How to Protect Your Wild as a Mountain Paparazzi

Photo and art credit: Rachel Fisher

So, you’re a Mountain Paparazzi.

You make memories on each adventure you go on and ensure you have the pictures and paintings to share them with your loved ones back home. Your Instagram grid is gorgeous and you’re running out of space on your computer. Or maybe you’re more of a Mountain Picasso and you always carry your artistic tools with you so you’re ready whenever inspiration strikes. On your next adventure, carry these tips with you so you can protect your Mountain Paparazzi wild wherever you go.

1. Stay on designated trails and vista points
   While it may be tempting to cross the fence or traverse directly into a meadow to get the perfect shot or angle for your next artistic piece, conscientious Mountain Paparazzi stay only on designated trails and vista point areas. Not only are these rules for your own safety, they are for the safety and livelihood of the plants around you. If everyone walked into the meadow to get that perfect shot, those plants might no longer be able to survive. Instead, utilize binoculars or zoom lenses to try and achieve the shot you’re looking for.
2. Pack out your paint water
   If you’re painting while you’re outside, make sure to pack out your paint water with you if you can. In the same way you wouldn’t want to drink your dirty paint water, the plants and animals around you probably don’t either. The same goes for other artistic mediums — stash and secure your film canisters, pen caps, and paper scraps in your pack with you and dispose of them properly when you’re off the trail.
3. Don’t pick the flowers
   As gorgeous as spring blooms are, many wildflowers are annuals — meaning that they only live for one season. Annual plants’ short lifecycle means that they rely on ‘going to seed’ in order to continue on next spring. After an annual plant flowers and stops blooming, they form seed pods that drop to the ground and wait till next spring to grow again. So, enjoy them on the trail and leave them there to bloom again next year.
4. Give wildlife room, use your zoom.
   As tempting as it is to approach wildlife for the perfect photo, it is important that Mountain Paparazzi always give wildlife plenty of space. Pack a zoom lens if you’re hoping to photograph wildlife in the park.
5. Leave No Trace
   Leave No Trace principles protect local wildlife! While some squirrels may pester you for your crumbs, we’re pretty sure that granola bars aren’t a typical part of their diet in the wild. Whenever you head out on the trail to admire the views, make sure to pack out all your trash with you — even things that are compostable like orange peels and apple cores. While these foods will decompose in the earth one day, they often leave behind seeds that don’t typically belong in that ecosystem or will be eaten by local wildlife. Keeping your trash with you is one of the most key ways to keep your ecosystem wild and to protect the fauna around you.
6. Use reusable items (but use what you have first!)
   Avoiding single-use items and utilizing reusable items are perhaps the most classic eco-friendly trip, but remember to use what you have first! If you have single-use items and have no way to repurpose them, use them up before buying when possible — that way you can get some use out of them before tossing them. If you’re looking for some new reusable water bottles and utensils, head over to our store to grab our favorites. Make use of what you have and reuse whatever you can!
7. Share the love of the outdoors with others
   Many outdoor hobbies require wealth to buy the gear, time, and a car. Carpool and bring a a fellow Mountain Paparazzi along, and if you have extra gear, loan it out or share it with others if possible. More people playing and spreading the love of the outdoors, the better.

On your next adventure to Yosemite, join us for one of our art classes, naturalist walks, or Outdoor Adventures in the park! Most of our art classes and Outdoor Adventures include your peak hours/day-use reservation for entry to the park during 2024 peak season. Book your experience now before spots fill up!