This is an interesting topic, and one that possibly needs an international
comparison.
In all probability there is nowhere that is more photographed than the
African Game Parks, and I can speak for the Parks I have visited in South
Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. I have just returned from South
Africa, and I spent some time in the Northern Cape in the Kgalagadi
Transfrontier National Park.
Photographers and cameras are very evident, and I saw some MONSTER lenses,
some on tripods at hides, some hand held, and some on special window
brackets. (the rules about staying in the vehicle are strictly enforced).
Nowhere is there even a hint of charging for photographing.
Commercial photographers survive or die by the quality of their pictures. As
a consequence, the good shots are EXCELLENT, and are often displayed at the
rest camps, and in general do a world of good for the PR and promotion of
eco tourism. Excellent images end up in books, brochures and on walls -
this cannot be bad? The hours invested in achieving these are enormous. The
photographers are dedicated individuals who love nature and enjoy what they
do.
Could a writer be charged a licence fee for writing about or in a National
Park?
Digital photography, particularly now with outstanding SLR's becoming
available are revealing mammals and more particularly, birds, with beautiful
images, in often unusual or previously not recorded circumstances. Rarities
committees are on the verge of now only accepting images as proof of
sightings. As a point of interest, I captured some images of a Honey Buzzard
at the Augrabies Falls, an area it had not previously been recorded, and the
photos are now on the zestforbirds rarities website.
The positives of photography for National Parks, birding and birders far
outweigh any negatives that photographers may cause.
I believe we birders should speak aloud in a unified voice against this
unfair tax.
Nevil Lazarus
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Michael Todd
Sent: Tuesday, 22 February 2005 4:34 PM
To: Syd Curtis; birding-aus
Subject: Something for bird-photographers to note
Hello Syd and others,
National Parks in the urban areas, may not need to advertise to get the
public through the gates (there I go with the Theme Park analogy again).
They do however have a bit of a public relations problem particularly in
the country. I think they need all the positive advertising (possibly a
bad word to use) that they can get. Conservation is still very low on
the agenda politically.
National Parks bashing is unfortunately a national pastime in the bush.
I don't know how many times I've heard the moniker, National Sparks and
Wildlfire Service. Just look at the recent protest from the Rural Fire
Service about the perceived lack of hazard reduction in national parks
across NSW.
Personally, I think that as a general rule National Parks departments
throughout Australia do a tremendous job with limited often deplorable
funding, I just don't know that heading down a user-pays system will do
anyone any good in the long run. If the general public doesn't
appreciate the importance of our national parks system and of
conservation in general then the governments of Australia will continue
to see them as an easy target for funding cutbacks.
Cheers
Mick
Michael Todd
Wildlifing
Images & Sounds of Nature
www.wildlifing.com
Toronto, NSW, Australia
04101 23715
Syd Curtis wrote:
>Trouble is, there's a basic flaw in this argument that negates it:
National
>Parks have no need to advertise! Quite the contrary, in fact. A major
>problem (THE major problem?) faced in park management is coping with the
>effects of over-use.
>
>Syd
>
>
>
>>From: Michael Todd <>
>>Organization: Wildlifing
>>Reply-To:
>>Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 16:45:31 +1100
>>To: Syd Curtis <>
>>Cc: Robert Inglis <>,
>>Subject: Re: [BIRDING-AUS] Something for bird-photographers to note
>>
>>
>
>Mick wrote (in part):
>
>
>>My feeling on this issue is that if a photographer was to sell
>>photographs that have been taken in a particular national park then this
>>is the best form of advertising for the good job that the National Parks
>>is doing at conserving nature. It is in a way a recommendation and an
>>affirmation for how important National Parks are, and it is encouraging
>>people to take an interest in nature and in National Parks in general.
>>
>>The idea of charging for this free advertising is ludicrous in my
>>opinion.
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
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