Wildlife photography internship in the Peruvian Amazon

Planet

Waste policy
There is a strong focus on environmentally friendly waste management during this photography internship. At our lodge, all materials that can biodegrade are put onto a compost heap where it can decompose naturally. This also provides food for many animals and ways for insects of the forest to lay eggs. Plastic, cardboard and cans and metal are placed into separated waste bags, glass has its own as well. They get taken into town every week to the local waste drop and eventually taken to Lima where the recycling begins. The only thing we’ll be leaving behind are our footprints.

Environmental policy
Our photography internships and workshops in the Peruvian Amazon have a very low carbon footprint. When we are in the Amazon Rainforest, we only walk and never use a car. We advise our interns and guests to wear green so there is no interference to the environment. We limit our invasion on the wildlife that we photograph; everything we capture is in its natural state. We make sure that we walk in small groups very quietly, as well as staying on the road.

Wildlife conservation through photography
Through our wildlife photography internships and workshops in Peru, we support local wildlife conservation wherever possible. We do this by teaming up with production companies and publications and providing them with relevant footage and images to raise awareness of deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and the detrimental effects on the many animal species that inhabit the forest.

People

Penda Trust
All our trips indirectly help fund Penda Trust, our nonprofit organisation. Through Penda Trust, we support social development work by offering free photography services to grassroots nonprofits in South Africa. This gives important social impact programs strong visuals that help with their communications and fundraising campaigns. We also teach photography workshops to youth in underprivileged communities of Cape Town, which teaches kids about images as conversation starters, and stimulates creativity and self-expression.

Throughout our trips, we operate with the upmost respect for local cultures, and ensure that our guests learn about local customs. We approach cultural and portrait photography in a highly sensitive way and educate our guests.

Supporting the local economy in Peru
When running these photography workshops and internships in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, we partner with local companies that only employ Amazonian staff. This includes accommodation, guides, and local transport; everything is run by locals.

The research station we are based at while we stay in the forest is run by Peruvians, who are all passionate about protecting the forest while safeguarding the livelihoods of local communities.