If We Were Not There
If We Were Not There examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the practice of wildlife photography. All aspects of life have been affected by various restrictions imposed by the government, including the wildlife photography industry, where opportunities were affected. In recent years, there has been an increase in the provision of wildlife workshops. With guidance, amateur photographers and hobbyists alike can now, with guidance, produce a good wildlife photograph which the participant may well not have achieved on their own. COVID-19 restrictions prevented public access to those workshops. Advances in technology have improved the number of incredible wildlife images. A large manually focused lens with expensive film camera bodies meant that previously, this was beyond the realms of most people. Advances in technology lenses mean cheaper, thus more accessible, and advances in autofocus capability have allowed perfectly exposed and focused images to be recorded with little or no photographic knowledge. Is photography playing a big enough part in promoting the conservation of nature? Much of the money from workshops is ploughed back into promoting conservation, one example being the reintroduction of Sea Eagles throughout Scotland.