Texas LAND•Spring 2017

TEXAS LAND / Roundup Issue
Nature Photography
A Natural Fit
While a picture is worth a thousand words,
a nature photography operation can be
worth thousands of dollars to landowners.
WRITTEN BY LORIE A. WOODWARD
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE IMAGES FOR CONSERVATION FUND
“Nature photography is the fastest growing recreation
industry in America,” said John Martin, a retired financial
advisor, amateur nature photographer and conservationist
who founded the Images for Conservation Fund. “The last
time I looked 30 million people self-identified as nature
photographers and 11 million of them said they traveled
eight days or more per year to pursue their hobby.
“I’m not greedy,” he continued. “I just want 1 million of
them to come to Texas.”
According to Martin, nature photography makes
sense as an additional revenue stream for Texas
ranchers because it’s complementary to what they’re
already doing.
“It takes at least 100 acres to establish a nature
photography destination but 200 to 300 is an ideal place
to start,” Martin said. “Some people choose to segregate
nature photography from their other enterprises,
while others, with careful planning, incorporate nature
photography into their hunting and livestock operations
because those activities create images photographers
want to capture.”
Landowners who are interested in nature
photography need to start by assessing their ranches
and identifying the unique characteristics that someone
would pay to photograph.
“Do you have a rare species? Or do you have a wide
variety of wildlife that gathers in a central spot like a water
hole? What does your ranch have that sets it apart in this
big, beautiful world?” Martin said.
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