Bird Photography - new Code of Practice

[JeffH]

Professional wildlife photographer David Tipling has put forward a new Code of Practice for bird photographers in the latest edition of British Birds magazine. It can be seen here -
British Birds: Bird photography ? a new code of practice

His suggestions about the use of images of captive subjects and those 'created' by digital manipulation are particularly interesting -

"•Be honest in declaring the circumstances in which a picture has been taken; if it is of a captive bird, then that should be stated in your caption, particularly if publication or public display is intended.
•If digital manipulation is used, in other words a material change to the subject matter, such as an extra bird added to (or removed from) the picture, a background change or other major cosmetic alteration, then this should be stated to avoid misleading the viewer and misrepresenting the subject".

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

[FUDGEY]

I totally agree with that. Thanks Jeff

[PMG]

This is my reply:


I applaud this code but fear the genie is out of the bottle already ….. take note the amount of camera equipment on view everywhere you go these days! At one time a ‘big’ lens was only in the professionals preserve and they had usually been birding/nature watching prior to taking up photography – now anyone can buy camera equipment and use it. Those of us who are already responsible will read it and sign up – those who don’t care won’t even know it exists – and its these people that cause problems to the wildlife and get the rest of us a bad name – whether bird watching or photographing or both and I really don’t like being ‘tarred’ simply by which piece of equipment you happen to see me using …..

The ‘us and them’ scenario is coming up more and more … birders first, photographers second? Really, why? For 41 years I have been a birder and a photographer (perhaps I have a split personality?!) Why should I have a label attached when using my bins and a different one when the camera is in my hands? I’m seriously thinking about a big notice round my hat …. “Birding photographer - (Photographer birding?) – I won’t stand in your view if you don’t stand in mine! I will respect you and your hobby if you will respect me and mine”…..

I’ve lost count of the times that birders with scopes have marched up behind me when I have spent hours crawling into position and just stood there – usually chatting excitedly to each other like a flock of starlings! As for hogging hides – I don’t complain when a birder sits all day with his/her scope in what might be their favourite corner and watches and makes notes about what may be their local patch or place they have travelled to – why should anyone complain and want to move me on cos I have an extra piece of equipment – a camera? If it gets to my free time being regulated and asked to vacate my seat I will stop going to these ‘public hides’ and crucially withdraw my support and membership. Where is the problem with photographers sitting quiet and waiting – we are watching very carefully just like a person without a camera – perhaps even more so as we want to catch the action – I’ve also lost count of the times that someone comes in with binocs and scope and a notepad – sees something makes notes and leaves within minutes. Do I assume this person is a twitcher and so lower down the pecking order than me? No! Maybe he/she is short of time and needs to be somewhere else? Do I denigrate folk who make lists – no – it’s a free country at the minute and the way we conduct our hobbies are not regulated …. Yet.

And in answer to the breeding birds/schedule one question – the Dartford Warbler I photographed was not breeding. The Black-necked Grebes taken this week, tho paired are not breeding either and not likely to at this particular site: we photographed them while sat low on the foreshore near memorial benches with dog walkers going past….. We waited quiet and they came towards us. The Dotterel also from this week were in front of another photographer who knew already where to lie and wait and we waited a way off behind him for over an hour till he’d had his fill. He then had the problem of how to get away from the birds without spooking and spoiling it for us and he did it beautifully bless him. 4 walkers arrived having been told while out that they could see these birds if they made a detour. They had no idea about field craft and just walked up but as soon as they saw us crawling into position they all dropped to the floor and one lady crawled thro the rushes to get pics with her compact camera! Quick learners from example – not blame. They were lovely folks and I chatted to them on the way back to the car.

Its all about acceptance of other folks and respect and its sadly missing in some quarters. How many people who see themselves as birders at a ‘twitch’ buy prints from people who see themselves as photographers? How many birders buy bird magazines or get the RSPB mag and admire the photos? Should you be doing this if you don’t like photographers – or is it ok if the name underneath the photo is someone well known? How many people go on websites and are wowed by great images? Its all about people and perception and divided loyalties and outdated views …… would anyone denigrate Eric Hosking? Most of his work was nest/hide photography and no matter who you are this involves some disturbance ….. Does having a licence to do it make it right or merely legal? Is it not better that most of us have moved on from this sort of photography and are opportunists, stalkers or waiters? What is the difference in a person with a camera walking a moor seeing a hen harrier jump up – firing off a burst of shots and walking on (past the nest) and a walking group passing by the same nest and someone stops back to have a wee or tie their undone bootlace? Is it ok cos the walkers are ignorant of what is there and the person prepared for the possibility by carrying a camera is malign for being aware …….. really?

Pauline Greenhalgh (pmgiwildlifeimages.com) Responsible Split Personality!

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by JeffH

Professional wildlife photographer David Tipling has put forward a new Code of Practice for bird photographers in the latest edition of British Birds magazine. It can be seen here -
British Birds: Bird photography ? a new code of practice

It's a shame that 'codes of practice' like this have to be written at all, but sometimes people do need to be pointed in the right direction.
Like most codes of practice, there is nothing at all in this one that shouldn't already be applied by a photographer who has actually bothered to think about what he/she is doing.

Originally Posted by JeffH

•If digital manipulation is used, in other words a material change to the subject matter, such as an extra bird added to (or removed from) the picture, a background change or other major cosmetic alteration, then this should be stated to avoid misleading the viewer and misrepresenting the subject"[/i].

This one will, however, always remain contentious IMO. I think that different people will always have different opinions about what constitutes a big enough change to warrant 'declaration'. Personally I wouldn't feel any need to state that I had applied minor exposure adjustments, cropped and sharpened an image and removed a few blemishes + perhaps an obstructive twig - but others would consider this to be fairly processing.



Pauline, I broadly agree with pretty much everything that you have said, and although I did start off as a birder (for one thing, I couldn't afford the equipment for more than occasional bird photography, or the film processing initially!) I also now consider myself a "birding photographer"/"photographing birder". I would have to add that the two things really don't mix at many times though - for example as a 'birder' (rather than a casual birdwatcher, or a 'twitcher'), I feel that it is important to take part in local and national surveys etc which may help with conservation. Things like this can rarely be combined with serious photographer (a two hour timed survey which is supposed to be representative of a 2km square tetrad isn't helped if you spend most of that time trying to photograph one species!).
On different days, I could be either the person sat in a hide for hours trying to get a photo that I'm happy of of a single species, or the person who walks in, notes what is present and leaves within minutes (perhaps while surveying an area).

There is only one thing in your post that I sort of disagree with (and that is probably down to the way that I am reading it because I believe that you will probably agree):

Originally Posted by PMG

As for hogging hides – I don’t complain when a birder sits all day with his/her scope in what might be their favourite corner and watches and makes notes about what may be their local patch or place they have travelled to – why should anyone complain and want to move me on cos I have an extra piece of equipment – a camera? If it gets to my free time being regulated and asked to vacate my seat I will stop going to these ‘public hides’ and crucially withdraw my support and membership. Where is the problem with photographers sitting quiet and waiting – we are watching very carefully just like a person without a camera

If you are using a 'public' hide, even on a reserve owned by an organisation which you have joined so that you are able to use the hides, then you have a responsibility to allow others who have also paid their membership fees, or an entry fee for the day, to also benefit from the use of the hide.
You will often find that hides are large enough to accommodate all of those that wish to use them at a given time. The problems come when hides/reserves are particularly busy, and if this is the case then everyone - not just photographers - has the responsibility of ensuring that everyone else has their turn. Photographers tend to be noticed in these situations because it is often very easy to get good scope views of a bird, but you may have to wait far longer to get a decent shot, and photographers will tend to get themselves into the best position in a hide (and sometimes take up more room than others if they are using a tripod and have other kit nearby). You may be within your rights to stay put for hours, whether or not you have a camera with you, but if there are other people trying to get half an hours good viewing from a busy hide is it really polite to take up the space for so long?
Photographers who do want to spend a long time in 'public' hides need to visit at times that are more likely to be quiet - and they may need to move away from their viewing point at times to let others have a look (even if it means potentially missing the shot!).

[Ukwildlifeo]

I love the code about flushing birds. If a twitcher does this as they will still have a tick but if I was selfish enough to flush a bird for a photo I'd be lucky to get a bum shot as it few away. While the codes are generally good (and more than slightly resemble the wildlife photographer Codes of Practice I've seen elsewhere) there does seem to be an element of arming the moany minority of 'birders' with something to throw at those pesky photographers.

[PMG]

Yes Roy I do sort of generally agree I am lucky that I can now pick and choose when I visit to a greater degree and I often find that there is more than one way to get a shot - without upsetting anyone or breaking the rules - even on reserves. But there's still plenty of folks who only have weekends free and have to make the most of their time - they are the one's - birding or photographing who if they have paid fuel money will want as much value from it as they can get. And yes if it was busy I would first of all budge up and make room and would then consider a move - I would actually want to move if it was so busy! If I knew it was so busy I wouldn't be going there in the first place! I notice that at RSPB Marshide all the hide windows now open to allow photography to be done from any spot - which eases things slightly. I also find that waiting around for folks to go can pay dividends - being the last person to leave can mean I'm the last person to get the shot that everyone else missed!

And yes its so obvious not to make snap judgements about what or why someone is doing something a certain way - it all comes down to care and respect and having the 'live and let live' attitude. You wait your turn and give up your seat if necessary and all the other common courtesies like tolerance and not having the perception that everyone who pursues a certain idea or lifestyle will all be the same. Not everyone who rides a motorbike is a speed merchant: not all young people are brash and careless: not all old folk are daft: not all birders are twitchers: not all photographers are boorish and arrogant ......... I could go on - I really could - this is one subject calculated to get me out of my chair - no two people are the same - they may have the same equipment, wear the same clothes, even look similar but they will have different values - your hobbies do not define your personality - you're ability to give and take and be a considerate human being are defined long before you have the ability or desire to take up a hobby!

Please will the folks who clump everyone together (birders good - useful take data - photographers bad only want the shot) please STOP IT and allow that people are DIFFERENT - the way you behave defines who you are - not what you do .........

Pauline

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by PMG

Please will the folks who clump everyone together (birders good - useful take data - photographers bad only want the shot) please STOP IT and allow that people are DIFFERENT - the way you behave defines who you are - not what you do .........

(Bold added!)

I completely agree. As often gets said, there is good and bad in everything (and even the most responsible birder or photographer will usually occasionally make a mistake and flush something).
Unfortunately there does tend to be a general assumption among some birders/twitchers that all photographers are 'bad', and even worse, an automatic assumption that if a photographer is close to a bird it is 'obviously' OK to walk up to where they are (if the bird is then flushed it's clearly the photographers fault as they shouldn't have approached so close in the first place).

Sometimes it's worth remembering that a good photograph can benefit the conservation of a species as much, or almost as much, as a bit of collected data. For conservation we need to know about a species, but public support (and funding) is also necessary - and that generally requires showing the public the species concerned (typically using high quality film or photographs).

[nigel_b]

S'just common sense innit?

Us/them, them/us, what are you getting all hung up about?

[PMG]

Originally Posted by nigel_b

S'just common sense innit?

Us/them, them/us, what are you getting all hung up about?

It is if you've got it (common sense) strangely a lot of folk haven't .......

Try reading this and the replies and see what you think

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/ar...ments=y&a=2667

[Kayleigh]

I am always being advised to get into computer software to enhance my pics to manipulate them use noise removal and what have you..
But I like the fact with my pics although they are not as good as others they are original and I just delete the rubbish ones and move on its a hobby to me and if I get a good shot its bonus.
There are the means these days to cheat in competitions and pull off shots that are not as they are said to be, this is a shame but its the way photography/technology has gone and its a shame you can ask someone to sign the code of practice but people lie so even if they do sign it does not mean they are telling the truth.