Snowy Owl & photography ethics

There was a brief discussion on our Colorado birding listserve this week in which several of us expressed our concerns about the impacts of birders and photographers on the Snowy Owl. Sadly some folks have no tolerance for views that are different than their own and one birder made sarcastic derisive remarks about those who have expressed concerns. Over the years I have seen similar discussions and not uncommonly similar attempts to bully those with concerns into silence. Some discussions with a professional nature photographer from California caused me to remember another professional nature photographer whose photography I admire and who is outspoken about the of photographing Snowy Owls. With his permission, following are his principles-I think they are great.

"My approach to snowy owl photography is based on these principles:

1. I don't use food to get a better picture (I don't give them mouse, real or fake). It's a personal choice, but I must admit that I love mouse, squirrel, and etc as much as I love snowy owl.
2. I will always try to take photos from a comfortable distance, using the appropriate equipments (ex: Canon 500mm + teleconverter 1.4).
3. I approach them quietly and silently and monitor their response to my presence. I want to avoid to disturb them and that they fly away because of me (energy thing - remember).
4. If the snowy owl goes away because it does not like to be disturbed, I may have fail to detect their comfort zone. I will then stop photographing this bird and come back another day.
5. I don't photo-hunt the snowy. PERIOD. If the bird wants to be alone and fly away, do not follow him from spot to spot. Some people like to take picture of the bird in flight and will start a pursuit. Remember that while you do that, the snowy don't hunt, and worst than that, it is spending its energy not to survive but to get away from a photographer.
6. I don't scare birds or animals to get a better picture. If everybody start doing that, it will make the birds and animals harder to approach for the photographers and it some case, like the snowy owl, it may be life threatening.
7. I also recommend that if you join others photographers on the field, that you respect them: talk quietly, verify with them if you can join their group, don’t scare the bird that everybody watch just to get your own photos of the bird flying away.

Nature photography is about respecting and imaging the nature." from Richard Dumoulin's Flickr site where his beautiful photos of Snowy Owls and other nature photographs can be viewed. SeEtta