The etiquette of hiking photography

by Gideon Lasco

Practically, every hiker is an amateur photographer, and many times, there are even more cameras than hikers on a hiking trip! We Filipinos love pictures, and perhaps more so when we're climbing mountains.

I think this is a very good thing, because pictures enable us to share what is otherwise hard to describe with words alone: the experience and joy of the outdoors. However, I believe that it is also important to observe certain guidelines that will make your hiking and photography work together very well. Here's some of them:

1. Respect the locals. Many mountains are inhabited by indigenous peoples, or local communities, and usually, these peoples end up as part of our photo albums. Ask permission first before taking their pictures, especially if they are going about their daily lives. It is also considered good ethical practice to ask permission from hikers if you are taking their pictures, such as if they are pitching a tent, cooking camp meals, etc.

2. Be conscious of the itinerary. The mountains are beautiful, and a thousand pictures cannot fully capture their beauty. Ask your team leader if it's okay to take your time while taking pictures. Usually, this is okay. As a team leader, I would even encourage my participants to take their time taking photos, if the itinerary is benign. However, if I know that we need to manage time carefully, I would have to tell them to keep the photoshoots to a minimum. It would spare the TLs the trouble of having to point this out, simply by being conscious of the itinerary.

3. Avoid redundant shots, whenever possible. In this age of easy sharing of photos and Facebook albums, there are times when having ten cameras taking the same shot is impractical and inconvenient, especially if it would delay the itinerary or inconvenience a guide who would have to take the same shot over and over again.
4. Do not obstruct the trails when doing 'photoshoots' or 'action shots'. Documenting the trail is a very important, but not the expense of inconveniencing others.

5. Do not make reckless poses (such as making a jumpshot at a narrow cliff) and do remain vigilant when taking photos. Remember that carelessness is the shortcut to disaster. I'm guilty of this because when I was younger, I would go precarious rock formations just to have a nice photo of myself taken.

6. Include the guides in some of your photos. This act will make them feel 'included' in the group, and will make them warm up to the group. By inviting fellow hikers to be part of your photos, you are also able to build more rapport with them.

7. At night, keep flash photography to a minimum. Some experts are suggesting that intense flashes of light might disrupt nocturnal creatures, some of which rely on light signals for communications. This might also disturb other hikers, if you are on a campsite. This would depend on the situation: in a forest where there are countless fauna at night, flashes would be disruptive. But at the summit of Mt. Pulag, taking some shots is okay.

8. Be wise in choosing photos that you post in public. Hiking is a very intimate activity where you will actually be living with your fellow hikers for a period of time. When you post photos, make sure that none of them will be embarrassing to any of the participants. If you're not sure, better ask their consent first. When I was in medical school, I had a friend who wasn't allowed by his parents to climb mountains. But I was a columnist then in Manila Bulletin, and I posted our pictures on a hike in Batangas. His parents saw him on the picture! I felt sorry because it was my fault.

9. Ask permission first, and if it is granted, acknowledge the photographers and sources of photos whenever you post photos online, either in Facebook, photosharing sites, or your blog, and especially if you publish them in print. Personally, I always appreciate those who seek my consent before getting photos from my website.

10. Share your photos online and offline. This is more of an exhortation than a guideline: photos can actually go a long way, connecting people and places, and the present and the past, in the process, narrating and inspiring. One nice way to use photos is by sending them to the communities you visited. For instance, when I used to visit Mang Pirying in Manabu Peak, he would always show his photos with hikers who generously sent back their photos to them. The Cordillera children have very cute faces, and it's nice to take photos of them on the way up Mt. Pulag. But have you ever sent back some photos to the children themselves? This could be a very good practice that will make the locals remember you in a special way.

These are not absolute rules; they are just guidelines that have to be used depending on the situation. Remember, a good hiker knows not only how to climb but also when to climb and when not to climb. Similarly, a good photographer would know not only how to take photos, but also when and when not to. Knowing all of these, I think, will enhance not only your photos, but also your hiking experience.