The last few weeks have been rough here in northeastern Minnesota. Wildfires continue to burn in and around the Boundary Waters, although fire conditions have finally given us a week-long break from the smoke.
A few days ago someone asked if I’d been out photographing the fires.
I told them no.
That might seem surprising coming from a landscape photographer, because dynamic conditions make for compelling photographs, and there are likely striking images to be made. But not every photograph that can be made should be made.
Wildfires aren’t tourist attractions. They are active emergency scenes. Firefighters, pilots, and incident crews are working long days under dangerous conditions, and they don’t need photographers getting in their way. That’s especially true when it comes to drones. If an unauthorized drone enters restricted airspace around a fire, aircraft supporting firefighting operations may have to stop flying until it’s clear.
That doesn't mean wildfires shouldn't be documented. Photojournalists and photographers working with fire agencies help tell that story while coordinating with incident managers so they can do their jobs safely and without disrupting firefighting efforts.
Outside the fire zones, there are stories photographers can tell, and there will be plenty of time to photograph the aftermath of the fire. There’s a story of the burned forest, the lost campsites and structures, and the eventual recovery. But while the firefighters are still doing their work, I think the best place for most of us is somewhere else appreciating and photographing the countless beautiful places that aren't at the center of the emergency.
Sometimes the best photograph is the one you choose not to take.
I’ll see you again in two weeks, and until then here is the parting shot.
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