by Amanda Barker
Throughout history, photography has
offered many rhetorical situations for viewers to interpret and it is the
context in which photography is used that defines how the viewers interpret the
encoded message. Over the years, conservation photography has become an
important branch of nature photography. Conservation photography, like that
seen in National Geographic magazine, provides the public with important
visuals of the issues prevalent in numerous environments around the globe. Even
though the images themselves are extremely significant, it is predominantly the
emotion and purpose behind the photographs that bring about change. The visual
rhetoric present in conservation photographs uses pathos to create emotions in
the viewers that make them want to help the cause and participate in the
conservation efforts. Therefore, visual rhetoric used in conservation
photography directly contributes to conserving the environment.
In broad
terms, conservation photography is “the creation of images to serve the purpose
of conserving nature,” (Mittermeier Art Born of Environmental Ethic) but in
actuality, it is so much more than that. This sort of photography is a
combination of both “context-specific (a scientific image used as an
information source in a laboratory) and public (a news photograph) photography
(Sturken and Cartwright 50).
Conservation photography, as stated by Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier,
“showcases both the beauty of our planet and its vanishing spirit, and it
represents the ‘pictorial voice’ used by many conservation organizations to further
their messages” (Art, Ethics, and Action 8).
Without the photographs provided by conservation photographers like
Mittermeier, the conservation messages of the numerous environmental
organizations would not be as effective because “photographs are a necessary
and constant element of conservation communications” (Mittermeier Art Born of
Environmental Ethic). In her article
“Conservation Photography: Art Born of Environmental Ethic,” Mittermeier quotes
another conservation photographer whom she respects highly; Dombrovskis speaks
on the purpose of his craft: “In any sort of campaign where you are trying to
get people to feel for an area, to make some sort of decision about it, you
need powerful images to show people, to give people an idea of what those areas
are like.” If the audience is unsure of what they should be feeling emotion
for, provide them with a photograph of the land about to be destroyed or the
animal species about to go extinct and they will most likely pay closer
attention to the cause in question.
In a report
titled The Psychology of Photographic Imagery in Communicating Conservation, originally published in order to
contribute to The International League of Conservation Photographers, Myers, a
conservation psychologist, makes a clear connection between photography and
emotions. He asserts that still images can provide viewers with certain
emotional responses that create the feeling they need to take action. This is
the exact response the field of conservation photography hopes for in its
viewers. Myers proves the psychological connection between photography and
emotions and evaluates the many outcomes emotion could create for conservation
photography. The important thing to remember is that photographs should “explain the threat and the solution and […]
address HOW the audience can help” (Myers) in order to be successful.
Additionally, Myers asserts a now popularized theory that “Emotions mobilize or
arouse the body, and may lead to expressive/communicative or practical action”
(Psychology). This theory that Myers has come to believe clearly implies that
conservation photography uses pathos and visual rhetoric in order to get the
desired reaction from conservation photography viewers.
John
Berger, in his book Ways of Seeing, explains
how photography first became popular and how “gradually it became evident that
an image could outlast what it represented,” (10) which is exactly what
conservation photography strives desperately to prevent. The reason visual
rhetoric of conservation photography is so important to nature’s survival is
that it provides “the empathy and sense of urgency necessary to create
awe-inspiring images that move people to take the necessary actions that ensure
that the wild world persists” (Mittermeier Art Born of Environmental Ethic).
Mittermeier perceives her job as a conservation photographer as “a matter of
civic duty and a personal commitment to help those causes [she] believe[s] in”
(Art Born of Environmental Ethic). Without the passion behind the photo, it
would not carry the same weight or the same call for action. Mittermeier’s
dedication to educating the public on conservation issues visibly proves her
vehemence for all of the causes she participates in.
When asked
to define conservation photography in detail during an interview with the World
Wilderness Congress, Mittermeier said:
Being a conservation photographer
is not just about visualizing the issues or following interesting story lines.
These are important, of course, but make no mistake, the real work of the
conservation photographer begins after the last click of the shutter has been
made. It is what happens with the images afterwards that matters most. Making
wonderful pictures is important; being accomplished story-tellers is a must;
following journalistic guidelines should be an automatic part of our workflow,
but what we do with our images to make sure conservation action takes place, is
what defines our unique brand of photography. (What is Conservation
Photography?)
It’s quite obvious that “conservation photography has its
foundation in nature photography, but beyond documenting nature, conservation
photography answers to the mission of protecting nature” (Mittermeier Art Born
of Environmental Ethic). Ultimately, without the agenda of wanting to change
something or protect some part of the environment, conservation photography
would not be conservation photography; it would simply be nature photography
which is still eye-catching, yet it lacks the passion and earnestness behind
the photo. To avoid this, Christina Mittermeier has adopted a philosophy about
photography that states how conservation photography exists “to demonstrate
that one [the photographer] should not only take images that endure, but images
that call for the wild world itself to endure” (Art Born of Environmental
Ethic).
The
questions left unanswered remain a curiosity to the visual rhetoricians out
there. For example, aside from the passion of the conservation photographer, what
else enables the photographer to capture such captivating photos? What makes
those conservation photographs photographs of conservation? Is it the context
in which they were taken? Or, is it the context in which they are used in the
future? According to Sturken and Cartwright, “meanings [in photographs] are
created in part when, where, and by whom images are consumed, and not only
when, where, and by whom they are produced” (55). Furthermore, what makes the
photographs themselves conservationist? Is it the exotic atmosphere captured or
the fact that what exists in the picture could soon disappear from the earth?
All are important questions that need to be answered through further research
and investigation into how the conservation photographs achieve an emotional
response from viewers and not just the purpose they serve in general.
One
specific example of conservation photography is that of National Geographic magazine. "Redwoods: The Super
Trees," an essay from the October 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine uses both photographs and the text of
the article to educate readers of the plight the Redwoods face in today’s
forests. The author discusses how many people do not understand what is at
stake until they see it for themselves. Bourne describes these Redwoods as
“iconic American trees” ("Redwoods: The Super Trees”). Therefore,
photographs come in very handy when explaining the importance of these gentle
giants. Without the accompanying photographs by photographer Michael Nichols,
Bourne’s article would not have the same effect on readers. The photograph in
which Nichols shows a spotted owl descending from the utmost heights of a
Redwood tree implies the importance of the Redwoods to the animals living
within the Redwood forest habitat (Figure 1). Also, with the complementary text
that explains how the Redwood forest is in danger from deforestation and
logging the picture only adds to the viewers’ experience with this conservation
issue.
Redwoods
first caught Bourne’s attention one day when he was driving along the northern
California coast and he noticed huge cuts of logs with labels attached to them.
The first label read, “1492 Columbus,” and the second label read “Gold Rush,
1849” (Bourne). It was then that he realized that “within the last few inches
of that tree's life, we'd very nearly liquidated a 2,000-year-old forest”
(Bourne). A scene resembling this can be seen on a glass plate from the Ericson
Collection of the Humboldt State University Library (Figure 2). Bourne uses
this visual artifact in his article’s photo gallery to emphasize the immense
size of the Redwoods in comparison to the minuscule humans standing beside
them. It was because of the striking
visual that Bourne even gave the forest a moment of his time; however, now he
is on a mission to save these ancient forests that have sat on the sidelines of
history. It is now his duty to provide readers with the same eye-catching
visuals that will make viewers stop and demand their attention. Bourne’s
powerful statement about the Redwood forests is that “They can grow to be the
tallest trees on Earth. They can produce lumber, support jobs, safeguard clear
waters, and provide refuge for countless forest species. If we let them”
("Redwoods: The Super Trees”).
Another
example of National Geographic
conservation photography is the polar bear photographs used in the
"Svalbard: Ice Paradise" article from the April 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine in which
both photographs and text are used to educate the public on the dangers facing
polar bears and other species in their steadily disappearing habitat. Without
the photographs provided by photographer Paul Nicklen, the article would not
carry the same weight with readers or conservationists in the same field. The
photographs of the article are the key; they help push forward the idea that
Barcott talks so much about in the article, that in order for nature and its
animals to thrive, they must be left alone. Without unwarranted human
disruption, animals that seem like they are on the brink actually thrive in
their solitude.
The
photograph that leads the article is one of a polar bear “leaping into a
changing world;” (Barcott) however, this one picture makes readers believe that
polar bears are the only animals that suffer from the disappearing ice (Figure
3). In fact, there is a great variety of animals that live in, on, and around
the Svalbard Ice. According to author Barcott,
Polar bears thrive here. Roughly
half the estimated 3,000 bears in the Barents Sea population raise their young
on the archipelago's isolated islands, and humans are warned not to venture
beyond town without a rifle as protection against Ursus maritimus.
Seabirds migrate to Svalbard in the millions. Five species of seals and 12
kinds of whales feed in the waters off its coast. Atlantic walruses prosper on
the rich clam beds along the shallow shelf of the Barents Sea. On the open
tundra of Svalbard's plateaus and valleys, reindeer forage and arctic fox hunt
free from predators. ("Svalbard: Ice Paradise")
Even the most magnificent photographs cannot tell the whole
story of an entire habitat, yet they can influence societal opinion.
Conservation photography is used for educational purposes, but also to persuade
the public to get involved.
The photographs seen in National Geographic may be the closest
some people will ever get to such majestic sights and creatures so it is
important for the photographs to speak for themselves and evoke emotion from
the viewing audience in order to successfully call for action. Photography,
especially conservation photography, allows viewers to travel the globe without
leaving their seats; therefore, it is the duty of the conservation photographer
to make people care about landscapes and animals that they may never see in
person. Communicating a range of
emotions and establishing ethos with the viewers takes a great deal of effort,
but the photograph only has moments to do so; it is up to the viewer whether or
not the rhetoric of the photograph is powerful enough.
References
Barcott, Bruce. "Svalbard: Ice Paradise." National
Geographic Apr. 2009. National
Geographic. 8 Nov. 2009
<http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/04/svalbard/barcott-text>.
Berger, John. "Chapter 1." Ways of Seeing.
Baltimore: Viking, 1995. 7-33.
Bourne, Joel. "Redwoods: The Super Trees." National
Geographic Oct. 2009. National
Geographic. 8 Nov. 2009
<http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/10/redwoods/bourne-text/1>.
Heffernan, James. “Speaking for Pictures: The Rhetoric of
Art Criticism.” Word &
Image. 15.1 (Jan.-Mar.
1999): 19-33.
Kostelnick, Charles, and David D. Roberts, eds. Designing
Visual Language: Strategies for
Professional Communicators.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998.
Mittermeier, Christina G. "Conservation Photography:
Art Born of Environmental Ethic."
NatureScapes.net (2006). NatureScapes.net.
Jan. 2006. 14 Oct. 2009
<http://www.naturescapes.net/012006/cm0106.htm>.
---. "Conservation Photography: Art, Ethics, and
Action." International Journal of Wilderness
11.1 (2005): 8-13. Print.
---. "What is Conservation Photography?" Interview
by World Wilderness Congress.
EcoWorldly. 10 Apr. 2009. 14
Oct. 2009
<http://ecoworldly.com/2009/04/10/what-is-conservation-photography/>.
Myers Jr., Olin E. The Psychology of Photographic Imagery
in Communicating
Conservation. Rep. 1 Dec.
2006. The International League of Conservation Photographers. 18 Oct. 2009
<http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~gmyers/Myers.Psychology%20of%20Conservation%20Photography.pdf>
Sturken, Marita, and Lisa Cartwright, eds. Practices of Looking:
An Introduction to Visual
Culture. 2nd ed. New York:
Oxford UP, 2009.
List of Photographs
Figure 1: Photograph number one on webpage
Figure 2: Photograph number twenty-seven on webpage
Figure 3: Photograph number one on webpage
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