Why Open Spaces Are a Big Deal

These days, we hear a lot about preserving our Open Spaces—national parks, state parks, and other public lands. It’s super important to understand how these beautiful places affect different communities. One key group? Photographers! Whether you’re a hobbyist capturing stunning landscapes, a pro creating unique stories, or a business owner relying on the appeal of these spots, Open Spaces are crucial to your craft and livelihood.

What We Learned About Photographers and Open Spaces

We’re excited to share this report that digs into how Open Spaces contribute to the world of photography. This study looks at their economic and creative importance, especially for the many professional photographers in the U.S. who rely on these areas for their income and artistic inspiration.

To get these insights, Flickr, with our partners at The Conservation Alliance, surveyed a mix of  over 1,750 photographers—from weekend hobbyists to small business owners.

Key Takeaways

Open Spaces aren’t just pretty backgrounds; they’re vibrant environments that spark creativity, support livelihoods, and enrich our culture. Here’s what stood out:

• Economic Impact: A whopping 95% of photographers said that losing access to Open Spaces would hurt their business or passion. Almost nine out of ten photographers earn at least part of their income from these special places.
• Creative Goldmine: Landscape, wildlife, and travel photography are the top genres photographers chase in these areas.
• Champions for Nature: Photographers are at the forefront of promoting and protecting Open Spaces. Four out of five pros said these areas are crucial for their work.

Protect These Spaces for the Community

We need to keep these spots open to preserve their natural beauty and vital role in local and indigenous communities, as well as their importance to our photographers. Nature is always changing and adapting, so our efforts to protect it should be flexible and forward-thinking too.

Aaron Yates, a landscape photographer from Kerrvillephoto.com, summed it up perfectly: “Without public and Open Spaces, photography services would be limited, and fine art landscape photography would almost cease to exist as we know it.”

Explore the Report

We invite you to explore the full findings of the Open Spaces report, where statistics combined with stories, and stunning photos all highlight the importance of protecting these lands.

Check out the full report here.

Interested in more?

Flickr is ready to explore the services, interests, and economies that photography supports and is intrinsic to. We’d love to launch research into whatever industry-related topics or cultures you want to explore so we can learn together.

Get in touch with our business team if you’d like to work with us to develop a case study or report specific to your needs.