ILCP ETHICAL STANDARDS
Statement of Principles:
As Fellows of the ILCP, we commit ourselves to maintaining the highest ethical standards in both our business practices and our behavior in the field. We pledge to advance ethical behavior throughout the photographic community by setting an example of integrity and professionalism.
In doing so, we have adopted the following set of principles:
* Integrity : The effectiveness of our work in furthering conservation is directly tied to its being accepted as authentic, accurate and honest. In this we cannot compromise.
* Respect : We believe in respectful and professional behavior toward our subjects, human or wild, as well as the people with whom we come in contact.
* Professionalism : Our behavior as individuals reflects on the image and integrity of every other ILCP Fellow and influences the impact and credibility of the organization as a whole. Those who consistently violate these principles will be asked to relinquish their Fellowship.
Guided by these principles, we adopt the following policies:
FIELD PRACTICES
ILCP Fellows pledge to minimize our impact on the areas and subjects we photograph.
1. We always place the welfare of our subjects above all else. Special care must be afforded breeding animals to avoid having a negative impact on reproductive success or add to the risk of predation. Key to this is the maintenance of safe, informed and responsible working distances.
3. Minimize our impact on the landscape by following the “Leave No Trace - Pack It In, Pack it Out” ethic that maintains the integrity and character of the places we work.
4. Be aware of and follow all regulations and customs that might impact our behavior in the field.
5. Treat our partners in conservation - scientists, landowners, guides, and government officials - with respect and professionalism.
6. When working with indigenous people, we will make every effort to respect and accurately represent the cultural values and traditions of our subjects. When appropriate, we will seek the necessary permissions from government agencies and indigenous leadership.
USE OF CAPTIVE ANIMALS
In some cases, photographing captive animals can be a valuable source of rare imagery that can be valuable for specific conservation goals. However, the use of captive animals must be governed by the same ethical considerations as elsewhere:
1. The welfare of the animal should be paramount.
2. Any institution that exploits animals solely for profit should not be utilized or supported.
3. Images of captive animals will be honestly and accurately captioned and never represented as wild.
DIGITAL MANIPULATION
The documentary power of a photograph is directly linked to its value as a record of real events. Yet, with the advent of digital technology, the manipulation of images has become both easier and more widespread and can undermine public confidence in photography as a factual record.
For this reason, we believe that image manipulation must never alter essential content in such a way that it either misrepresents actual events, or deceives the intended audience, in any context in which the truth of the image is assumed. Creative manipulation, when performed, must be fully disclosed to the end user.
iLCP photographer Francisco Marquez speaks out about ethis and photography - download pdf here
TRUTH IN CAPTIONING
Photographs deliver information, which should be both accurate and honest. Inaccurate or dishonest captioning reduces the effectiveness of the image as a tool for conservation, subverts its message and undermines public trust.
THE WORTH OF IMAGES
PICTURES ARE WORTH THOUSANDS OF WORDS AND MILLIONS OF ACRES
…BUT HOW MUCH DO THEY COST? - read more HERE
ILCP ETHICS COMMITTEE :
Kevin Schafer, Chair
Roy Toft
Miriam Stein
Leo Keeler
Tom Mangelson
Additional Ways to support Ethical Photography
iLCP photographer Inaki Relanzon speaks out!
GREENING THE PHOTOGRAPH - An analysis of environmentally friendly paper and other materials used for photographic printing by Dr. Joe Zammit-Lucia and The Nature Conservancy. *Download article
DOWNLOAD Ethics PETITION from Italian Wildlife Photographers
