Safety in Nature

A Woman’s Perspective on Landscape Photography

This week, I’m delving into a topic that’s been quietly lingering in my thoughts but is often not spoken about. In doing this, I’d like to open a conversation and acknowledge the unspoken barrier that women photographers have to negotiate to follow their passion and create beautiful images.

Landscape photography is not just my primary creative outlet; it’s also a healing balm. It takes me out into nature, where I connect with the natural world and find that quiet, calm space that helps me manage life’s challenges. As International Women’s Day approaches this coming weekend, I find myself reflecting on what it truly means to feel at ease in this environment. While nature offers beauty and serenity, many women, myself included, often encounter challenges that overshadow these moments of peace.

For years, I’ve wondered why there are fewer female landscape and woodland photographers in the UK. Is it due to a lack of recognition? Gender bias? Or could it be tied to something more unsettling - women’s personal safety concerns? The supportive response from both male and female photographers on Substack to Susan Helmert’s recent note was affirming and encouraging. Yet, it reminded me of this gender divide and encouraged me to dig deeper into my own experiences and those of other women.

Nature is a place of beauty and adventure, a space where everyone can feel free to explore and enjoy. Yet, for many women, it’s not always that simple. Concerns for personal safety linger – often tied to unsettling encounters, harassment, or the isolating vulnerability of being alone in rural areas. This fear recently hit home for me. On a beautifully foggy morning, the valley outside my window begged me to grab my camera and venture into the mist. Yet, I hesitated. With my partner at work, I didn’t feel safe heading out alone. For some, this hesitation might signal a lack of dedication, but for women like me who’ve had unsettling experiences outdoors, it’s a matter of caution.

One such experience happened last summer. While walking with a female friend in the valley, we came across a narrow part of the path and noticed a man suspiciously lurking among the trees to one side of us. We confidently said a friendly “Good morning” and walked on. In that brief time, I found myself mentally noting his appearance. When I sensed he was behind us, a quick glance back confirmed he was following just 10 feet away.

I contemplated self-defence, wrapping the strap of my camera around my hand, ready to swing if necessary. I felt uneasy and can remember my heart racing, muscles tensed as we quickened our walking pace. When we came to a bridge over the river, we saw a couple approaching from the opposite direction. I glanced back and, as he saw the couple on the bridge, the man sharply turned and walked back the way he came. It took quite a while for us both to relax again as we continued our walk across the valley.

It left me wondering what would have happened if the other couple hadn’t come along at that moment? Wanting to understand more, I reached out to a large online women’s photography group to ask about their experiences photographing alone. The responses were sadly all too familiar.

Women shared strikingly similar tales of feeling unsafe - being followed, harassed, or feeling unequipped to handle emergencies like injury or illness. Many stated that they just wouldn’t consider going out photographing in nature alone. It’s a shared reality that some men struggle to understand. At a workshop, one woman voiced her fears, only to be met with surprise by the male tutor, who remarked, "It would be a sad state of the world if you couldn’t feel safe there." While well-meaning, his response highlighted the gap in understanding women’s outdoor experiences.

This divide may well explain why so few women choose to specialise in landscape or woodland photography. Wide-open spaces like beaches, which often feel safer, seem to attract more female photographers. But imagine if women could experience that same sense of freedom in every natural space.

That’s why conversations like this matter. As we prepare to celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s an opportunity to acknowledge these challenges and explore solutions. What can we do to foster a sense of safety for women outdoors? Education is a great place to start. While girls grow up learning how to protect themselves, boys and men could also be taught how their behaviour can affect women out in nature.

Martin Harper from the RSPB suggests simple yet effective steps men can take that can make a significant difference, such as maintaining a distance, avoiding intimidating behaviour and being mindful of one's presence. Moreover, they can actively help create a safer environment by speaking out against inappropriate behaviour and supporting initiatives aimed at raising awareness. Imagine organisations like the Royal Photographic Society joining this movement by introducing codes of conduct for their members. These actions might seem small, but they could create ripples of change, making nature more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

It goes without saying this isn’t about blaming or demonising men. Instead, it’s about collective responsibility - women cannot be expected to shoulder the burden of staying safe alone. After all, it could be anyone’s sister, mother, partner, friend, or colleague who finds themselves in a distressing or potentially dangerous situation.

I’d love to hear what others feel about this issue. Do you think safety concerns contribute to the underrepresentation of female landscape and nature photographers? Are you a woman who goes on solo photowalks in nature? How do you manage your safety fears? And for the men – how do you feel when approaching a lone woman walking or photographing in nature? Are you aware of how she may feel? Are there any steps you take to make women feel less vulnerable? Do you call out unacceptable behaviour in other men?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, reflections and experiences – let’s open up the conversation and work together toward a world where everyone feels safe to enjoy the beauty of nature.

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As part of giving back to this amazing community I like to mention a photographer or writer here whose work I admire. Soren K Harbel is a b&w film photographer with a superb eye for the small details that make an image stand out. He also has an extensive archive which he uses to produce some fabulous theme based collaborative diptychs with other Substack photographers – for me that’s what this community is about, supporting and encouraging the work of others. So, thank you Soren!

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