Eco Philosophy

balance's dedication to quality and a natural, comfortable style of photography would not be complete without, well, nature itself. It's a tiny step from loving pictures to loving nature. After all, the natural world is a huge part of what inspires most photographers, including the team at balance.

Going green is a journey. At balance photography we continually strive towards a greener workplace, product and world. Our vision includes your pictures and all that those images mean to you: your dreams, your personality, your business.

At the heart of it all, we honor the environment and its role in our lives and our art. We're dedicated to sustainability — but we're also seasoned, passionate professionals. The balance photography team is on a mission to give you top-notch creative service while maintaining social and eco responsibility.

We aren't perfect, but we're trying to reduce our impact on the planet while the impact of our imagery expands. The team at balance is proud of our sustainability efforts and hope to inspire you as well. In our loftiest moments, we might even say that we hope to make a positive impact with everything we do...

Wanna change the world? Start with this PDF of simple things you can do to begin traveling your own green path.

Download PDF

balance photography Environmental Sustainability Policy

Download PDF of our Sustainability Policy

What is a plan without real action? Day-to-day decisions we make as individuals, as well as the larger choices we make as a company, are crafted to reflect our values and our commitment to sustainability. We adopt the current state of environmental crisis with a sense of challenge and hope. We are open to your suggestions and ideas if you see areas where we can lighten our footprint. Following are some of the steps we have taken to minimize our impact.

Energy/Water Conservation:

Home and office powered by Clean Currents. (http://www.cleancurrents.com/)
Office and studio space are in same building (with separate private, entries) as our personal home, so our commute is just up a staircase.
Office, meeting space and personal space are lit with 100% CFL bulbs.
Appliances, equipment and electronics not in use are unplugged.
As major appliances are replaced, Energy Star models are bought. All appliances are kept in good working order.
Computers are kept off or in sleep mode when not in use.
As much as possible, natural light is utilized for office/production work and shoots.
Ceiling fans have been installed in all rooms equipped for them to minimize cooling needs in summer.
Plumbing checked regularly for leaks.
Heating filters changed regularly; heating system checked out regularly.
Underground irrigation system used for outdoor landscaping in gardens only, reducing garden water use by 60%; lawns not watered; all watering done in early morning.
Rain barrel usage.
Landscaping is integrated for consumption and practical use as much as beauty. All plants are used as either food (veggies, fruits, herbs), teas, or as both interior and exterior decor, as ornamentals or even bouquets/props for shoots.

Transportation:

Nathaniel & Rissa share one vehicle, a 2011 Toyota Prius.
Whenever possible we carpool for shoots or use mass transit for meetings.
Production & shoot assistants are hired locally, so they do not have to travel more than 10 miles to work.
Try to "group" meetings and jobs in other towns to maximize travel miles.
Utilize email, phone and teleconferencing/Skype & iChat to eliminate travel entirely when possible.
Errands are lumped into groups and done a tight travel circle.
Orders for clients/office supplies are placed online.

Electronics:

High quality, energy-efficient Mac computers are used for all post-production and office tasks. All computers are professionally maintained regularly. When computers reach the end of their life cycle, they are recycled with Apple. (http://www.apple.com/recycling/)
CD/DVDs that fail to write are recycled.
Printer ink cartridges are recycled. (http://www.cartridgeworld.com/)
Professional level Nikon DSLRs are used for all our work, as well as Nikkor lenses and Nikon Speedlight flashes. They are durable and hard-working. All camera equipment is professionally cleaned and maintained regularly. At the end of their life cycle, cameras/lenses/flashes are resold or given up for parts.
Cameras and flashes are all operated on rechargeable batteries.
Studio lights are serviced as needed. None have needed to be replaced, as high-quality Paul Buff Lights are in use.
Equipment is charted on a Purchasing Plan, so unnecessary gear is not bought.
Cell phones and other e-waste are disposed of responsibly. (http://earth911.com/)

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle:

All shipping and packing materials are re-used or recycled.
Business cards and flyers are printed on 100% recycled paper by Greener Printer. (http://www.greenerprinter.com/)
As much as possible, we send all paperwork electronically.
All office paper is 100% recycled and is used on both sides. At the end of its lifecycle, all paper is recycled via the Baltimore County Recycling Program. (http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/publicworks/recycling/)
Websites are hosted by green-energy Sustainable Websites. (http://www.sustainablewebsites.com/)
Office/meeting room/studio furniture and display pieces are 90% reused, second-hand or antique, purchased locally at resale shops or vintage/antique stores. Two new meeting area furniture pieces created with FSC woods and washable cotton slipcases.
Only soy or vegetable wax candles are burn in work areas, client meeting areas, studio shooting space and bathrooms. As much as possible, we purchase locally-made soy candles.
Cloth towels provided in bathrooms for employee/assistant and client use.
Regular recycling includes paper, plastics 1 through 7, aluminum, glass, e-waste and compact discs/DVDs.
All old books or other supplies in usable condition are donated to a local church charity that provides free goods to needy families.
As many items as possible are repurposed or reused in the office. For example, waste paper is made into tablets, assuring that both sides of all paper are used.
Recyclables are carried back from off-site jobs, unless a recycling program is in place where we were shooting.
As much as possible recycled products are used for office, studio and home, including framing and matting materials, photographic printing paper, paper products (toilet paper, paper towels and tissues, as well as office paper, envelopes and packing boxes), drinking glasses/kitchenware.
Monthly recycling quantity outweighs, by volume, monthly solid/landfill waste by 50%.
In the studio, balance uses cloth backdrops that can be washed and reused instead of tradition disposable paper backdrops.
No plastic water bottles are purchased for employees or clients. Filtered tap water is served in reusable mugs and glasses.
Food and landscaping waste is composted and used in the garden.
Organic coffee, tea and cocoa are purchased for employees and clients to enjoy.
Organic and bulk snacks are kept in work areas for employees to enjoy.
A local green cleaning service, Crystal Cleaning, deep-cleans the entire building (office, studio, home) bi-monthly. (http://www.crystalcleaning.biz/)
Reusable bags are used for all business/personal shopping, and large-size client products are delivered in reusable bags.
When a disc of images is purchased by a client, it is delivered in a recycled plastic case.
Back in the days of film photography, we repurposed several hundred clear plastic film canisters
and made them into a light-up Christmas tree!

Employees/Assistants:

Employees/assistants are all paid living wages. (All employees/assistants are part time.)
No free interns are used.
Post-production and retouching are all done in-house; no images are outsourced to bulk production companies off-shore.
In addition to professional cleanings, all employee/assistant work areas are cleaned regularly using biodegradable products from Seventh Generation, Method, Simple Green and Bon Ami. Employees are not exposed to hazards chemical cleaners on the job.
No heavy or hazardous machinery is used in the business.
Workspace was painted with Zero VOC paints.
Employees/assistants have access to breaks as needed, beyond the legal requirement of 15 minutes per 4-hour shift. Access to a working kitchen and bathroom are always available when employees/assistants are working in balance office/studio.
All restroom and kitchen soaps are biodegradable Method or Seventh Generation products.
Employees/assistants are given paid training and education on the job, specific to the photography field and balance's unique style. This occasionally includes professional enhancement worksops, multi-day seminars and community college courses.
Snacks and beverages, as well as occasional meals are provided for employees during all shoots/shifts.
Workplace environment is supportive of employees' sustainable values, and open to improvement via employee observations and suggestions.

Clients & Suppliers/Products:

Authentic relationships with our clients and suppliers are a constant goal.
Clients are offered an array of both local and green options for prints and albums. Prints and albums are available to clients printed on 100% recycled paper, recycled cotton, aluminum, bamboo and sugar papers. All products are made in America.
We update clients on our new products and services as much as possible via online methods to preserve paper and shipping resources.
We educate clients about proper storage, display and handling of their discs, prints, frames and albums so that they will last for generations.
Large product purchases (such as albums or display prints) are delivered in reusable cloth bags.
Vision of sustainability is shared with vendors/suppliers. We encourage them to make one small change at a time, like switching to recycled paper business cards, trying bamboo make-up brushes or offering biodegradable cups in their dining area. Every little bit helps.

Community Involvement:

Annual charity projects are taken on, each one dedicated a particular charitable group since 2005. Many of these projects were large in scale, and resulted in considerable sums of money being donated to the charity involved, as well as hundreds of hours of time and photography/design services. Employees are paid their usual wage to work on charity projects for balance.
Active membership in the Greater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce. balance currently volunteers in the Communications committee and the Green committee for the Catonsville Chamber of Commerce.
Any school or charity that requests a donation for an art or fund-raising auction is given at least one signed, original print, framed in recycled, bamboo or vintage mat/frame materials.
Photography Merit badge programs for local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Co-produced and originated the Mid-Atlantic Green Wedding Showcase, which was a bridal event and fashion show featuring the region's most chic and sustainable vendors. The Showcase had hundreds of attendees, received media attention and was nominated for an ISES award for its 2010 production. (http://www.greenweddingshowcase.com/)

Professional Memberships:

Gold level, Green America/Green Pages (http://www.greenamerica.org/)
Leadership level, Greener Photography (http://www.greenerphotography.org/)
5-Leaf Rating, Green Bride Guide (http://www.greenbrideguide.com/vendor/balance-photography)
Greater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce, Presidential Award Winner
Professional Photographers of America
National Press Photographers Association