Conservation and Ethics
Fine Art Photography vs. Documentary Photojournalism
A Guide to Understanding the Difference
Copyright Ernie Mastroianni, all rights reserved
If you own the unrestricted rights to a wildlife image, then by simple definition, that image is yours to alter, modify and display as you see fit.
It is your right to express yourself through photography. In the USA, this right comes with the full backing of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
As long as you don’t break any laws, you are free to pursue your artistic expression. And although it is NOT against the law to digitally alter a photo, doing so to mislead or obscure could cause you trouble. Consider . . .
Author’s note: In November 2007, I had the good fortune to talk with controversial writer and environmental activist Derrick Jensen (see http://www.derrickjensen.org/). During our conversation I asked Derrick a number of questions pertaining to subject matter explored in his books “A Language Older Than Words,” “Listening to the Land” and “Thought to Exist in the Wild: Awakening to the Nightmare of Zoos.” The latter is the 2008 Eric Hoffer Book Award winner. His replies proved to be, as I anticipated they might, insightful, interesting and thought provoking. This first part has to do with human use and abuse of wild animals.
