photography and Your Environment:
What You Can Do

By Joanne Williams

I'm not sure where I heard this, but it seems to make my point: 'If you don't believe in nature as a divine force, you won't go to hell, you will just live it.'!! When my children were really little, we'd go on 'an adventure' to a U-Pick-Em farm where we would commune with nature while picking strawberries and tomatoes. Not long ago I went looking for that little farm, and was astounded and saddened to discover a huge development! That is my hell—knowing all the nature and wildlife that was destroyed when the little farm was eliminated for tract homes. Could I have stopped it? Probably not, but it struck a strong chord in my soul, and I will forever look at my work as a photographer as a means to try to prevent needless destruction of our natural world.

Some examples of my efforts are: I donate slides to schools, artists, birding organization and/or any organization for their educational needs. I try to be as knowledgeable as I possibly can about the subjects I photograph, so I may pass that information on to student photographers who are in the field with me. I practice a strict code of 'in-the-field' ethics, and relay those ethics to others. I photograph and share images of The Everglades not only for its beauty, but I fear it might not be there when I go back—like the U-Pick-Em farm! That would my 'living hell'!

Are wildlife and nature photographers environmentalists? For the most part, I'd say yes, but maybe a better definition is that we are naturalists: 'one who makes a study of animals and plants.' Indeed, to be an accomplished photographer of all wildlife and nature, one must search for, and study her subject. My way of becoming a spokesperson for the environment, is to photograph—accurately—nature and wildlife, and to reach out and share those images with others. While I occasionally use a polarizing filter, or push my film a stop or two, or use a flash to enhance the image, I do take tremendous pride that my images tell a truthful story. The much overused but accurate quotation, 'A picture is worth a thousand words' is a creed I live by every moment I'm out shooting in the field or at the light box readying my slides for submission to a publication. Of course I want the image to be technically perfect, but the message it is going to convey is equally important.

While wildlife and nature photography is my vocation it was first and still is my avocation! Anyone who picks up a pair of binoculars, or buys a point and shoot camera, and wanders around a wetland, or nature trail is a naturalist and/or environmentalist. Any one of you that watches the nature channel or National Geographic channel, or buy nature magazines, bird houses, bird baths, bird seed, or goes on eco-tours by dune buggy, bus or by boat, is a naturalist or lover of the environment.

A living hell to me is to drive to a wetland area I've been photographing for years, and suddenly find a strip mall or a huge parking lot with an 18-screened movie theater. Is it all about money? Obviously it is, and it is obvious that it has steamrolled us into loosing hundreds of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat. Perhaps if I hit the topic of the pocket book, I can bring home a point.

Nature photography, bird watching, eco-tourism etc. are big, big businesses, because they are fun, as well as rewarding. Check out camera, binocular and scope sales over the last decade. Do a market survey on where family vacations are being taken, especially after the horrors of September 11^th. I sell many pictures—images such as a beautiful sunrise peeking up from a marshland. I've never sold one of a strip mall!! Take a walk on a wetlands boardwalk or trail and notice the many families, as well as retirees enjoying what nature provides. I appeal to the many town and city commissioners to look at their 'natural' tourist attractions, and to look and to capitalize on what they have in their own backyard instead of building another shopping center.

To all wildlife and nature photographers, professional or amateur, to all bird and wildlife watchers, and lovers of nature in general, the environment needs our help. We can't rely on our elected officials to do it by themselves. The task is just too big. Things are starting to roll with the passing of the Everglades Restoration Program. Hopefully it will be the perfect example or prototype for other similar programs all over this country. Now we—you and I—need to help keep all of it afloat by communicating, teaching,and guarding our most valuable possession, our natural environment. Pick up your camera, go out and do what you love to do anyway, but then share your images and experiences with anyone who will look and listen—and even those who won't!

Visit Joanne's website at www.joannewilliamsphoto.com

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