Photography has the power to move people in ways few other mediums can. Photographs can make strong statements about our world and our lives. As a form of advocacy， conservation photography is a great way to use your photography skills to create a story and make a statement about a critical topic of interest in today’s society： the impact of humanity on our environment.
摄影能以大多数媒介无法比拟的方式触动人心。通过照片，我们可以有力地表达对世界和生活的见解。生态摄影是一种倡导方式，借助摄影技能讲述故事，表达关于人类对环境影响这一当今社会重要话题的看法。
What is conservation photography？
什么是生态摄影？
Conservation photography is nature photography1 to advocate for wildlife and our planet’s natural ecosystem. It can be a powerful tool to showcase the beauty of， and in some cases threats to， our environment. Environmental conservation organizations， photojournalists， those involved in environmental policy， and even private citizens are all able to affect change through conservation photography.
生态摄影是一种利用自然摄影来宣传保护野生动植物和地球生态系统的方式。它是一种有效手段，不仅能展现自然环境之美，在一些情况下，还能揭示环境所面临的威胁。环保组织、新闻摄影师、环境政策工作者，甚至普通公民，都可以通过生态摄影推动变革。
The intersection of conservation， photojournalism2， and wildlife photography
环保、新闻摄影与野生动物摄影的交集
As a conservationist photographer， you’ll wear many hats. You will not only think like a conservationist， but as a photographer， a storyteller， a researcher， an organizer， and a journalist.
身为一名环保主义摄影师，你将承担多重角色。思考问题时，不仅要像个环保主义者，还要从摄影师、讲述者、研究者、组织者和记者多个角度出发。
Conservationist photography is often used to communicate specific messages or emotions. When capturing your images， think about the story you’re telling， as well as the purpose you want your image to serve or elevate. You’ll want to organize with other conservationists， advocates， and environmentalists. Creating these bonds can help you amass important resources and funds， as well as create effective advocacy campaigns. Conservation photographers may also team up with environmental scientists， as these photos can aid in further research efforts.
生态摄影通常用来传达特定的讯息或情感。在捕捉画面时，要想着你所要讲述的故事，以及你希望所拍摄影像传递或升华的目标理念。同时，你还要与其他环保主义者、环保倡导者和环保人士合作，协同推动保护行动。通过这些合作，你可以积聚宝贵的资源和资金，开展有效的环保倡导活动。生态摄影师还可以与环境科学家合作，因为这些照片有助于进一步推进科研工作。
How photography can influence conservation efforts
摄影如何影响环保行动
Research has shown that people are more likely to remember pictures in more detail than they are words. This makes advocacy photography3 an incredibly powerful tool for raising awareness and inspiring an emotional response among your audience.
研究表明，相比文字，人们对图片的记忆更为清晰。因此，倡导摄影成为提高受众环保意识、激发情感反应的强大工具。
Photographs are also more shareable. Research from HubSpot4 on the Facebook algorithm has shown that photo posts receive 53 percent more engagement than text posts. And of course， there are photo-centric5 platforms， like Instagram and Pinterest， that require an accompanying image to make a post. With these social platforms， conservationists can easily and quickly share their messages to a wide audience. This helps awareness campaigns generate traction and bring little-known issues to the forefront.
此外，照片更容易传播。HubSpot关于脸书算法的研究显示，带有照片的帖子比纯文字帖子获得的互动多出53%。当然，像照片墙和Pinterest这样以图片为主的社交平台，要求每条帖子都配有图片。在这些平台上，环保主义者可以便捷地将信息传递给广大受众。这样有助于环保宣传活动获得更多支持，让原本鲜为人知的问题成为公众关注的焦点。
The ethics of photographing wildlife
拍摄野生动物的伦理
Many photography organizations have a code of ethics that shapes the way they interact with vulnerable populations. They need these codes to protect the rights and dignity of their subjects.
许多摄影组织制定了伦理守则，规范与易危种群的互动方式，以此确保拍摄对象的权利和尊严。
This topic is highly debated in the case of wildlife photographers. Some might argue that animals don’t need to be treated with the same dignity as humans， and therefore animals can be baited or disturbed for a shot. As demonstrated by Outside6 magazine， others strongly disagree with these types of practices.
在野生动物摄影领域，伦理问题颇有争议。有些人可能认为，对待动物不需要像对待人那样给予一定尊严，因此可以通过引诱或使用干扰手段来进行拍摄。然而，正如《户外》杂志所指出的，也有人强烈反对这些做法。
The argument typically comes down to whether or not your shot， or how you set up or capture a photo， involves endangering or harming the animal or its habitat. This is an especially important question for conservation photographers， as the destruction of the environment is the exact opposite of what conservation means.
争议的核心通常可归结为，拍摄的照片或拍摄方式是否会危及或伤害动物及其栖息地。对于生态摄影师而言，这个问题尤为关键，因为破坏环境的行为与影像环保的初衷背道而驰。
To be a conservation photographer， you have to practice elements of ethical wildlife photography to preserve the way of life of your subjects.
生态摄影师必须践行野生动物摄影的准则，保护拍摄对象的自然生活方式。
General best practices for photographing wildlife
拍摄野生动物的最佳做法
Photographing wildlife can be a delicate but rewarding experience. Even if you’re not a conservation photographer， you’ll want to keep environmental considerations top of mind when going out into the wild. This is important for the safety of the wildlife， and yourself.
拍摄野生动物既是一项细致的工作，也是一种富有回报的体验。即便你不是专职的生态摄影师，在野外时也要时刻关注环境因素，这对野生动物和你自身的安全都很重要。
· Be patient： Patience is the name of the game7 when shooting wildlife， particularly wild animals. To capture an image that is both true to your subject， as well as minimally invasive， you’ll want to follow the animal’s natural routine. You can research when certain animals are likely to be most active， and plan your shoot times， gear， and schedule accordingly.
· 耐心：拍摄野生生物，尤其是野生动物，耐心是关键。为了捕捉到真实的画面且尽量不造成侵扰，你需要遵循动物的自然活动规律。可以事先了解动物活跃的时段，并据此安排拍摄时间、装备和拍摄计划。
· Have respect： It’s important to treat all wildlife with respect when on a shoot， not just your primary subject. Disturbing a wild animal， or disrupting a habitat unknowingly can have devastating consequences to your local ecosystem. It can even pose a threat to your personal safety， as some animals attack when they feel they’re in danger. Even small， more-familiar animals such as birds or squirrels deserve your respect while on a shoot.
· 尊重：拍摄时，要尊重所有野生动物，而不仅仅是你的主要拍摄对象。即使无意中打扰到野生动物或破坏了它们的栖息地也可能会对当地生态造成灾难性后果，甚至可能威胁到你自身的安全，因为一些动物在感知到危险时可能会作出攻击反应。即便是像鸟类或松鼠这样的小型常见动物，在拍摄过程中也应受到尊重。
· Don’t interfere： You should never physically interact with a wild animal that hasn’t approached you. However， interference can be many different things that aren’t just physical. For example， trying to get an animal to come closer with food， disturbing nests or watering holes， or shining lights during rest times are all things you should avoid. Activities like these can put your safety in danger， as well as harm your chances of getting the shot you want.
· 避免干扰：切勿与未主动接近你的野生动物进行身体接触。干扰有多种不同形式，不仅指身体接触。例如，用食物诱使动物靠近、打扰其巢穴或水源、在动物休息时使用强光等行为，这些都应该避免。这样的行为不仅可能危及你自身的安全，还可能让你错失拍摄良机。
· Do your research： Before you head out to your shoot， do your research on the subject， as well as the environment you’re shooting in. Some extreme environments pose temperature threats to both you and your equipment. Be prepared with the right equipment. Researching your subject is also crucial to having a successful wildlife shoot—knowing their active times， general routines， and preferred geographical areas will help.
· 做足功课：在去往拍摄地之前，深入了解拍摄对象以及拍摄环境。有些极端环境可能在气温上对你和摄影设备构成威胁，因此要准备合适的设备。了解拍摄对象的活跃时间、日常活动和偏爱的活动区域，做好这些功课对拍摄成功至关重要。
· Know the local laws and permissions： Finally， make sure you’re shooting in accordance with any local or federal laws. Some wildlife reservations have specific protections. This may also apply to protected or endangered species. Certain equipment may also be banned in some parks. For example， drone photography isn’t allowed in any U.S. national park or wilderness area. Reach out to the park service to get permission to shoot， or clear8 certain equipment.
· 了解当地法律和许可：最后，确保拍摄活动符合地方或联邦的法律要求。一些自然保护区有特定的保护规定。拍摄受保护或濒危物种也应如此。某些公园可能禁止某些设备的使用，例如在美国任何国家公园或荒野地区都不允许无人机摄影。在拍摄前，务必向公园管理方申请拍摄许可，或确认设备使用的相关规定。
Crafting a visual narrative
打造视觉叙事
You can emphasize the visual narrative of your images using different photography techniques. Framing， lighting， and composition techniques can all change the tone of your image. Other wildlife-specific photography tools， like photo blinds9 and camera traps10， are especially helpful for long shoots. They may also help you capture unique images from different perspectives.
你可以通过不同的摄影技巧来强化照片的视觉叙事感。取景、用光和构图技术的运用都能改变画面的氛围。其他与野生动物摄影相关的工具，如摄影伪装棚和相机陷阱，在长时间拍摄时尤其有用，它们还能够帮助你从不同的角度捕捉到独特的影像。
When it comes to capturing your image， patience will be your best tool. Unlike posed photography， nature and wildlife move at a pace entirely their own. Being flexible with your goals and open to the world around you will help you capture and create truthful and impactful images.
拍摄时，耐心是不二法宝。与摆拍不同，自然界和野生动物的节奏完全由它们自己掌控。伺机而动，调整目标，随时准备应对周围的变化，你就能捕捉到既真实又富有冲击力的影像。
（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）
1 nature photography自然摄影，指专注于拍摄自然景观、野生动植物以及自然环境的摄影形式，通常旨在展现大自然的美丽和生态多样性。
2 photojournalism摄影新闻报道，图片新闻报道。 3 advocacy photography倡导摄影，指通过摄影作品传递特定社会、政治或环境议题的信息，激发观众的情感共鸣，从而促使他们采取行动。
4一家提供营销、销售和服务软件的美国公司。 5 -centric是一个后缀，用来描述以某一元素或特征为主要关注点的事物。本文中的photo-centric platforms意指以分享照片为主的社交平台。 6创刊于1978年，是美国发行量最大、最具影响力的户外杂志之一，专注于户外运动、冒险旅行及自然保护等主题。
7 name of the game某事物的关键或最重要的部分。
8 clear在此处表示“获得批准”或“确认某项设备或行动是允许的”。例如，摄影师需要向公园管理部门确认是否可以使用某些设备（如无人机）进行拍摄。 9 photo blind摄影伪装棚，是一种摄影设备，通常是由伪装材料制成的遮蔽物，用于隐藏摄影师，使其不被野生动物察觉，从而能够拍摄到更自然的动物行为。 10 camera trap一种自动触发的摄影设备，通常被安装在野外，能够在动物经过时自动拍摄照片或视频。
Best Nature Photography Quotes
Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
When words become unclear， I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate， I shall be content with silence.
—Ansel Adams
In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.
—Alfred Stieglitz
In wilderness， I sense the miracle of life， and behind it our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia.
—Charles Lindbergh
We do not see nature with our eyes， but with our understandings and our hearts.
—William Hazlitt
Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.
—Charles Dickens
The earth is art， the photographer is only a witness.
—Yann Arthus-Bertrand
