Sustainability is not only in the side of producers but also among those who promote it through creative content. Here you can find some ideas of how to be sustainable while producing photography, video and other media content.
"Death to Fashion" editorial by Fernando Fierro
It is not about limiting the clients and content to sustainable products and ways. Beyond promoting content and products, it is about the way we create the content.
1. Reduce and delete frequently files in any cloud memory
The first way to be sustainable, and maybe the most evident one, is to use wisely the digital space saving documents. Having thousands of bites used in old never-used files is just creating a negative impact in the environment. Freeing space in clouds is a clear way to reduce the impact provoked by the servers or data centres.
Every time you have a shooting, limit the time the files are going to be saved… six months is already a gentle very considerate time. If this time passed, just erased the files. For personal purposes, you can save only the photos or videos that really matters for portfolio or further work.
2. New gear and gadgets? Think of renting and borrowing instead
You need lenses, flashes, lights, a tripod, maybe a camera or whatever you do not already have? Consider first renting or asking it borrowed among your network.
Let’s remember that production and consumption is one of the major reasons of environmental impact. This can be deal with offering new life cycles to products like second-hand markets or as simple as renting and borrowing.
3. Commute with others
When possible just use public transportation to move around the places where the shooting is taking place. If there are long distances to travel, considering sharing the transport with the crew or other members involved. For example, during a wedding photography or video session, if the event is taking place somewhere outside of the boundaries where you can arrive by public transport, then commute with any member of the family or invites.
4. Reduce quantity of photos and videos
Digitalisation brought the option of practically infinite files during a shoot. I remember while studying fashion photography how students used to proudly share the enormous amount of photos taken. A kind of competition and admiration came after making more than anyone else. But do we need this? Before digital cameras, people should stop and think more about the photos and videos, do a slower process with more mindful results. Also, social media has boost this process since it is pushed to be posting every single day in a wide diverse quantity of formats. But, does this justify taking thousands of files which are just rubbish?
It is time to slow down and make better shootings. Instead of endless sessions, why not to plan it well and once you get the good shoot move on or just stop?
Once again, having thousands of files saved in memory devices is not a good practice at all.
5. A sustainable way for delivering final edits
As simple as it is, print only when seriously needed and demanded. Also, it is necessary to avoid USB keys, CDs and such to deliver the final files. Send them through cloud services and online delivery platforms (applying recommendation no. 1, deleting them after a defined death line).