Geotagging your landscape photos is ruining the world around us. Stop it
Nov 5, 2018
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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We have seen a few sad examples of what happens to natural wonders when they become too popular. In this video, Vox explores just how much geotagging your images on social media increases the destruction of nature. What happens when nature goes viral?
Vox gives an example of Horseshoe Bend, which used to be a little-known roadside view of the Colorado River. In the nineties, it was difficult to access it and not many people even knew about it. But over the past few years, this spot has dramatically increased in popularity. And apparently, Instagram is to blame.
Thanks to the geotagged Instagram images of this wonderful place, many people have heard about it in a short while. Consequently, the number of visitors increased from a few thousand a year – to roughly 1.5 million in 2017. And the number keeps growing.
Vox explains that today America’s national parks are more popular than ever, thanks to social media that is “rewriting the rules of how and why people visit them.” But what happens when national parks and other nature’s gems become wildly popular? Well, a lot of changes occur- both controlled and uncontrolled.
When the number of visitors increases, the sites need to be adapted to host them. For example, at Horseshoe Bend, there had to be over 450 parking spaces built. The National Park Service needed to build and mark the trails, the restrooms, and other facilities, as well as to secure the areas that are potentially dangerous. At the same time, they needed to make the natural environment as unharmed as possible.
As we all know, within each group of people, there’s a certain number of them that will act irresponsibly. They will destroy plants, leave trash behind them, or interfere with wildlife. They will bring themselves or others in danger, and it might even end tragically. If that group of people is huge – it means that the number of irresponsible visitors will be huge as well. This means more trash, more destruction, and more selfie-related deaths and injuries.
You may remember the story of The Broccoli Tree. It’s a perfect example of why you shouldn’t share your favorite location on social media. There are many more stories that didn’t end well just because the places became too popular thanks to social networks. Just remember the selfie-zombie apocalypse at an Ontario sunflower farm. That one was completely crazy!
There’s even an organization that protects the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has issued guidelines that teach people how to behave in nature. Among other things, it encourages people not to geotag their images when they share them on social media. After all, we’ve all seen what happens when nature’s wonders become too popular.
In my opinion, I don’t think you or me as photographers should be privileged to visit some places and take photos of them. Everyone has the same right. However, I believe that those who will leave the location as they found it kinda have more right to enjoy it. Unfortunately, people who respect nature are a minority nowadays, and revealing a beautiful location to the masses will most likely have it damaged. That’s why I believe that you should be a little selfish and keep your favorite location to yourself after all.
[Update: the article has been updated to with the accurate number of visitors in 2017]
[What happens when nature goes viral? via FStoppers]
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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24 responses to “Geotagging your landscape photos is ruining the world around us. Stop it”
I don’t use Instagram. I understand the issue above. However, all my photos are geotagged now, because I like to go back years later when I have better gear, and different techniques, to try to photograph it differently or improve upon it. There are several photos I have prior to about 2010 of places I’d really like to go back to but all I know is that, for example, it was taken somewhere along the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
Unfortunately, some “photo agencies” wouldn’t accept certain photos unless they are geotagged or maybe a geotagged image have better chances in sale. My camera is old and doesn’t have geotagging option, but I do it sometimes manually upon memory. Well, on the safe side, most of my geotagging involves landmarks (architectural in nature) maybe… I don’t think I’ll be interested in geotagging a nature scene.
This is orthogonal to the original discussion, but geotagging photos in your private collection is different from publishing that tag on social media. Most of my photos are geotagged, but I choose whether to share a location when I publish them, and what that location is.
Stop selling ads for off road dirt bikes to destroy the forests.
Stop with the simple logic. Geotaggong is not the problem just bad ethics on those who visit such places that have never been prepared for the volume of visitors. With or without Geotaggong, people still go to sites and act foolhardy. Keep the focus on moralizing rather than demonizing a location tool
Exactly!
Instead of using a misleading headline perhaps you could use the post to encourage people to educate others to respect their surroundings for everyone to enjoy. Geo-tagging isn’t the problem when a quick image search will reveal the location.
This comment right here. Here I was ready to comment some wisdom and Madara beat me to it.
Kudos to you sir.
Generally, I’m definitely a proponent of education rather than banning/limiting things. And I often mention that in my articles.
However, this time I remembered all those arrogant, self-absorbed people I’ve seen and met throughout my life. No education can prevent them from acting like they own the world and can do with it whatever they please. And I think that, in addition to education, some bans and limitations must exist for them.
Still, yeah – education works, but for those who feel at least some amount of empathy and responsibility. :)
Education still works, when there’s accountability. Problem is, there’s little of that in today’s schools.
That’s fine, at least make them work to find out. The good thing is that we live in Generation Trump and not everyone is bright enough to do an image search online.
Should not build tracks, fences, car parks. Not geotagging brings the crowds. That help them to find spots but if it is still hard to access, the idiots won’t come.
I have seen many times Auckland Island on various lists of most beautiful forests of New Zealand. Well, I immediately wanted to go. Then I realized where Auckland Island is. (I used to live “near”)
Stop buying cars, it causes DUI accidents.
Or geotag more dangerous places for people to go die to for our entertainment
Please fact check that “whopping 84 million [visitors] in 2017”.
Thanks, it’s corrected! My brain had hiccups! :)
Why is it that people want others to act ethically in natural areas, but not expect them to act ethically in all areas? And how do you expect people to be morally responsible when the standard in which America was established has been removed? Nowadays everyone has their own morality, so if it doesn’t match your, take to court. How sad it’s become, but at least some still see the need.
Editing a book about landscape is also ruining the world.
The problem is at an other level: the usage done of ANY data.
This is another stupid click bait title! You guys got to start using better headlines. GPS tagging is a wonderful feature for *myself* to remember where I took an image and for creating the map in Lightroom. Instagram does not use or publish that tag. If an Instagram image has location info, it’s because the maker added it manually.
Fact is that more and more people go to take photos of cool locations, because digital and mobile cameras have become so accessible and good in quality. THAT is why huge crowds go to places that used to be less visited. The planet is getting more crowded in general, what this article describes is just one of many symptoms of overpopulation. If somebody wants to duplicate a photo of a cool site, they *will” find it, GPS tag or not.
I am too old & nasty to let any one know where I went & where I am.Damn these young_________, choose your own curse.
under-funded national parks is the problem.
Wow, what flawed logic. People getting outside more and visiting nature instead of sitting in a cubicle or apartment is a bad thing? These places are for everyone and I’m glad I can find them if someone before me ha made it easier or instructed.
I see graffiti at even the most secluded places i used to visit, and have seen too many videos if before the place got destroyed and after, there are very selfish idiots out there that go out just to tag or destroy it, oh and stacking the stones( i hate pintrest too for it)