Finally after years of uncertainty and consternation, the Explore Act was signed into law this week. The Act is a wide ranging set of new parks policy which will provide for the construction of new campgrounds, shooting ranges, trails and much more. Most important to me and many photographers and videographers of course, is the inclusion of the Film Act within the text of the bill. The Film Act eliminates the requirement for for purchasing an expensive permit with onerous application requirements and an uncertain outcome, to film in national parks and forests with the intent to make a profit, even though you might not have known at the time that you were shooting for profit. This of course affects basically all Youtubers, who have had to live in fear of huge fines for their activities, which were legal at the time they created the film.
A few years ago a window opened to allow filming, but right after this visit to Rocky Mountain National Park, and probably my most popular YouTube video ever, the door slammed closed again. Years of legal action followed, and as a result, I didn’t film any video at all during our trip to Yellowstone last autumn.
So to summarize the parts of the bill pertinent to photographers and Youtubers, permits are no longer required to film or photograph stills on federal land, as long as you aren’t performing activities any normal visitor would not be engaging in. For example, one photographer shooting one camera with one tripod will not require a permit, whether or not he or she is creating a product for profit.
The bill currently limits the number of people in a group to six and not more than eight, such as a photographer shooting family pictures, a small wedding, or a model, before requiring a permit. I believe larger groups can apply for a free and automatic film permit online, and of course a full blown Hollywood production with film crews, actors and large equipment, will still be required to acquire a full blown permit.
So hopefully soon, you will be seeing more video footage of many amazing excursions such as this exciting trip to Yellowstone!
Published Books
And of course if you would like to learn all my tips and tricks for photographing wildlife, please consider a purchase of one of my photography books from my library of published products for sale on my website!
Wildlife Photography in the Colorado Rockies, of course was written with the sole purpose of wildlife in mind. You might consider Storm Warning for tips on shooting in foul weather, and Two Decades of Digital Photography if you would like to mix some entertainment in with your photography reading!
And of course please consider purchasing my entertaining and educational series of wildlife novels, Spirit of the Wolf and Thundering Hooves! Follow the adventures of my main characters as they experience love and adventure while trying to protect our nation’s iconic wild animals from the very people tasked with their humane care! Spirit of the Wolf is the first in the series, followed by Thundering Hooves.
Prints and Gifts
If you like this content and find it useful, please consider making a purchase from thousands of prints that I have uploaded to my website through the years of toil. Just click on your favorite subject / gallery, select a print, choose the framing and your beautiful work of art will be shipped directly to your door!
Steven W. Krull is a renowned photographer and author who has been photographing and writing of the beauty and wildlife of the Colorado Rocky Mountains for over two decades. Please visit his website at S.W. Krull Imaging to view his work, including thousands of prints for sale, stock images for commercial use, and his library of published books.
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Colorado Photographer / Author / Wildlife Advocate | Steven W. Krull 