The popularity of wildlife photography has substantially increased in recent decades, intensifying pressure on charismatic species. Previous research has shown that photos taken at close distances can elevate stress, cause behavioral changes, and sometimes lead to habituation to humans. Here, we determine if camera use by marine recreationists affects the distance maintained from sea otters at various Central California sites. From February 2021 to September 2023, scan-sampling methods were used by Sea Otter Savvy staff and community science members to collect observational data. We found that individuals with a camera had an average distance of 27.4 meters from sea otters while those without a camera were 37.7 meters away (p<0.001). Among camera users, those with a cell phone were 2.41 meters closer to sea otters on average than those with a single-lens reflex camera (p<0.001). These results demonstrate that cameras, especially on cell phones, shorten the human-otter distance and increase the probability of disturbance. Sea otters are particularly vulnerable given their high energetic demands and can have their survival or reproductive success comprised by human disturbance. Thus, individuals engaging in photography should maintain a respectful distance to achieve peaceful co-existence with sea otters.