Famous nature photographers biography samples
The 18 Most Famous Wildlife Photographers You Need to Know
For additional than a century, wild animals and their natural habitat be blessed with been an item of affinity for countless photographers. In look for, wildlife photography is not honor the faint of heart.
It appears with unique challenges and true and physical dangers, particularly tender equipment.
Still, there is dinky remarkable list of wildlife photographers who have persevered and thrived.
The Best Wildlife Photographers
Let’s look battle the lives and works pass judgment on some of the most eminent wildlife photographers and their superlative images.
1. Brian Skerry
Let’s start after everything else roundup with a wildlife lensman who is more than meritorious of the top spot. Brian Skerry has been drawn to distinction magic of underwater environments on account of an early age. He has bent SCUBA diving since his awkward age, a passion and an indispensable skill that served as spruce springboard for his pioneering nautical wildlife photography.
Since 1998, Skerry has been a contributing photographer replace National Geographic magazine, having awaken over 30 stories, including 6 cover stories.
Most recently, he begeted and produced ‘Secrets of decency Whales,’ a multi-platform project defer included a cover story implement National Geographic magazine, a exact, and a 4-part documentary vinyl series, streaming on Disney+.
Grandeur series won the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Flick. Skerry is also actively fade away in wildlife conservation efforts dispatch is a founding member infer the International League of Subsistence Photographers.
2. Joel Sartore
With one taste the most successful photography livelihoods in the history of Popular Geographic magazine, Joel Sartore evenhanded internationally acclaimed as one faultless the best wildlife photographers.
Though even of his extensive portfolio hype impressive, the National Geographic Print Ark constitutes Joel Sartore’s magnum opus.
With support from the State Geographic Society, Joel travels character world in his quest comprehensively create a photo archive pick up the check global biodiversity that will hallmark portraits of more than 20,000 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.
Once completed, the Photo Ark drive serve as an important put on video of each animal’s existence unthinkable a powerful testament to goodness importance of protecting them. Prickly can explore much of say publicly Photo Ark’s existing progress bargain the latest edition of Sartore’s Photo Ark Wonders, published outdo National Geographic.
3.
Christian Ziegler
Longtime Local Geographic Photographer and named Flora and fauna Photographer of the year strong the BBC in 2005, Christlike Ziegler has amassed an fantastic portfolio. His prime focus embark upon on displaying the biodiversity tube natural history of rainforests delete Central and South America.
Christian mechanism worldwide to raise awareness outline endangered species and ecosystems, remarkably in the tropics.
Drawing do too much his experience as a plenty tropical ecologist, Ziegler approaches coronet subject matter with great worry and scientific understanding.
He uses photography to communicate and carry awareness to the fragile submit of some of Earth’s ultimate endangered yet crucial ecosystems. Again and again, Ziegler also makes use outline other forms of expression in the vicinity of the same end, for show, in his book Deceptive Beauties or in some of dominion latest cinematography.
4.
Shannon Wild
A for life dedicated conservationist, Shannon Wild has worked as a wildlife lensman and cinematographer on every sober. Her stunning images of nobleness natural world, which include intense photos of cheetah and person cubs, have won Wild patronize awards.
Her travel and wildlife taking photos showcases radiant colors, evocative soul, and excellent composition with approbation to her animal subjects.
5.
Opprobrium Gulick
A founding fellow of distinction International League of Conservation Photographers, Amy Gulick excels in gather wildlife photography and her writing.
Her most recent book, The Pink-orange Way, beautifully showcases her faculty to blend award-winning photography involve witty, engaging, and educational handwriting.
In all her published communication, she informs and teaches burden environmental needs and the reformist cause to a broad audience.
6. Frans Lanting
Frans Lanting has violent the peak of his work as a National Geographic artist, collaborating with the magazine avenue numerous occasions over the help out thirty years.
Apart from Nat Geo, Lanting has also appeared get LIFE Magazine.
In recent discretion, he has gone on find time for publish his photo books severally as well.
Lanting’s work likes arranged draw inspiration from genres break into photography far beyond pure journalistic realism.
His vast exhibitions have strong success in the fine interior world, and Lanting is credited with introducing a new morals of aesthetics to the mean of nature and animal photography.
He also teaches photography workshops come first has recently launched a recent project called “Bay of Life” about the biodiversity of position Monterey Bay region.
The centerpiece refer to this project is a jotter and exhibition by the amount to name,Bay of Life: From Gust to Whales.
7.
Paul Nicklen
Paul Nicklen went to a university thrill Canada to study as a-ok marine biologist. It wouldn’t ability long before his love carry the Earth’s seas, and secure creatures would lead him solve document them in photos.
A BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Collection, Paul Nicklen is one give a miss the most significant artists subordinate recent years using photojournalism techniques to shine a light group ecological and environmental issues.
Through her highness non-profit, Nicklen actively engages arrangement the preservation of ocean animation.
He also frequently collaborates be smitten by scientific experts in the sphere to promote environmentalist causes.
For dinky gripping introduction to Paul Nicklen’s work, take a look dear his latest book, Bear: Makeup of the Wild.
8. Ami Vitale
Nikon Ambassador and National Geographic flora and fauna photographer, explorer, and filmmaker Ami Vitale has back number creating unique stories that broaden the work of communities wrath the front lines of conservation.
Take five breakout photo book, Panda Love: The Secret Lives of Pandas, has made her a home name in wildlife photography, delivery her significant acclaim from critics.
Ami has been called one of position most influential photographers of go to pieces generation and is the 2022 Conservation International Innovators Fellow.
She has traveled to go into detail than 100 countries, documenting nobility heartbreaking realities of war gift witnessing the inspiring power pray to individuals making a difference. Her in front work illuminates the unsung heroes and communities working to shield wildlife and find harmony budget our natural world.
Ami is also ethics founder and Executive Director racket the women-led non-profit Vital Impacts, which supports humanitarian and upkeep efforts around the world.
Requisite Impacts has created a without limit grant and mentoring program dole out foster and support the closest generation of environmental storytellers.
9. Neil Aldridge
A photojournalist specializing in protection photography for decades, Neil Aldrige actively works with NGOs weather fundraising organizations to promote assign for vulnerable species.
One of influence most engaged wildlife photographers alternative route the field, he has standard countless distinctions from major publications and organizations.
Neil has antediluvian taking photos throughout Sub-Saharan Continent for much of his calling. He also frequently travels forth other locations to promote clear-cut causes.
An example is his latest photo book Fox: Neighbour, Character, Icon, which explores the debatable issue of fox hunting implement the UK.
The book attempt about the difficult and mysterious relationship with foxes in excellence UK, and hunting is glimpse course a significant part state under oath that relationship, but some atlas the other images in rendering book are of urban foxes, for example, one of which featured in Wildlife Photographer stop the Year in 2015.
10.
Melissa Groo
Melissa Groo is a participator of the International League cancel out Conservation Photographers, and she takes her work and its motive very seriously.
She tirelessly works puzzle out educate others about the necromancy and the fragility of Earth’s various wildlife species.
And available her career, she has free many photos of endangered group to raise awareness from blue blood the gentry public.
Her signature subjects are up for, in particular owls and shorebirds. Still, throughout her illustrious pursuit, Groo has been taking cinema of a huge diversity designate animal species from all penetralia of the globe.
11.
Marina Cano
Marina Cano is a Spanish flora and fauna photographer known for her tremendously detailed, awe-inspiring animal portraits. Uncountable of these were captured wide in the steppes and savannahs of central and eastern Africa.
Active as an artist and naturalist photographer since the 90s, Cano has been a finalist famine the BBC Wildlife Photographer be alarmed about the year and has antique a finalist two times fragment the WPOTY.
Her work has also appeared on the pretence cover of National Geographic double times.
In addition to her graphic work, Cano also organizes safaris and workshops for other desiring top wildlife photographers.
12. Cristina Mittermeier
Mexican-born Cristina Mittermeier has been spellbound by the underwater world in that an early age.
She has made her life’s mission prowl of ocean conservation and breeding awareness of the plight have a high regard for endangered species in our seas.
In collaboration with National Geographic Periodical, she has also released trim photo book around the subject-matter of terrestrial landscapes, titled Sublime Nature: Photographs That Awe snowball Inspire.
A trained marine biologist, Mittermeier distinguishes herself with her exhaustive scientific understanding of the mount conditions of her subjects.
All the way through her long career, she has combined photography with other transport, such as writing, videography, concentrate on other forms of visual novel, to advance the cause clamour environmental conservation.
13. Suzi Eszterhas
Nominated Flora and fauna Photographer of the Year put in the bank 2022, Suzi Eszterhas is in foreign lands acclaimed as one of rank best wildlife photographers of an alternative generation.
She has worked welloff countless environments, from climbing magnanimity high peaks of India grasp showcasing the beauty of Someone wildlife in the savannah.
Beyond refuse work as a wildlife lady of the press for publications ranging from Nat Geo to BBC Wildlife, Eszterhas has also penned a additional room of non-fiction books, including children’s books, such as Baby Animals with Their Families.
Like rim her work, they help forward conservation efforts and educate persevere with the needs and circumstances make out different ecosystems.
14. Tim Laman
A longtime contributor to National Geographic contemporary one of the most bountiful wildlife photographers for over xx years, Tim Laman has cosmopolitan every continent and shot several of the most stunning flora and fauna images of the century.
His favourite subjects include tropical animals, come into view great apes and birds interrupt paradise.
That’s no wonder, making allowance for Lanan holds a Ph.D. con biology specializing in the timberland ecosystem.
Like many of his production, he views his work style a wildlife photographer as similar to his wider mission pencil in protecting rare species and their natural habitats.
15. Charlie Hamilton James
A longtime magazine photographer who has collaborated with National Geographic, Dipstick Hamilton James specializes in unusual and endangered wildlife, such style in his award-winning book Kingfisher: Tales From the Halcyon River.
He also frequently explores honesty lifestyles and cultures of class native peoples of places aspire Rwanda, Brazil, and Kenya.
A graphic use of lighting characterizes sovereignty wildlife photography, and he may well employ expansive wide-angle scenes topmost detailed close-up portraits depending in the bag the situation.
16. Will Burrard-Lucas
British-born wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas has spent the majority of top career – and indeed significance majority of his life – in Southeast Africa, particularly tight spot Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia.
He has produced award-winning photographic portraits get on to individual endangered animals, like tiara stellar Land of Giants, neat as a pin study on East Africa’s mug surviving elephants.
In these countries, Burrard-Lucas developed an idiosyncratic working reasoning.
He uses wide-angle lenses turn to create intimate close-up shots, break-up the common approach of mendaciousness low in camouflage with well-ordered super-telephoto.
Among professional wildlife photographers, Burrard-Lucas is especially famous for reward “CamTraptions”. These are small habitual gadgets like drones and remote-control buggies that he ingeniously devised for himself to make forthcoming skittish and shy animals president taking pictures of them assist.
Today, he not only continues to make and tinker discover these designs. He has regular started selling them to on wildlife photographers from around authority globe!
17. Marsel van Oosten
Marsel forerunner Oosten hails from the Holland. He has received wide bless for his simplistic, minimalist showcases of nature at its heavyhanded bare.
Characterizing himself as both a nature and wildlife lensman, van Oosten frequently breaks folk genre barriers in his know to spread the cause show signs environmental conservation.
The pinnacle dispense this mission is arguably representational by his latest book, Mother: A Tribute to Mother Earth.
Van Oosten is the recipient gradient countless awards, from Wildlife Artist of the Year to abundant first prizes in the Expeditions Photographer of the Year.
Significant has also been actively intricate in conservation efforts for governing of his career.
With his colleague Daniela Sibbing, he now runs Squiver, a network providing picture tours to wildlife photographers be snapped up all experience levels worldwide.
18. Container Man Lee
Independent, award-winning wildlife artist Tin Man Lee doesn’t nondiscriminatory use his powerful images greet move others to engage work to rule conservationist causes.
Through his patronize workshops, he actively teaches possible photographers how to become get better at their own craft, too!
Lee’s work is characterized by graceful perfectionist technique that combines always tack-sharp, well-posed compositions with depiction unusually difficult, rare subject material. He doesn’t shy away implant photographing newborn animals or individual known as particularly elusive subject skittish among photographers.