This Summer has seen record numbers of people ‘getting away from it all’ in the outdoors and visiting National Parks. Yellowstone saw its all-time maximum of 1 million visitors in July, and Zion National Park had a bizarre situation where people waited in queues for up to 4 hours for a basic hike! Some of these places are implementing innovative measures to combat the strain on nature, including designated selfie stations.
Ruling: National Park Service can’t ask for commercial filming fees/permits
Filmmakers, rejoice: thanks to a court case from 2019, you may no longer need to get a permit and pay fees for commercial shoots in national parks. D.C. federal judge has just made the decision, ruling that it’s unconstitutional for the National Park Service to require a permit and charge you with fees.
Skydio slammed for sharing illegal drone footage in Yellowstone National Park
Drone manufacturer Skydio recently published footage of a person gliding on rollerblades at Yellowstone’s West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk. Using a drone is illegal in national parks, so the footage put the California-based company under investigation. What’s more, inline skating on national park boardwalks is forbidden too, so this aerial footage sparked tons of negative comments online.
This account wants to stop Instagrammers from ruining nature
People who are “doing it for the Gram” often harm the environment, be it animals, plants, or waters. Most of us get furious when we hear of such cases, but it seems that someone has decided to do something about it, using the Instagram account Public Lands Hate You. An anonymous man has started this account trying to educate people how to behave in nature, and his goal is to make them stop destroying everything around them for the sake of social media likes.
Tourist falls 1,000 feet to his death while taking photos at Grand Canyon
On Thursday morning, a tourist plunged to his death in Grand Canyon while taking photos. The accident happened at Eagle Point near Skywalk, and a helicopter retrieved the man’s body 1,000ft below the rim.
Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board wants you to stop geotagging photos
The Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board in Wyoming, USA is asking visitors to stop geotagging their images. We’ve seen a few times that natural wanders get destroyed or damaged after they become too popular. And with the latest campaign against geotagging, the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board wants to preserve nature and save it from this kind of destruction.
Indian couple plunges to death at Yosemite national park
Falling off a high location is one of the most common causes of selfie-related deaths. And last week, a desire for a perfect snapshot took away two more young lives. Vishnu Viswanath and his wife Meenakshi Moorthy wanted to take a selfie at Yosemite National Park when they were trying to photograph themselves and the spectacular view at Taft Point.
Photographer captures engagement at Yosemite, uses social media to search for the couple
When photographer Matthew Dippel set up his gear in Yosemite National Park earlier this month, he never thought he was gonna capture a couple getting engaged. The photographer eternalized their special moment in a magical image, but he wasn’t able to track them down and share it. So, he has turned to social media for help, and despite his tweet getting viral – the couple still hasn’t been identified.
Yosemite now requires permits for photographing famous “Firefall” event
From 12 to 26 February, visitors of Yosemite National Park will be able to see and capture the magnificent “firefall” phenomenon. Due to its increasing popularity, this year’s event will require parking reservations and permits for everyone who wants to attend.
Zion National Park will allow tripods on some trails after all
Earlier this month, we reported Zion National Park’s decisions to ban tripods from all trails for photography workshops. This caused reactions and even some confusion among photographers. But, Zion National Park has now responded to their concerns. Some trails will allow tripods for photography workshops after all.
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