Part of being a photographer who photographs mainly in natural light outside means I am going to beautiful nature spots that usually get lots of traffic.

Whether you are a fellow photographer reading this, a client, or someone who finds themselves in the great outdoors- this blog post is for you!

We have all heard “leave no trace” – or at least I hope we have. It means that what you bring in, you bring out. It is like you were never there.

As someone who lived in SoCal during a poppy super bloom- I can tell you I saw first hand what disrespecting and destroying nature can do.

If you don’t listen to what authorities are telling you then you will ruin it for everyone- which is exactly what happened. In future years trails were closed to the public.

So other than staying on trail (which still is so painfully hard for most) and not leaving trash behind (still seems too difficult for many)- what can we do?

I would ask yourself if you have noticed people not tagging places on social media- geo tagging really has ruined so much. People flock to the insta-worthy spots.

Sure you could ask the person where they went but that takes effort on your part and willingness on theirs. I have seen people post “keep __ wild” or just be general by naming the state.

Another thing you can do is pick up trash were you see it, educate others you see along the way of best practices, and overall just be mindful of your impact on the environment.

We all want to enjoy nature for years to come so if there is sign saying don’t go somewhere- don’t. Because when people see you doing it they will want to as well.

Be a positive force in this space, learn from mistakes, and of course have fun enjoying the earth while you are out photographing.