Ethical Wildlife Photography


Ethics on a lek. It should go without saying. When photographing wildlife anywhere, it is imperative to be mindful of your presence and how it might affect your subject(s) and/or situation you are wishing to photograph. As photographers, we are of course documenting a behavior or telling a story the best we can. Lets tell the ethical story. An animal's welfare should never be compromised. 

When photographing at a lek there are specific and important guidelines to follow. If I may quote Jackie Augustine, Executive Director of Audubon of Kansas, "If your behavior is modifying what the birds are doing, then don't do it." She also adds, common ways to disturb birds include: 1) placing a blind too close to a lek, 2) having long lenses sick out of the blind and/or moving fast, 3) leaving the blind before the birds leave the lek, and 4) noisy cameras when winds are calm.  

Trespassing is to be avoided. Do not step foot off a public roadway and onto a farmers land (including the ditches which border them) unless you have permission from the landowner. By adhering to these rules we can avoid damaging the reputation of photographers and birders alike not to mention guarantee the safety of your subject(s). 

For more information on the Code of Birding Ethics from the American Birding Association click HERE. 

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