There’s been a slew of comments on a half dozen professional photography and nature photography forums regarding shooting photos for commercial use while in our (US) National Parks. Every so often some poor landscape photographer raises the ugly spectre of “Ack, the Park Service wants a permit for any commercial photography.” And just as often, there follows a complete re-hashing of the subject. So, I figure I’ll clarify this for posterity:
YES, The National Park Service (NPS)Â does require a Permit for Commercial Still Photography. Yes, The NPS is now planning on charging a fee for this permit. This does NOT affect the traditional Landscape photographer, even if is photo is later sold for a commercial use.
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The NPS has clear guidelines that exempt photographers from the fee / permit requirement when they:
- are shooting in areas normally open and accessible to the general public.
- are NOT using models or props, or articles meant for commerce.
- does not require any additional administrative oversight by park staff.
These rules stand, even if the photographer is using tripods, strobes, or interchangeable lenses. This means that those photographers like myself, who are out shooting stock landscapes, don’t have to worry about being harrassed by Rangers. – But – often, Rangers don’t always know the exact rules, so a great tip is to print a copy of the guidelines and carry them in your camera bag. This is espcially true at areas like the Marin Headlands over looking the Golden Gate Bridge. Rangers there have been known to stop photographers using large format cameras and tripods, since they were obviously “Commercial”.
You can read more about the rules and requirement at the NPS Info Zone, and the Alaska Regional Office of the NPS has a PDF stating the NPS Guidelines for Commercial Filming and Photography.
