Leave No Trace, Outdoor Ethics for Photographers
Leave No Trace (LNT) is a set of ethics and best practices we should all follow in order to enjoy and protect the outdoors at the same time. Leave No Trace applies to anyone who spends time outdoors, not just photographers.
We took the Elopement Photographers Leave No Trace Course specifically to better serve our environment, our clients, and protect these wild places for years to come.
Simply put, Leave No Trace is a set of ethics & best practices we should follow to enjoy and protect the outdoors at the same time.
Leave No Trace has a set of 7 minimum-impact principles, that help guide our decisions when we’re outside;
Plan Ahead & Prepare
Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of other visitors
© 1999 by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org
Why Did We Invest in this Course?
Bryan and I both grew up in Utah. We have spend a lot of our time together exploring the thousands of trails, canyons, and peaks that are found in the heart of Utah County. We were the ones who still went tent camping every weekend when there was 3+ feet of snow outside, carrying a ton of blankets and extra layers just so we could have a little fun. Waking up in a frozen tent was pretty common before we moved to the desert, working on the suns’ schedule to dry us out. I fell in the river once pack and all (would not recommend) getting to a designated camping site we’ve been to many times before. We frequently got off work at 9pm, and immediately met up to drive 30 minutes up the canyon to set up our tent and sleep for the night.
We’ve always followed the principles in our own way, and are conscious of our actions. But we wanted to dig deeper and learn more.
These places are worth it, and they’re worth protecting. We want to help people realize the worth of the beautiful places we’re taking them to. That’s you!
Chances are, if you’re here, you care about these spaces too, thank you for your commitment to Leave No Trace.
Learn More About Leave No Trace.
HOW DOES LEAVE NO TRACE APPLY TO OUR BUSINESS?
Weddings, elopements, and photo sessions can have a big cumulative impact on the environment—and without following Leave No Trace, this is what could happen:
Locations that are currently available for weddings, & elopements could become off-limits for special events and professional photography—meaning it could become impossible to come back to a location for a vow-renewal or anniversary session in 5 years.
The spot that you said your vows could get so badly damaged, destroyed, or trashed that it needs to be closed for restoration, and won’t look the same at all when you want to come back in the future.
The prevalence and costs of special event permits could spike, causing it to become very difficult to have any kind of events on public lands
We believe it is possible to have the BEST day, while also protecting our natural world for future visitors.
By reducing our impact as we visit, photograph, and celebrate the outdoors, we can protect these places we love! You don’t have to limit your celebration to reduce your impact– when you book with me, I’ll send you a guide that will help you each step of the way as you plan, prepare, and finally have your session or get married somewhere beautiful!
