Forest Service: New Regulation/Fines?

[Drew Bedo]

I ran across this online . . .is this a new issue or is this old news? Is this a real concern?

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/news/10...-in-the-forest

I just spent a week in Yellowstone and had no trouble with a full 4x5 rig any where we went.

[vinny]

old news. no.
another thread on this and I'm sure they'll be more coming soon.......
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...of-their-minds

[Drew Wiley]

I replied to the Lounge version of this. Nothing to be concerned about, as far as I'm concerned....

[Kodachrome25]

I replied to the Lounge version of this. Nothing to be concerned about, as far as I'm concerned....

+1

[dsphotog]

It seems intended to target Hollywood or commercial filming...
...Unless a rookie security guard or ranger, in a bad mood, spots one of us setting up "a professional tripod/camera" to make an example of us.

It's all about REVENUE.

[Drew Wiley]

Often park rangers and such are required on premises just to assure the safety of the film crew and bystanders. It cost us taxpayers a lot when something goes wrong, especially a rescue. So fees are justified. If you happen to watch any of those stupid "adventure" reality shows done on public land it's pretty apparent why. I can't personally stand those kinds of shows, but once in awhile the so-called wilderness ones are so outright phony that they are worth watching for a cheap laugh. I saw one of those wilderness "ordeal" sequence that was taken about fifteen yard from a paved Yosemite highway. But they still had to arrange a phony helicopter rescue, rig safety ropes for a phony rock climbing scene (where someone could have been hurt), etc. I don't like the idea of filming movies and TV nonsense in our parks at all, but if it does happen, it should be regulated and protected from taxpayer liability. ... I was watching four young knotheads trying to climb Pingora in
Wyoming last week, just to get stuck on some ledge a fourth of the way up. I was climbing an adjacent high pass and was already higher than the summit of that thing when the finally figured out how to rappel down. I figured they'd try again the next day, and sure enough two large rescue helicopters were headed into the
Cirque late in the day. There goes fifteen or twenty grand.

[Vaughn]

It seems intended to target Hollywood or commercial filming...
...Unless a rookie security guard or ranger, in a bad mood, spots one of us setting up "a professional tripod/camera" to make an example of us.

It's all about REVENUE.

And protecting the park/wilderness.

[Drew Bedo]

As I posted; I had no problem at Yellowstone. Some places had a crowd that shifted and changed. I waited for an opening at "The Good Spot" and set up. On two occasions there was a Ranger there answering questions. In both cases, I asked if it was OK to set up and got an enthusiastic affirmative
Response.

I have never been on BLM or Forest Service administered land. When I saw the news item it got my attention.

[Drew Wiley]

Several large western states are MOSTLY Forest Service and BLM administered land. The one or two federal employees for about each million acres of it probably have better things to do than worry about someone snapping a camera shutter somewhere. In fact, most of them are stuck in some office doing paperwork. It's pretty damn rare I even encounter a ranger etc outside a Natl Park juridiction, and even then it's uncommon beyond paved roads. About the only evil eye I got for propping up a tripod during the last two weeks of wilderness travel through several distinct juridictions was from a moose. I gave it wide berth, and it declined to give me any citations in return. I have taken hundreds of backpacking trips in the West, plus road trips, and the only instance I've ever even been questioned was once from a brand new ranger here in the GGNRA. I have been approached numerous times by others rangers and docents in the same jurisdiction asking me photography questions. Some of these great Natl Parks and wilderness areas owe their very existence as public protected domain to view camera photography.
Lots of these folks are educated enough to know that. Some of them have even tried a bit of serious film photography themselves.

[gleaf]

+ several.. Commercial use is fairly specific and intense in a location. When we plan trail runs in Federal protected lands there is normally a limit on participant count due to the effect of traffic on fragile ecosystems. In KY using a state park system area for a commercial event will get you a permit cost based on the states estimate of your income from the event. Non commercial use is all ya'll come for free. Recent ATV use of a fragile hiking trail and the resultant erosive damage is sending shock waves through the system.... Please do no damage and you will be kindly remembered.