Our MIssion
To advocate for equal, fair, and unbiased access to create on public lands without discrimination and impedance.
Public lands belong to all of us.
We work to ensure photographers, filmmakers, artists, and storytellers can document their experiences in America’s wild spaces without being misclassified, over-regulated, or unfairly restricted.
Our Vision
We envision a future where:
• Permit systems are clear, consistent, and fairly applied
• Creators understand their rights and responsibilities
• Agencies and creative communities collaborate effectively
• Public lands remain both protected and accessible
• Small creators are not overshadowed by large commercial interests
Public lands should remain public — in both principle and practice.
What We Do & Why
Background
Public Land Creatives monitors and responds to federal land permitting policies that impact photographers and creators. In recent years, inconsistent requirements, misclassification as commercial guides, unnecessary CUAs, and disproportionate fees revealed a broader national pattern of regulatory overreach.
We were formed to bring clarity and fairness to this space — engaging directly and collaboratively with park leadership and federal officials to ensure policies protect natural resources without placing undue burdens on responsible creative work.
What We Believe
• Public lands are for everyone
• Creative expression is not a privilege — it is protected
• Small creators deserve equal treatment
• Responsible recreation and stewardship go hand in hand with access
• Collaboration creates better policy than conflict
We are not anti-park.
We are not anti-permitting.
We are pro-clarity, pro-fairness, and pro-access.
How We Work
Our advocacy is rooted in professionalism and partnership.
• Monitor policy changes across federal land agencies
• Communicate directly with park leadership and federal officials
• Submit formal letters and policy feedback
• Seek clarification when regulations are misapplied
• Educate creators on evolving legislation
• Promote responsible recreation standards
Our goal is not to dismantle protections — it is to ensure protections are applied appropriately and lawfully.
Our work has contributed to:
• Removal of improper Commercial Use Authorization requirements
• Clarification of portrait photography regulations
• Refunds of improperly collected fees
• Alignment with federal guidance on permitting
Each correction strengthens precedent and protects future creators.
The Bigger Picture
Access issues are rarely about one individual photographer.
They are about:
• Small business sustainability
• First Amendment protections
• Equal treatment under federal law
• The ability to document life events on public land
• Preventing regulatory creep
When misclassification becomes normalized, access erodes quietly.
We exist to ensure that erosion does not go unchecked.
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