GWC featured on Cal Academy of Sciences’ Breakfast Club Show

Don’t Miss this Bold Conversation about Women in Conservation Photography!

GWC Founder & Executive Director Suzi Eszterhas, GWC Board Vice President Susan McElhinney, and GWC partner photographers Jaymi Heimbuch and Morgan Heim sat down with Cal Academy’s Breakfast Club for an honest conversation about women in wildlife photography.

Watch Cal Academy’s conversation with Suzi, Susan, Morgan, and Jaymi!

In this courageous discussion, Suzi, Susan, Morgan, and Jaymi shared the personal challenges they have faced in the field as a female photographer. 

The conversation drove to the heart of discrimination in the industry, and included important and controversial topics:

• Gendered language in photography articles
• Photography gear advertisements and sizing
• Types of imagery receiving preference in photography contests
• Harassment and violence in the field
• Pay inequality
• Lack of transparency in hiring and pay scales in the industry
• Advantages of being a woman in the field
• Exponential importance of finding your own voice as a woman

The conversation was brutally honest and at times painful as the talk turned in particular towards sexual harassment and incidents of physical violence while in the field. But there is hope for future generations thanks to the work of women like Suzi, Suan, Morgan, and Jaymi, as well as organizations like Cal Academy that put the spotlight on these issues. 

One of the most important steps in getting more women into the professional industry is removing obstacles to getting them hired. Morgan and Jaymi are founders of Her Wild Vision Initiative. Through an online, international directory, the project makes it easier for notoriously busy photo editors to find female and female-identified conservation photographers and videographers. As the project boldly states: “No more excuses for not being able to find us.”

Next up – stay tuned for a future Breakfast Club show about the lack of diversity in nature photography. 

Thank you all for supporting female and female-identified professionals!