Shooting for the Markets: Humans Impact on Nature

Outdoor and nature photographers are attracted to the beauty that Mother Nature provides! They seek to capture the great light, natural splendor, and breathtaking natural events. The goal is to create images that make viewers say “wow.”

But for those in the business of licensing images, it is even more important to create images that photo buyers need and will license and these are not always “wow” images.

While the market for breathtaking images is large there is also a market for images that show the less ‘pretty’ aspects of nature and the outdoors. And in particular, humans impact on nature.

These subjects are often overlooked as photographers strive to create only beautiful images that elicit warm responses from viewers. Yet, images that show mans impact on nature have a market for sure.

There are many publications and organizations dedicated to conservation, preserving the environment, and advocates of ethical land use. All of these are markets for stock images and even assignments.

Whether you are a conservation photographer dedicated to photographing for environmental causes or a nature photographer looking for a few marketable ideas, consider the less than beautiful side of outdoor photography.

These subjects can be air pollution, water pollution, garbage and litter, mining, deforestation, over-fishing, oil spills, nuclear an coal burning power plants, and so much more.

Many conservation photographers are valuable allies to environmental causes, but even for those who are not, there is still a market for images related to environmental issues. No matter which side of any cause you might be on, subjects that make the news often have a market for related images.

For example, if you are in the United States you are probably aware of the impending election. Within one parties platform has been calls to ‘gut environmental regulations.’ Whether that actually happens or not remains to be seen, but the idea here for outdoor photographer’s is that very suggestion of such action creates potential demand for images related to these subjects and causes. It’s best to be shooting now in anticipation for future needs.

Here are a few ideas:

The Navajo Coal Power Plant near Page, AZ has been in the news off and on. Blamed for causing air pollution and haze in the Grand Canyon, this plant is supposedly slated for closing.

This windblown garbage is strewn across the California desert.

Forest clearcutting in the Pacific Northwest.

Mining

Polluted discharge into a river.

A deposited soda can in the Yosemite Back country. (I packed it out with me)

Stream bank damage from cattle.

There are many, many images that can be captured and may eventually be newsworthy and subsequently very marketable. While on any road trip to make beautiful images, dont pass up an opportunity to capture the other side of nature, the less glamorous and less beautiful side of mans negative impact on nature.

If you have any thought please leave a comment.

Related posts:  Dave Showalter Tells Us How He Writes and Photographs for Wilderness Magazine,  Should You Even Bother Photographing These 5 Locations?

Be Sociable, Share!

•