ethical dilemma :: what would you do?
spending time in a brand new environment last week in missoula put me in a unique headspace. as much traveling and dialogue as this career entails many times it can be variations of similar themes. not the fault of anyone it’s the creative dilemma we all face – seeing (and thinking) with new eyes not necessarily new places.
at a roundtable discussions i put together to hash over ideas of green practices, or lack thereof, in photography there were numerous good ideas we came up with – carbon credits, recycling specs, battery concepts – but the most interesting piece was is below. this hypothetical situation was off the top of my head and the point lies not in the specific cause nor the roots behind it but rather with the decision making process.
if you as a photographer were approached by a large corporation that specializes is razing old growth timber for massive scale developments to photograph a project for them what would you say? the scope of the project is one day and the use is very reasonable but the fee is quite considerable – say $50,000 for the single day.
how do you react to this? why? where exactly would that money go if you did accept?
Heath,
I’d like to comment on this, as a photographer myself who’s built my name and reputation based on outdoor lifestyle and mountain sports. I was recently approached by a large corporation which builds run-of-river hydroelectricity projects here in British Columbia. They were looking for a photographer who was able to help them document their project, on a month by month shooting schedule, possibly for several years to come. Aha, a stable income is in the air…
This company is a leader in the development of these projects, so I began some research into what exactly they were doing and how. Admittedly, at the time I really knew little about these things. At the time it was actually a hot topic in the local media. Run-of-river projects are being touted as offering a ‘green alternative’ to large scale dams. There are many reasons why – beyond my ability to explain right here in this comment. But what struck me was the lack of knowledge and lack of constructive criticisms being made on the environmentalists behalf, and this was recorded in the newspapers, radio, and in many other venues. The research I did on this company unveiled a number of points that were in contrast to the opposition’s accusations, and so I concluded that I would take the work, and learn for myself first-hand, what the real deal was. After all, the project was going ahead, whether or not I took the job.
So now I have an excellent client who treats me VERY well (financially), and who is on the progressive forefront of green power development. I have now had the ability to educate myself, and I can now turn around and explain to others what I know, from what I’ve seen in person. I can tell you it is quite a different picture from that painted by the opposition.
So, what I felt conflicted about being involved with in the first-place, I am now confident I’ve reached my own conclusions about, and am happy with that. So when my environmentalist friends inquire or make comment about such projects, I have an educated opinion. And, luckily, I’ve been paid to acquire it!
Rich Wheater
Vancouver, BC
Rich
great to have you chiming in, brilliant info. i agree whole heartedly with your willingness to keep an open mind and investigate challenging issues yourself. media and published reports these days in the us, canada and everywhere, seem to leave such little grey room instead depicting every issue as black or white. if we as creatives (& more importantly people) lose our sense of sense of curiosity about the world then we’re doomed to an over blown boorish existence.
great to see someone like yourself take on the job with an open mind and use that experience to not only further your business but spread some truth. there’s no doubt that survivability takes precedence over sustainability -if anyone has doubts about this spend time in any developing area. it’s solid to know someone of your caliber has taken it upon themselves to work with this client in a professional manner and reap the rewards.
the crux of what we’re talking about here (& the point of the post) is in your words, “After all, the project was going ahead, whether or not I took the job.” so good to see an involved, concerned shooter take the work and keep their business alive. on the flip side, i’m interested to know what if any steps you have felt compelled to take to offset any sense of the companies ‘ungreen’ work. or perhaps the projects they put together function as environmentally friendly enough that one need not feel the ethical dilemma brought up in the original post.
either way, great to see this scenario playing out and active, engaged shooters taking it on in their own terms. have to admit that you’ve peaked my interest in run-of-river dams. though there’s nothing like hands on experience to really know a subject. the most passionate tree person i have yet to come across, was a logger i worked with for a summer in alaska. he taught me more than any class bound professor or self-righteous activist ever could.
note: for those of you who aren’t familiar with rich’s work, definitely check out his site & blog. a longtime mtn sports shooter, he’s one of the best. and he hails from the epicenter of outdoor style and all around good vibes – vancouver, bc.