Birding and capitalism - what could the connection be?
There are three reasons that have caused me to find and photograph these magnificent creatures.
The first deals with my passion for photography. I have held a camera in my hands ever since I can remember, although I didn't seriously begin the hobby until I was 18 years old (that was 42 years ago by the way). With every click of the shutter, the compulsion to photograph my surroundings grew until it almost became obsessive. There is just something about capturing a moment in time that excites me.
The second reason involves my passion for wildlife. After high-school, there was only one thing I wanted to do. Study about animals. I did a BSc in Zoology with the hopes of becoming a freshwater biologist. You have to understand that I grew up in Ontario and Alberta and lived in the Yukon for a while. Water was all about me, and I spent many hours each day exploring the outdoors. Part of it was due to my shy and withdrawn nature as I had little in common with my peers. The main driver though was the life that I found there. Insects, fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, and so on; all of it thrilled me. It was almost as if I got a little shot of adrenalin with every discovery. Even today I get excited when I turn over a rock and discover some amazing creature.
The third reason is that I teach photography as a home business. I have been doing this for almost 30 years. My reasons were somewhat selfish; I couldn't afford the kind of equipment I hoped to acquire and realized I could make money teaching and then buy and write off associated equipment. Every year I have bought, sold, and upgraded my equipment. The digital age has brought about rapid changes to the field and, to keep up with it, I have had to change those items frequently. It wouldn't do me much good to keep the Fuji S1-Pro that was my first major purchase if I was to remain current in the field. The three megapixel camera cost about $3000 in today's dollars. It is but a shadow of what my D500 does.
And so, with only the endeavor that an obsessive creature-loving nerd such as myself could muster, I explore the world about me with my toys. However, an event took place yesterday that opened my eyes to new, somewhat machiavellian possibilities. I could do it for the glory.
This may sound somewhat strange, so I will have to explain. I was out on a walk on one of my favourite birding destinations when I happened to photograph a stunning gyrfalcon. I blogged about that experience yesterday (click here). I ended up with some great photos and, as is my habit, I wrote about the experience and posted it together with one of the shots. I have written some 400 blogs over the years, and this was just another post. I get an average of about 15 hits per blog. I get thrilled if it gets up to 40. My best one, which has been around for a few years now, was up to 120 or so.
At last count, my post on the gyrfalcon was at 170 and counting. That was less than 24 hours agp. Now, its not viral or anything, but it represents a milestone for me. It also got me thinking, what if someone was to do it only for the purpose of getting hits? I would like to think that my motivations are in support of the environment; many of the blogs I write about are to educate others on its sensitive nature and how we can improve the lives of the creatures we share the earth with. If my motivation was otherwise, it is possible to harm that which I seek to protect.
I have heard of people disturbing wildlife just to get a good shot. Birds may leave their nests. Constantly harassing wildlife in the hopes of getting an image or video that may go global. It seems that commonplace photos of abundant, commonly seen species are not enough. The rare, the exciting, and the hard to get are desired. In doing so, is it not likely that the species will be harmed rather than aided?
My original question, "What could the connection be between capitalism and birding" has been answered. Getting a lot of hits on places like Youtube and Facebook brings not only popularity and prestige, it also brings money. I am amazed at how much there is to be made when posts go viral. The lure to exploit these creatures for a fast buck is deplorable. I think photography can help our planet and the creatures on it, but it can also hurt it. I guess the question is, what is your motivation and practice? Are you out to harm, or heal?
Think about it.
Thanks for reading. Ericspix Eric Svendsen
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