The Values, Beliefs
& Ethics I Live By
& Ethics I Live By
Values & Beliefs
I am a naturalist and environmentalist first and a visual artist who uses a camera to share nature's beauty second. How I photograph is an extension of the values, beliefs and ethics I live in my life. From an early age, Native American culture teaches that all things in our world are sacred and inter-connected. This includes humans, animals, plants, trees, water, mountains and even rocks. How we relate to and protect those things is critical to the health of the planet.Ethics
- I practice the principle of Leave No Trace to minimize my impact on the land and protect it for future generations.
- I will never intentionally threaten or create stress or fear in an animal by approaching too close or making loud noises in an effort to get a better photograph.
- I believe the camera should be the method used to capture the actual beauty, awe or drama of a scene. Instead of using the computer to dramatically manipulate a photograph, I prefer to hike, sit or walk and wait patiently in nature, often hours at a time, until she's ready to gift me with an image.
- In some rare instances I reserve the right to modify a photo slightly so as to hide its exact location. I do this because over the years I've seen areas featured in well publicized photos that were damaged, defaced or even destroyed by irresponsible visitors or thoughtless photographers wanting a souvenir.
- I value the quiet, solitude and peace nature provides and the rights of others to experience it as well. In that regard, I practice being silent in nature, avoid making disturbing noises when hiking and turn the ringer off on my phone.
