Since I became a landscape photographer, I’ve had the opportunity to hike hundreds of miles in mountainous Alaska, photograph wild bears & moose (meese?), and to have experienced some of the most transcendental vistas you could never imagine. Although I greatly appreciated Mother Earth, I didn’t always pay her the respect she deserved. In the following paragraphs, you’ll read about how I learned to respect the environment and wildlife the hard way, and how you can avoid my mistakes by familiarizing yourself with the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace.

Though I didn’t litter, I regularly wandered off trail to find more unique photo compositions. I now understand that one innocent trek off trail multiplied by a thousand creates “social trails”, which are formed when dirt and plants become so compacted from repeated trampling that nothing can properly grow there. Unintended paths conceived in innocence can become permanent fixtures on the landscape. Landscapes located near densely populated areas are the most susceptible to this type of damage.

Stay on trail and still get beautiful photos. 35mm film photos by Christopher Davila.

One writer who frequently covers this topic is known as Public Lands Hate You (PLHY). One topic they have passionately and repeatedly covered is the destruction of the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, by the multitudes of photographers and selfie-takers who travel there to take photos of themselves surrounded by beautiful valleys full of vibrant orange poppy flowers. In one post, PLHY writes about social trails: “This "path" was likely beaten through virgin wildflower habit within a day or two of this picture being taken. Continued use of this "path" will result in compaction of the soils to the point that the flowers will not be able to regrow… The end result will be a checkerboard of flowers.”

Photos taken from the Public Lands Hate You article titled, “Walker Canyon Poppy Fields Damaged – Before and After Pictures”

In another post they call out Instagram influencers for apparently promoting this bad behavior - “These photos shout "it's ok to go off trail and kill wildflowers for cool pics" to 375,000 people. Imagine the impact of just 1% of those people following in these "Influencers" footsteps. 1% is 3,500 people wandering through the flowers, creating new trails.”

PLHY has been accused of leveraging their 70K+ followers on Instagram to publically shame these misbehaving instagrammers. Every time PLHY makes a new Instagram post accusing an influencer of foul play, a flurry of hateful comments is sure to follow, targeted at the poor souls who were mentioned in the post.

Screenshot from Public Lands Hate You Instagram page (@publiclandshateyou)

I can honestly sympathize with these unfortunate wrongdoers. It can really hurt to have strangers call you out for something you did with innocent intentions (even if it was attention-seeking). If the magnifying glass were on me, I’d be burnt to a crisp. While public shaming may be one of the most painful ways to learn a lesson, it can be one of the most effective. I know – because it worked on me!

In January of 2018, my friend and I decided to do a riverside hike in 0 degrees Fahrenheit (you know, typical Alaska stuff). At one point, my friend pointed out something moving on top of the iced-out river. An otter! My heart jumped and my photographers’ instincts kicked in. I transformed into a journalist for Us Magazine, and this otter was Kanye West walking casually down the streets of LA – like any good paparazzi, I crossed boundaries as Otter West tried to duck out of my crosshairs.

I could see he was actively avoiding me. He repeatedly dove into the dark frigid water, popping his head out occasionally in different locations, checking to see if I was still there. Instead of taking this behavior as a hint that he was frightened and wanted to be left alone, I saw it as a game of “find the otter”. We waited in the same spot for 30-minutes, as I struggled to get the perfect shot. I’m shaking my head at my former self.

My infamous otter post, taken from my Instagram (@christopherdavila)

Eventually I walked away, and soon afterward posted the photo on Instagram, complete with a summarized account of the great lengths I had gone through to photograph this otter. Many people gave me the comments I’d expected, “So freaking cool”, “Worth it”, etc. But one photographer (who I didn’t know) called me out, commenting something along the lines of, “you were harassing the otter, and that’s illegal”. I immediately deleted her comment. After doing some critical thinking, I changed my caption and reached out to her. She was 100% right - I had crossed a line.

Screenshot of my DM to the photographer who called me out

Although her comment shocked me initially, I knew she was right. Photographers have a responsibility to understand their impact on the environment. I felt ashamed for being blind to the fact that I was harming the otter, and vowed to never do anything like it again. I did some research, and came upon the principles of Leave No Trace:

Seven Principles of Leave No Trace Infographic

I won’t go into the details of the seven principles, since this is already a long blog post and there’s plenty of information out there, but I will say one thing. The principles essentially boil down to one core reminder: you are a guest. You are a guest in one of the most regal and elegant houses ever built – it took a long time to build, and it won’t last forever. While you’re here, respect the other guests, mind your manners, and for god’s sake, pick up after yourself. Tread lightly – some of the flooring is so old and delicate that you’ll leave marks if you go carelessly stomping around. Like every other guest, you’re time in this intricate and heavenly house is limited. So cherish it, and try to leave it a little nicer than it was before. Last but not least, don’t set the house on fire.

On that note, I’ll leave you with this poem by Emily Dickenson:

I dwell in Possibility –

A fairer House than Prose –

More numerous of Windows –

Superior – for Doors –

Of Chambers as the Cedars –

Impregnable of eye –

And for an everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky –

Of Visitors – the fairest –

For Occupation – This –

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise –

If you’re an aspiring landscape or wildlife photographer, or if you just like to spend time in the wild, do yourself and the Earth a favor by memorizing the principles of Leave No Trace, and consider them when you’re out and about. Every now and then you’ll slip up, but at least you’ll have a framework to guide you. Some growth is better than none at all. Lest we unintentionally lay waste to the beautiful Earth we love.

References

Public Lands Hate You:

https://www.publiclandshateyou.com/blog/categories/poppy

https://www.publiclandshateyou.com/post/paths-vs-paths

https://www.publiclandshateyou.com/post/badinfluencers

https://www.publiclandshateyou.com/post/walker-canyon-poppy-fields-damaged-before-and-after-pictures

https://www.instagram.com/publiclandshateyou/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu_qnY7hjhQ/

Leave No Trace:

https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/

http://www.soundviewcamp.com/nature-blog/2020/4/3/leave-no-trace

Emily Dickenson, I Dwell in Possibility