Many of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s more than 1,000 conservation and natural areas around the state are popular sites for photographers and videographers.
Whether getting a great shot of wildlife, taking pictures of the landscape, or taking a family photo, conservation areas can offer great places to practice your skills.
Guidelines for Photography and Videography on MDC Areas
Know Before You Go
In some cases, photography and filming on conservation areas requires a permit.
New starting July 1, 2023: Commercial photography permits and commercial videography permits are no longer required for commercial photography/videography on MDC areas. Instead, a no-cost* special use permit is required in some cases.
* Special use permits are typically no-cost. However, in rare instances, MDC reserves the right to charge a fee of up to $500 each day for photography and videography that involves more than 25 people or has the potential to harm resources or create user conflict. The issuance of special use permits is at the discretion of MDC.
If you need a special use permit, get more details and apply.
Please allow 30 days for processing.
Do I Need a Special Use Permit?
A special use permit is required for any photography and videography on MDC areas that involves:
- Access during closed hours or to portions of the area closed to public use;
- Use of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) or drone;
- Use of props, sets, or equipment that are more than a single person can carry; or
- The total daily number of people participating with a photographer or videographer for the primary purpose of photography and videography is more than 10.
Not all requests for special use permits will be granted. Permits may be denied to avoid user conflicts, resource damages, safety concerns, or other reasonable justification at the Department’s discretion.
Recreate Responsibly on MDC Areas
Guidelines for Wildlife Photography
- Trail or game cameras are not allowed on MDC areas.
- Don’t get too close to wildlife. This can stress the animal or put you in a dangerous position.
- Watch your step.
- Be patient and observant.
Guidelines for Photo Shoots
- Avoid busy areas and times.
- Do not block trails from other visitors.
- Follow posted area rules and ensure that clients also follow area rules.
- Park only in designated parking areas.
- Pack out any trash and avoid littering. No balloons, confetti, glitter, smoke bombs, fireworks, colored powders/chalk, butterfly releases, etc.
- No structures such as arches, trellises, or gazebos may be constructed or stuck in the ground.
- If more than 10 people are participating with the photographer/videographer over the course of a day, a special use permit is required.
- If seeking to use props or equipment larger than an average person can carry, a special use permit is required.
Nature Photography Tips
Nature photography generally falls into two categories: landscape and wildlife. Both require different equipment and involve different techniques.
While you don't need thousands of dollars of equipment to take decent nature photos, equipment does matter. It is unlikely that you will be able to take great nature photos, particularly wildlife photos, with your smartphone.
This category is probably the most accessible to the amateur photographer. It doesn’t require as much specialized equipment as wildlife photography, and landscapes don’t move around, so they are much easier to catch!
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Equipment
To take a good landscape photo, the only equipment you need is a decent camera with good resolution and a good lens. While it is possible to capture good landscape photos with a point-and-shoot camera, it is important to have a camera with adjustable settings, such as shutter speed and aperture, to improve your chances of success. Adjustable settings allow you to select a small aperture to maximize your depth of field, or select a fast shutter speed to minimize wind movement, or slow shutter speed to emphasize the movement of water in the scene or similar effects.
Cameras with interchangeable lenses or zoom lenses are also helpful, but if you only have one lens, the best choice is a wide-angle lens. The only other piece of equipment that is very helpful, though not essential, is a tripod, which will help you increase your shutter speed and aperture options.
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Scene and Light
Two key elements to a successful landscape photo are an interesting scene and light. The first is obvious. Presumably, you are taking the photo because you see a particularly special or beautiful scene that you want to capture. Light is less obvious but equally important. In fact, with the right light, a scene that is somewhat ordinary and mundane can be transformed into something special and beautiful.
Most of the best landscape photos are taken within an hour or less before or after sunrise or sunset. Photographers call this the golden time, and the quality of light created by these times of day greatly enhances a scene's drama and detail. The interplay between light and shadow becomes richer, textures are enhanced, and the light takes on an inviting golden quality.
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Composition
Composition — what to include in the frame, and where to position it — can be tricky.
We tend to concentrate on just the center of the frame, and we often overlook what is going on around the edges, which can include distracting details. An important rule of photography is to “fill the frame,” to include only that which is important.
For example, if you are shooting a portrait, you want to get close and fill the frame with the subject's face. You don’t want to shoot so loosely that extraneous objects become a distraction. The same thing applies to landscape photography. Look over the whole scene captured in your viewfinder. If you see something that detracts from the scene and the feeling and mood you are trying to convey, crop it out. Change your shooting angle or the focal length of the lens.
Many of the most successful landscape photos include a strong foreground element that guides the eye into the scene but doesn't dominate it. This could be a flower, or a small waterfall, or any number of other things. The wide-angle lens helps with this, as it tends to emphasize things in the foreground.
Use the rule of thirds when composing a landscape shot with a strong foreground element. Imagine your frame is divided into thirds both horizontally and vertically. The best place to position strong foreground elements and other key elements is at the four intersections created by those imaginary lines. In other words, you don’t want your strong anchoring elements to be centered in the frame.
Good wildlife photography requires equal bits of luck and preparation. You don’t need a lot of specialized equipment, but it is really essential that you have one good, big, telephoto lens. Most wildlife is shy and will not allow you to get very close to it.
Even with a long lens, many people are surprised at how close they still have to get to their subject in order to “fill the frame.” Using a blind, vehicle, or some other kind of cover to hide yourself, and keeping as still as possible will improve your chances of getting close to your subject matter.
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Choosing and Using Telephoto Lenses
Long telephoto lenses and long zoom lenses can vary widely in price and size. You can have two lenses that are identical in focal length (magnification factor) but one of them may be three times the size and three or more times the cost of the other. This is because of two main things.
- The larger lens has a larger maximum aperture, which will allow you to shoot in lower light conditions and/or use a faster shutter speed, which is important for stopping the movement of wildlife subjects.
- The larger lens also likely has better optical quality.
There may be nothing wrong with the smaller, cheaper lens, but you just need to understand its limitations. Using a tripod can help.
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Do Your Homework and Network With Others
While luck plays a large role in wildlife photography, most successful wildlife photographers spend a lot of time researching their subjects. They learn the habits and behaviors of their subjects, including preferred habitats and foods. This helps them maximize their chances of success by putting themselves in the right places and at the right times. They also network with other nature photographers and enthusiasts who share notes about sightings of certain wildlife.
Events
This program blends plant ID, soundscape listening, and seasonal photography - perfect for beginners, photographers, nature lovers, dreamers, and doers. As the sun sets on the prairie, the sights and sounds grow in the glo. When prairies flourish, wildlife returns and people thrive - cleaner air, chatty nights, and the simple, restorative joy of being in nature. Join our passionate team, including Jeff Cantrell and Mike Skinner, for a relaxed stroll through Shelton L. Cook meadow as the sun sets. We’ll look for emerging native plants, enjoy perfect golden-hour light for pictures (cell phone or fancy camera), and settle in to listen for the Prairie Mole Cricket’s steady, rhythmic call. The Prairie Mole Cricket is a species of conservation concern in Missouri that calls around dusk at Cook Meadow.
What to bring (optional):
Layers and sturdy shoes
Small red-light flashlight or headlamp (use only before/after listening)
Paper and pencil for notes
Phone or recorder to capture calls (optional)
Camera for golden-hour photos
Binoculars for dusk birding
We will meet at Golden City High School parking lot for a caravan to Shelton Cook Meadow.
Please use a working email address as this will be how we contact you if anything changes and/or we update the waiting list.
Discover the incredible insect life thriving just beyond your doorstep.
Learn how to identify the native, beneficial insects living in your backyard and explore how their hidden world supports a healthy ecosystem. You’ll practice simple techniques for photographing insects in action, capturing their colors, behaviors, and unique adaptations. We’ll also cover easy, practical ways to create a welcoming habitat that attracts pollinators and other beneficial insect species. The focus in this program will be techniques with your cell phone, however, what you will learn can also be used with other cameras.
Image of Conservation focuses on telling conservation stories through the lens.
"Noppadol Paothong is an award-winning nature and conservation photographer with the Missouri Department of Conservation, where he has worked since 2006. An Associate Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), his work centers on rare and endangered species, with a particular focus on grassland grouse and their threatened habitats.
His photography has appeared on more than 200 covers of the Missouri Conservationist and has been featured in Audubon, Smithsonian, National Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, Ranger Rick, and Sierra Club. Over nearly two decades, his dedication to documenting North American grassland grouse has led to two acclaimed books: Save the Last Dance (2012) and Sage Grouse: Icon of the West (2017).
Recognized with numerous national and international awards, Noppadol also serves on the board of the Sutton Center and has judged prestigious competitions such as the National Audubon Photography Awards. Through exhibits and presentations across the country, he continues to inspire a deeper connection to wildlife and conservation".
This event is made possible through a partnership between the Missouri Nature and Environmental Photographers (MONEP) and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).
Registration required (ages 18+)
Enjoying nature without the kids is sometimes just what adults need! In the busy-ness of the day, we slide by so many amazing bits of nature and they are blurred to us. Use your phone camera with our clip-on magnifying lenses or a regular camera with a macro setting to capture some tiny yet spectacular nature discoveries. Please wear closed-toe shoes.
Join us at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area for Camp Hellbender-no newts allowed! This summer camp is designed to let adults feel like a kid again and have some fun in the outdoors, while exploring some of the best conservation areas in the region! At Columbia Bottom we will explore the ever-favorite sunflower fields for some photography opportunities along with bird watching. We will also discuss the importance of bees and other pollinators and the reasons for these large sunflower plantings.
Later in the morning we will really get cooking…I mean really cooking, as we delve into the basics of cast iron Dutch oven cookware. How are Dutch ovens used? What can be made in a Dutch oven? As well as how are they cleaned and maintained? Together we will unravel the mystique of outdoor cooking as we prepare a fine meal for all to enjoy.
Please bring a camera or smart phone and binoculars for the sunflower fields. As for the Dutch oven, bring your interest and an appetite, the rest will be provided.
Please register each participant individually. We will meet at the main building near the entrance to Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.
This program is part of our ongoing Camp Hellbender Series. We encourage you to participate in as many camp days as you’d like. Registration is required for each individual camp. Campers will receive a special sticker to commemorate each day they participate in throughout the summer, and all campers will be invited back for our Stargazing Sendoff at the end of the summer!
Camp Hellbender Summer Camp Schedule:
Saturday, June 6th - August A. Busch Memorial CA
Saturday, June 13th - Rockwoods Reservation
Saturday, June 20th - August A. Busch Memorial CA
Saturday, June 27th – Columbia Bottom CA
Saturday, July 18th - Powder Valley Conservation NC
Saturday, August 1st -Tower Grove Park
Friday, August 7th- Stargazing Sendoff at TBD
Registration for all camp sessions begins May 1st at 7pm.