UPDATE: On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, park officials sent a message to photographers stating that it was withdrawing the permit requirement and “The CUA [commercial use authorization] Program at Grand Teton National Park has been adjusted and no longer includes the ‘Portrait Services’ CUA category… The NPS has begun an internal review of the management of portrait services in other park areas, including those that may be requiring CUAs for this activity, for the purpose of implementing a consistent legal framework for managing this activity across the National Park System.”
Athens, GA - On behalf of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) members, and joined by our sister organizations Professional Photographers of America (PPA), North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), and the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), a letter was submitted to the superintendent of the Grand Teton National Park in response to the the new photography permit fees and policies in GTNP.
The NPPA's general counsel Mickey H. Osterreicher and deputy general counsel Alicia Calzada, have been involved in an amicus of a prior case that involves national parks and First Amendment issues in Price v. Barr. This current letter supports an NPPA member who does wedding photography and was required to pay for a $300 permit, plus an additional fee of 3% of photographers’ profits from commercial photographers who want to take pictures in GTNP. This new policy directly violates federal law regarding when a photography permit may be required in national parks and is a violation of the First Amendment.
Despite a law enacted by Congress-enacted over a decade ago that outlined when the National Park System may require a permit, the law is clear: a permit is not required for low impact, handheld photography in national parks.
NPPA’s attorneys attended a meeting on March 3, 2022, between the GTNP and commercial photographers and are continuing to seek solutions with our allies on this issue.
The full letter is here.
To contact NPPA Advocacy:
Mickey H. Osterreicher, General Counsel, [email protected]
Alicia Calzada, Deputy General Counsel, [email protected]
