Ethics: Trash in the Shoot

[Farmclicker]

I struggled the other day with some ethics while taking some pictures at a local spot that the locals like to fish at. It was very rural, very photogenic and just plain beautiful. As I was taking some photos though, I noticed some trash that the locals had left. Not a lot, but some. I thought about picking the trash up and packing it out of there, but hated the thought of trash in my camera bag so I opted not to.

So it begs the question, at places like this should we clean up the trash made by others?

I can see not cleaning up an entire abandoned factory of course, which I often explore, but in a nice location with only a little bit of trash? I always kept the mantra, "Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos", I am thinking I should make an exception to trash and bringing a trash bag with me to make it better for those that come behind me.

 

[Jaemie]

Sometimes I remove trash left by others in a natural area, though honestly, I don't do it very often. I've never brought a bag specifically for that purpose.

 

[sm4him]

I always have a large black trash bag in my camera bag anyway--I use it to kneel on if the ground is wet or muddy.

So, since I'd likely have a trash bag right there with me, yes, I'd almost certainly do a trash pick-up. I've been involved in the Boy Scouts far too long to do otherwise; Last thing we do at every campout is a litter search and pickup, so we can leave the area cleaner than we found it.

If for some reason, I didn't have a trash bag, I'd probably at least pick up a couple of the worst offending pieces of trash and carry them out. But now that you've brought it up, I think I'll just start carrying a small plastic grocery bag in my camera bag too.

 

[paigew]

agreed. I always pick up trash I see when out hiking.

 

[pixmedic]

how is it an ethical issue to make an area cleaner than it was when you got there?
the ethical issue is for the people that LEFT the garbage. If anything, it is unethical NOT to pick up the trash, especially if it is a minor amount.
why would you leave garbage somewhere you want to take pictures at, even at a later date? Help keep a beautiful spot beautiful. even if some other morons dont.

 

[480sparky]

.......... I always kept the mantra, "Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos", I am thinking I should make an exception to trash and bringing a trash bag with me to make it better for those that come behind me.

That applies to everyone, not just you. By removing someone else's mess, you are completing the job they were too lazy or stupid to do.

 

[zombiemann]

I sometimes couple my photography with Geocaching. Many Geocachers have a practice known as "Cache in, Trash out". I almost always have a few grocery bags in my camera case since I don't go caching without it. If I can't leave a location untouched, I leave it better than I found it

 

[Steve5D]

I honestly don't know if I would...

 

[KmH]

No doubt, I would remove thrash so it wasn't in my shots.

As far a cleaning up an entire area, I've voluntarily done that too, but for non-photographic reasons.