Join Denise Ippolito and GWC for an introductory workshop on Photoshop Workspace!
This workshop is for girls and female-identified youth ages 13-18. We do make age exceptions for motivated students. This workshop is free.
Please remember to have a parent/guardian to fill out the online waiver. If a participant is over 18, please fill out the form yourself.
Please fill out the form below to register!
Join Cheryl Alexander for a workshop on photographing wild wolves!
This workshop will take place on Saturday October 9th at 10am Pacific time, 1pm Eastern time. This workshop is for girls and female-identified youth ages 13-18. We do make age exceptions for motivated students. This workshop is free.
For six years, Cheryl observed and documented a lone wolf, producing an award-winning film, Takaya: Lone Wolf, as well as creating books about Takaya.
Follow Takaya’s Story on Instagram: @takayalonewolf
Facebook page for TAKAYA: @takayalonewolfTakaya
Cheryl’s other professional work can be found on WildAwake Images Webpage: www.wildawake.com and on Instagram: @cherwildawake
Please fill out the form below to register!
To our wonderful Girls Who Click Community,
We are so excited to announce the second year of the Girls Who Click Ambassador Program. The application window is NOW OPEN! Complete your application until October 31,2021.
The Ambassador Program guides young female and female-identified+ photographers/videographers ages 16-30 through a one year (at minimum!) mentorship. We pair each Ambassador with a photographer who will mentor her in fundamental areas: developing a portfolio, breaking into the industry, and cultivating a network of supportive individuals.
Girls Who Click is committed to creating an inclusive program for participants from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Each photographer will learn and grow from her mentor as well as from our bigger Girls Who Click Ambassador community. Like all of our programs, the Ambassador Program is completely free for participants.
How do you apply to become an Ambassador? It’s simple. Complete our online application and send us a portfolio of 40 images. We want all who are interested to be able to apply. If you have any questions or need any help, you can email us at info@girlswhoclick.org at any time.
This last year, we’ve had bright, amazing photographers and videographers in the Ambassador Program. We are thrilled to continue the trend and welcome more Ambassadors in 2022, helping them work towards their career goals and navigate the professional photography industry.
And, we couldn’t do it without our amazing sponsors: ThinkTank, LEE Filters, and Wild Idea Lab.
Here’s to another year of the Ambassador Program!
With gratitude,
Suzi Eszterhas
Founder & Executive Director, Girls Who Click
Welcome to Part 4 of our GWC Ambassador series! In this post, we feature four more talented photographers in this program, learn about their inspiring work, and talk about some of the challenges in nature photography.
Make sure to check out the rest of the series on our blog.
I’m a visual storyteller especially interested in projects with a focus on wildlife conservation, ecosystem restoration and human stories about our relationship with nature. Natural history is a subject that captures my imagination like no other and I cannot remember a time when I have not been filled with a sense of wonder and fascination for the living things we share our planet with. I first picked up a camera in primary school. As a kid who felt like they didn’t really fit in, using a camera was like my key to the world. It gave me the confidence to pursue my interest in nature.
When I was in college, I got my heart set on a career in wildlife photography and film. And in 2017, I graduated from Falmouth University with a first class bachelor’s degree in Marine and Natural History Photography. Since then I have worked on assignments with The Canid Project, Shepreth Hedgehog Hospital, the United Nations and the National Geographic Society.
My projects include photographing the critically important work of rangers on the frontline of wildlife conservation in Kyrgyzstan, documenting endemic species in the Galapagos Archipelago, filming the rescue and rehabilitation of European hedgehogs and filming the voyage of a boat made out of recycled flip flops on Lake Victoria in Uganda.
I applied to the Ambassador program because I struggle with imposter syndrome. I sometimes doubt my abilities and can miss out on opportunities as a result of this. Also, when you are a freelancer you need to constantly build your network and develop your skill set to maintain a steady income. Girls Who Click seemed like an excellent opportunity for both networking and professional development.
My mentor is Katie Schuler, a co-founder of Coral and Oak Studio. Katie’s films about pangolins are a huge inspiration to me and during the mentorship she has helped me to build confidence and learn new skills. Being a GWC Ambassador has allowed me to connect with a community of like-minded individuals and gain confidence in my professional life.
At the start of 2021, I relocated to Nairobi, Kenya for my work with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It has been a difficult time and moving abroad during a pandemic is no easy task. Like so many across the world, I am separated from my family and loved ones with no option to see them while international travel bans are in place. However, I have been extremely fortunate to relocate to such a beautiful country. Since living here I have been able to pursue lots of interesting projects close to home and learn about the fascinating Kenyan wildlife.
The next decade has been declared by the United Nations as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. So I am excited to be working on stories with the local community in Nairobi, where youth groups are restoring urban areas through litter picking, tree planting and creating green spaces. I am also enjoying a personal project where I have been working on documenting a local tea farm and their beautiful garden which attracts an incredible diversity of wildlife.
I´m a wildlife ecologist, conservationist, and self-taught wildlife and landscape photographer from Germany. My photography journey started back in 2013 when I went to Uganda for a 5-months internship. Right before leaving Germany, I bought my first camera so I could capture all the natural wonders of this country. I knew nothing about photography, let alone how a camera works, so I basically let my camera do the job. However, I really enjoyed taking photos, especially capturing all the wild animals.
Back in Germany, I barely touched my camera for a few years. Wildlife is not so easy to photograph in Europe, and I just moved to the Netherlands to start my career in wildlife ecology and conservation. Luckily, it was these science-related studies that brought me back to photography. Through my studies, I got an incredible chance to work with wildlife all around the world, my camera always being my loyal companion.
Eventually, I upgraded my equipment to a new set-up that took my photography to a new level! Finally, I was able to capture what fascinates me the most: wild animals in their natural habitat. Since then, I try to spend every free minute outside in order to capture everything wild; from birds in my backyard, to iconic wildlife in Africa and fascinating landscapes all over the globe.
Before I found out about GWC and the Ambassador program, I felt a bit lost in my photography journey. I wanted to do more with my photos, give them meaning instead of simply piling them up on my hard drive. However, I did not want to choose between a career in wildlife ecology or wildlife photography, thus I started to think about combining my two passions.
One day I was scrolling through my Instagram feed when I came across a post from GWC and the Ambassador program. That was the first time that I heard about GWC and when I started to look into the program, I knew that this would be my chance to find my right path. I also hoped to get in touch with other creative and like-minded girls from all around the world, because to be honest, my photography network was very male-dominated till then.
My mentor is Janet Kleyn. Janet is a professional wildlife photographer and nature and trails guide from South Africa, and she is now managing a photographic concession in Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana. People who know me know that she´s the perfect match for me. We have monthly zoom meetings, and she prepares different assignments for me each month that I can work on. For example, last month we worked on high- and low-key photography. She is challenging and motivating me every month and I’m learning so much from her. I´m really happy to have her by my side.
Also, thanks to the program I connected with so many different and talented young women from all around the world, and every single one of them is a true inspiration for me. Still can’t believe I am part of this!
I am currently writing my master’s thesis about how different environmental factors influence the fecundity of red kites and black kites in eastern Germany. I also landed my first proper job as an ecologist/biologist in northern Germany. So, my thesis and job are keeping me quite busy. Photography-wise I´m currently exploring my new home, especially the local nature areas, and I try to capture everything wild around here.
I am a wildlife videographer and photographer, based in London, England. I am in my element whilst surrounded by nature, observing and learning from wildlife – filming and photography enable me to share those experiences in a meaningful way.
Over the past few years, I have used my spare time to work with wildlife organisations and non-profits, showcasing their conservation efforts through images and videos. Going forward, I am determined to turn my passion for nature and visual storytelling into a full-time pursuit by creating and sharing powerful, visually compelling stories.
I have found that whilst working long hours in a different industry, it is easy to put your dreams and goals on the backburner and let months (or even years) pass in the blink of an eye. This pushed me to apply to the Girls Who Click program – I felt it could help guide me through the progress of achieving my goal of entering the industry professionally: helping me to focus on next steps, giving me accountability and the constructive criticism on my work that I was craving.
I wanted the opportunity to learn from experts, really push myself and to join a community of like-minded filmmakers and photographers. Girls Who Click has not disappointed!
Esther Horvath, my mentor, is an incredible inspiration – she is a documentary photographer who focuses on showcasing the work of scientists in the polar regions. The Girls Who Click team did a brilliant job of matching us up; we share a very similar background: both having had a different career path before pursuing photography/filmmaking.
Esther has been a huge source of advice and motivation for me over the last few months. I have already learnt a lot, from experimenting with different techniques, to carving out time to pursue personal projects, or invaluable advice with editing photo stories. She pushes me to be my best and I am incredibly grateful for all her support!
At the moment I am excited to be working on a project about conflict between fishing communities and grey seals in the UK, exploring how rapid growth of colonies – on the face of it conservation success – creates novel challenges. They are amazing creatures, and the UK is home to about 50% of the world’s grey seal population, so is crucial to their long-term survival.
I am a conservation photographer and environmental educator from Mexico City in Mexico. I have been doing photography for almost 10 years now and have always focused my work on helping nature conservation.
For the last 4 years I have been working on a project called Mexico City’s Wildlife, aimed at teaching citizens, especially children about the wildlife that still survives in the forests, wetlands and other ecosystems in Mexico City and how they can aid in their conservation. The project is done all through photography, science and workshops at schools as well as public photographic exhibitions.
I am also an environmental and animal rights activist. Right now I am a volunteer and spokesperson for the “Xochimilco Vivo” collective fighting to save one of Mexico City’s last wetlands: Xochimilco.
I applied to GWC in hopes of getting my career out there. As a woman, and even worse a Mexican woman, making it in the nature photography industry is really complicated as work opportunities are slim or practically non-existent, and our work as women tends to be overlooked by fellow male colleagues and other institutions. So I wanted to learn how to get past these obstacles.
Sadly due to personal and economical issues, related to these hurdles and now also the pandemic, I was forced to leave the Ambassador program and photography for a while in order to help out my family financially.
My mentor was Diana Caballero Alvarado. She is a conservation photographer living in Veracruz, Mexico, she has been focusing her work in giving a voice to native bees and their relationship with the environment. During the mentorships, we were working on my storytelling and other techniques. Although our ways of telling stories and making photographs are different and don’t quite “click” with one another, I learned a lot from her and will forever be grateful for this opportunity.
Right now I have gone back to working a 9-5 job, at least for a while to get back on my feet and help out my family financially. I hope to resume photography and my projects when everything is calmer in the near future.
See more of Tamara’s work here.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next installment of this series.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity
Written by Alice Sun
Growing up, Alice’s dream was to become a National Geographic photographer. This passion led her to spend much of her high school years photographing and sharing stories of wildlife in her own backyard, which earned her a spot in the 2016 NANPA High School Scholarship Program. She then went on to pursue a degree in environmental biology and a graduate certificate in environmental visual communication, sharpening her skills and building a foundation for a career in visual storytelling. Today, she is a freelance science communicator and conservation storyteller based in Vancouver, Canada. Inspiring young people to pursue the same dream she had is something that Alice is passionate about, and why she’s extremely be on the Girls Who Click team! Visit Alice’s website (alicesun.ca) to see the stories she has told over the years.
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Join Katie Schuler and GWC for a workshop on Macro Photography!
This workshop is for girls and female-identified youth ages 13-18. We do make age exceptions for motivated students. This workshop is free.
Please remember to have a parent/guardian to fill out the online waiver. If a participant is over 18, please fill out the form yourself.
Please fill out the form below to register!
We’re back with another round of interviews with GWC Ambassadors, including some of our youngest members in the program. We have no doubt you’ll be inspired.
We’ll be posting more of these blogs throughout this year. Make sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the series as well!
I’m an intersectional conservationist, approaching conservation from the perspective of an ecologist, a photojournalist and storyteller, while trying to see these issues in context of their social ecosystems. I always call myself a conservationist first and photographer second since I got into photography from a biology background. My love of nature and wildlife drives me, and photography happens to be my chosen medium for wanting to protect it.
I’m also EurAsian, I come from a mixed European-Asian background and grew up in many countries. This is another reason I felt compelled to be in photojournalism and photography because I found that many of the conversations that we’re having around environmentalism are coming from the same, almost neo-colonialist, perspective. Especially around the issues that I care deeply about like the wildlife trade. I felt that people were really pointing their fingers toward certain cultures and communities of people that they either just didn’t even try to understand, or just weren’t granting enough cultural empathy to different traditions, ways of thinking, and ways of life… which doesn’t do these issues justice and is ultimately an obstacle to progress. So that’s another big reason why I wanted to go into the storytelling element of conservation.
Well, I think Girls Who Click is just the most wonderful organization. I really see it like a little family and it represents what I think is the most important thing we need to do as women in this industry, and that is collaboration, connection, and supporting each other.
It’s also such an incredible opportunity to have a mentor, which is especially valuable in the photography industry. I talk about representation a lot, and how you don’t understand how bad it feels to not have representation until you finally do have representation. To feel seen and welcome in the community, or at least see a little bit of myself in somebody out there is so helpful. There’s almost no representation for women, particularly women of color in our industry. So I thought I’d apply and see if I could connect with someone who I might not have come across before that could act as that role model for me.
Through this mentorship, I’m hoping to achieve a sense of community, to grow as a person and a photographer, and to be held accountable to my growth. I’m also doing a degree at the same time, and it’s really quite easy to put this part of my life on the back burner.
She’s the most fantastic human being. Her name is Amy Marquis and we have so much in common from our values to our experiences as women of color. She’s a filmmaker, but also actively stands up for her principles and what she believes in, which is really inspiring. Her background in film has also encouraged me to think about different mediums to approach the same conversations. So I’m super happy and grateful to have connected with her.
I think the program has helped me in providing community and support, having representation, and having this mentor. It means so much to me in terms of how I view myself in this industry now and where I see myself going in my career.
I’m doing a master’s degree in tropical forest ecology focusing my research on acoustic ecology, which has been great but is also consuming my day-to-day. I’ve been trying to develop a story that I started during the pandemic that I could do from the UK but haven’t had the time to fully pursue. It’s one of those things where you’re sitting on an idea for a while and you have some photos…but with London in lockdown for the last four months and being a full-time grad student, you’re limited by what you can do. Let’s just say that I’m brewing the ideas but also allowing myself to rest considering this chaotic year.
See Celina’s work here.
I’m a 17 year old from Colorado who really enjoys the outdoors and working around wildlife. At the young age of six, I told everyone I wanted to be an entomologist when I grew up. Even though bugs aren’t my favorite thing in the world anymore, I’ve always known that I want to do work involving the natural world in one way or another. I’ve volunteered for a couple different environmental studies and was able to work with a zoo’s outreach team to teach kids about conservation. I have also always been a creative person and am constantly creating drawings and playing music. Nature photography has been a great way for me to connect my creative side with the outdoors, all while showing others what it is that makes wildlife and nature so interesting.
Being a junior in high school comes with a lot of people asking about where you want to go to college or what career path you want to pursue. With all of these big decisions coming up, I wanted to learn more about some of the directions I could go in. Up until I applied, wildlife photography had been a hobby that I didn’t take super seriously. Since applying, I’ve been learning how to take my photography to the next level and about different opportunities to look out for.
I’ve been working with Karine Aigner. It’s been amazing to hear her story, which is helping me learn how to make connections. She has critiqued many of my photos and helped me decide on which photos to enter into contests. I’m also new to using a DSLR camera and Karine has been an amazing resource for learning about different gear and camera settings. The program is also connecting me to a lot of amazing like-minded people.
I just spent the last eight months in California and now I’m back in Colorado. So far, I’ve had good luck finding a few different species of owls. This summer, I’ll be able to document multiple nests and the behaviors these birds show when raising families. When I go back to California later this summer, I want to begin focusing more on the many different reptiles and amphibians in the area.
See more of Sadie’s work here.
I grew up in Huntington Beach, California, and earned my bachelor’s degree in Film Production at UCLA. After working as a director and cinematographer for a few years, I found my dream job, working as a wildlife photographer on a whale watch boat, where I got to photograph whales and dolphins every day. When the pandemic hit, I was furloughed, and I have used this time to earn my 100 ton captain’s license, and try scuba diving for the very first time. It turns out I love being underwater, and I’ve been diving every chance I can get. I now have my advanced open water certification, and I’m currently working toward my divemaster credential, as well as expanding my body of underwater photography.
I applied to GWC because I was feeling very directionless, as I was jobless in the midst of the pandemic. While I had the wildlife photography skill set, I felt that I was lacking a network of contacts and wasn’t sure where to turn for help. Through the program, I am hoping to build connections with like-minded, powerful women whose aim is to support one another in the pursuit of conservation photography. If it results in me finding paid work in this field, all the better!
My mentor is Brenda Tharp, and I am overjoyed to have her as a mentor and a friend. Knowing that I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to go with my photography, she has given me space and support to test my strengths. Brenda has helped me to hone my focus into specific areas, so I can sharpen those skills and define myself better as an artist. She has also been essential in quelling my self doubt and encouraging me to do things outside of my comfort zone.
I’m diving every day that the weather will allow me to! Working on my underwater photography and videography has been such a fun challenge, and I’m currently on the lookout for interesting underwater animal behaviors in order to shoot a short film. That being said, I’m really excited for when I can travel again- I haven’t had the joy of diving in warm water yet!
See more of Chelsea’s work here.
My name is Daphne, and I’m finishing up my junior year of high school in Northern California. I’m still undecided on what exactly I want to do in college, but I’ve always loved STEM and nature, so likely something astronomy or biology related. I actually first got into photography because of my love for nature and the critters within it. Now, I’ve been a wildlife and nature photographer for about four years!
I applied to GWC because I’ve never really had professional feedback on my work. My cousin mentored me initially, and although he takes stunning, professional photographs and has built up quite the following on Instagram, he still had high school to focus on.
I got to attend one GWC workshop before COVID shut down in-person activities, which is where I met my mentor, Suzi Eszterhas. She and I connected out in the field and realized we live in the same town. We kept in touch after the workshop, and when the Girls Who Click Ambassador Program was announced, I was super excited to apply and she encouraged me to as well. Since then, she has taught me a lot about how to diversify my composition and edit. We also have created a few different portfolios of varying sizes and subjects to help me with future photography enterprises.
On Instagram, I am working on a color feed to try and keep editing. I haven’t had very many photography opportunities this year, but Suzi and I came up with a project to keep me actively taking photographs: an eye project! I’ve always been fascinated by all the beautiful shapes and colors that eyes reflect on the outside, so I’m working on a portfolio of different species’ eyes.
See more of Daphne’s work here.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next installment of this series.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity
Written by Alice Sun
Growing up, Alice’s dream was to become a National Geographic photographer. This passion led her to spend much of her high school years photographing and sharing stories of wildlife in her own backyard, which earned her a spot in the 2016 NANPA High School Scholarship Program. She then went on to pursue a degree in environmental biology and a graduate certificate in environmental visual communication, sharpening her skills and building a foundation for a career in visual storytelling. Today, she is a freelance science communicator and conservation storyteller based in Vancouver, Canada. Inspiring young people to pursue the same dream she had is something that Alice is passionate about, and why she’s extremely be on the Girls Who Click team! Visit Alice’s website (alicesun.ca) to see the stories she has told over the years.
Join Kathy Adams Clark and GWC for a workshop on Dragonfly Photography! You can find magnificent dragonflies near your home! You’ll learn about biology, camera settings, and gadgets in this class.
This workshop is for girls and female-identified youth ages 13-18. We do make age exceptions for motivated students. This workshop is free.
Please remember to have a parent/guardian to fill out the online waiver. If a participant is over 18, please fill out the form yourself.
Please fill out the form below to register!
7078002133
info@girlswhoclick.org
Welcome to Part 2 of our GWC Ambassador series, where we learn about the stories of the amazing young women in this program, and get a peek at all the exciting things they’ve been up to.
We’ll be posting more of these blogs throughout this year. Check out Part 1 of the series here.
I was born and raised in Barcelona, a bustling big city, but my head was constantly daydreaming of far-away wild places. My way to connect with wildlife was through the TV screen. So anytime I had a chance, I would watch nature documentaries, which only fueled my passion. I was the type of kid who drove my mom crazy by always showing up at the house with an injured bird or a turtle, who always caught bugs to put them under a microscope and who was known as a ‘walking animal encyclopedia’.
I wanted to be a zoologist, but at the time it wasn’t a career per-se in Spain. I ended up getting a college degree in Audiovisual Communication, hoping to be able to get close to animals with a camera and bring them closer to the public. My motto has always been “if I got to care so much about wild animals through a screen, I can help others feel the same by bringing them closer to the public.”
Soon after getting my degree I joined Sea Shepherd Global, an ocean conservation NGO. I was a camera operator for the TV show “Ocean Warriors“, which aired on Animal Planet. The footage was then used to create the award-winning documentary “Chasing the Thunder“. After that, I decided to remain on board their ships as their photographer/videographer, where I traveled around the world and documented the NGO’s actions in the fight against poaching and IUU fishing, mostly around west Africa.
During a Sea Shepherd campaign in Liberia, I met Karine Aigner. She is one the mentors of this program. I heard about Girls Who Click through her and her Instagram page. She encouraged me to sign up for it, and I’m so glad I did! Girls Who Click has offered a sense of community I had never experienced before. Being part of this team of incredibly inspiring women is a privilege.
I am pretty much self-taught when it comes to photography and filming. I have been a bit lost in how to continue to get involved in wildlife/conservation photography and videography, professionally. What pushed me to apply was feeling stuck in my career, not knowing how to take the next step, who to reach and how. I felt this program could help guide me through constructive criticism, bettering my skills, and connecting me with professionals in the industry. I hope I will be able to achieve my long-term goal of being involved with documenting wildlife and conservation projects. I am eager to find a project that I can collaborate or get involved with.
My mentor is Susan McElhinney. She is an amazing editor. I have been learning a lot from her feedback and constructive criticism as she has offered a unique insight on certain technical things like my composition and post-processing, to make my images more appealing to editors. I had never had my images reviewed by an editor or gotten constructive criticism from one, so I am grateful for what I am learning with her.
I moved to the US two years ago and had to spend most of my time waiting to get a Green Card. Almost immediately after I got it, the pandemic hit. Photography and videography have been hard this past year, so at the moment I am trying to find a story to document, and trying to find wildlife/conservation professionals or organizations to get involved with. Other than that, I am always learning and taking online courses on things I find interesting.
See Alejandra’s work here.
I grew up in a heavily concreted London suburb where nature and wildlife wasn’t always a given. Thankfully, I had a back garden and a mother who encouraged us to get outside as much as possible, and I was able to hold on to the childhood curiosity for nature that’s in all of us from a young age.
I came to photography quite late after discovering a love for the garden birds that visited throughout the year. I started reading up on different species’ migration patterns, behaviours, and favourite foods, and used this information to attract them to the garden and share my photography from home.
I was actually encouraged to apply by another ambassador. It was a brilliant opportunity to connect with other women in photography and hopefully broaden my horizons. Photography has been a hobby of mine and I want to be able to take it a step further and start to tell stories through photography. I use my social platform to encourage other POC to get involved in the outdoors, and hopefully photography can be another way to achieve this.
My mentor is Ami Vitale, who has been an inspiration to me for years. I feel completely honoured to have her as my mentor as she’s had such an amazing career. Being in lockdown pretty much solidly for the past year has got me down, but she’s given me the confidence to get outside and ‘just do it’. To go and take photographs and be comfortable in the outdoors.
I work full time in digital media for Atmos, a climate and culture magazine, so I try to get out with my camera as much as possible on the weekends. I’ve just moved houses, so I’m excited to explore the local area, find the best wildlife spots, and to start working on the garden to turn it into a wildlife haven!
See more of Elie’s work here.
Throughout my life, I’ve been constantly “learning by doing”, seeking opportunities to engage in engineering projects, cultural dialogues, and even improv comedy! What drives me is my desire to create an impact, because I believe the best way to tackle today’s wickedest problems is through an interdisciplinary, collaborative, approach.
After graduating from college, I’ve spent the last couple of years working for the State of California, supporting equity and environmental resilience efforts across the state. Through my job, I’ve seen how the stories we tell can shape policies and practices. Moving forward, I would like to leverage my photography skills to affect positive change in California and beyond. I am particularly interested in environmental storytelling since the health of the land and water systems we are collectively supported by will greatly influence the ability of current and future generations to thrive.
One day, as I was scrolling through my instagram feed, I stumbled across a post that caught my attention. It featured a girl on a mountain, focused on her camera, with a sunstar shining across her pack. It read “Become an Ambassador. #GirlsWhoClick“
I don’t know whether it was the sense of adventure that drew me to the photo or perhaps the camera set on the tripod. Maybe I was just power hungry and the word “Ambassador” sounded pretty neat to me. Either way, something resonated and I just had to learn more.
As I read up on the program, I realized that this opportunity could help me strengthen my voice, photography, and impact. Also, perhaps more importantly, it could provide a venue for connecting with other women who believe in the power of visual storytelling to improve our collective environment. As I participate in this program, I hope to engage with the Girls Who Click community and grow into a more thoughtful change-maker.
My mentor is the amazing Cathy Hart! She has been instrumental in helping me understand how to craft a photo-story and connecting me with folks in the photography world. I am very inspired by her ability to build lasting relationships with others and hope to mirror that in my personal and professional life. Cathy’s guidance, in addition to the amazing work I’ve been exposed to by fellow GWC ambassadors, has accelerated my growth and motivated me to work toward my goals.
Right now, I am on a three month journey traveling along the Pacific Coast (California, Oregon, Washington). At each spot, I’m learning about the local environment and conservation activities. I am excited to compare and contrast the issues and solutions I see happening across state lines. With Cathy’s guidance, I plan to share my insights through photo-stories and blog posts.
See more of Beth’s work here.
I’m a wildlife photographer and videographer with a keen eye for detail, specialising in macro and micro photography. I was born and raised in France, where my fascination for smaller creatures began. I moved to England a few years ago for my photography studies. It has allowed me to learn new skills and use specialised equipment for my images. Most of my projects revolve around capturing visually striking and vibrant photographs of insects up close. It is hard to get people to engage with insects, I therefore use my images as conversation starters to discuss the undeniable importance of insects for our ecosystems.
I applied to be a GWC Ambassador because, as much as my studies have helped with my technique, I wanted to learn more from professionals in the field as to how I could establish myself as a woman in the world of nature photography. Having a mentor that can guide you and motivate you to do the best work you can is invaluable. I hope that by being a GWC Ambassador, I will grow in confidence and start networking with people that are just as passionate as I am about our wildlife.
My mentor is Alyce Bender. She is extremely talented and easily approachable. I can send her any questions I have about what I am working on and she will get back to me quite quickly. We have monthly zoom meet up sessions where we discuss anything from how I am feeling during these hard times to how my photography can improve. She also sends me useful links to other wildlife photographers I should look at, as well as competitions I might find interesting. It is an incredible feeling that there is someone I can rely on to support me and my photography ambitions.
At the moment I am in the process of creating a book called “Our Hidden Neighbours”. It is based around the wildlife I found in my garden and nearby meadow. I have spent every summer for the past 2 years travelling home to see my family in the South West of France and going out under the blazing heat of a summer’s day to photograph the animals that are hidden in plain sight.
The book is in the ‘Meet Your Neighbours’ style of photography. I’ve fallen in love with this style as it is a way of capturing an image of the natural world without destroying it and also placing the wellbeing of the animals first. Instead of taking the animals and placing them in a studio, I take the studio to them! This allows me to represent what these fascinating creatures look like in their natural habitat whilst keeping the focus solely on them. It feels extremely rewarding to see all my hard work start to pay off. The beauty of the images do justice to these intriguing animals.
I’m also now in charge of the Meet Your Neighbours’s Instagram account. It allows me to keep promoting the technique and showcasing other people’s work from around the world. I’m really keen on continuing to connect people through the love of wildlife and photography.
See more of Katie’s work here.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next installment of this series.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity
Written by Alice Sun
Growing up, Alice’s dream was to become a National Geographic photographer. This passion led her to spend much of her high school years photographing and sharing stories of wildlife in her own backyard, which earned her a spot in the 2016 NANPA High School Scholarship Program. She then went on to pursue a degree in environmental biology and a graduate certificate in environmental visual communication, sharpening her skills and building a foundation for a career in visual storytelling. Today, she is a freelance science communicator and conservation storyteller based in Vancouver, Canada. Inspiring young people to pursue the same dream she had is something that Alice is passionate about, and why she’s extremely be on the Girls Who Click team! Visit Alice’s website (alicesun.ca) to see the stories she has told over the years.
Above photo: Amy Marquis on set for a feminist art film project in the River North art district in Denver. Photo by Jason Houston.
By now, we understand the need to cultivate diversity in conservation photography and filmmaking. Scientific analyses urge diversity across multiple disciplines. Countless articles criticize and dissect the lack of minorities in photography. Conversations like #blacklivesmatter are rising in volume.
So why do we still have a diversity problem in nature photography? A large part of it is because we don’t quite understand it. We don’t know how to begin. We don’t know how to address things without the situation becoming uncomfortable. We don’t know how to take action.
That’s why for this blog post, we sat down with GWC partner photographers Inka Cresswell, Karen Kasmauski, and Amy Marquis, and GWC Ambassador Celina Chien, to talk about the issue, their experiences as women of color, and specific actions that we all can take to create a more inclusive environment.
We’re at a point right now where the photography industry is shifting. Most people want to help solve the problem, as buzzwords like diversity and inclusion get tossed around. But what we often miss is that biases are everywhere.
For example, let’s explore Karen’s experience with exclusion in today’s digital era.
“The issue that I’m finding right now has nothing to do with my ethnic background, it has to do with my age.” she said. “I feel like I have to not ever say how old I am. I have to always act like I can do whatever it takes, and I just think that has to do with the changing technology. There’s just a perception that the digital world is for the younger generation.”
And the barriers Karen face go deeper than just appearances. Through our talk, Karen showed that everywhere we look, there are siloes. She talked about the challenges of switching from Japanese culture photography to global health photography. She talked about how she wanted to transfer from photography to management and hiring, but was shut out. “We have a hard time seeing people beyond what they’re known for.” she said.
We have a hard time seeing people beyond their labels, and what their labels are connected to. We automatically assume old people and technology don’t go well together. We assume women aren’t able to take on physically demanding assignments. We assume that people of color can’t be nature photographers.
Why? Our perceptions are shaped by the things we hear growing up. They’re shaped by people we surround ourselves with. They’re shaped by narratives that are seared into our brain by society, and kept in place by ancient systems. We need to understand that exclusion, such as racism, are not isolated incidents. It’s ingrained in the system we live in.
“We have a hard time seeing people beyond what they’re known for.”
– Karen Kasmauski
So how can we change something that’s embedded in our unconscious and our society? It starts with ourselves.
Amy Marquis explained: “I spent the first 20 years of my career seeking acceptance and validation from my white peers and superiors. It’s the game most emerging filmmakers, regardless of race, feel like they have to play. And as a result, we often do a terrible job of checking ourselves.”
She talks about how the BLM uprising in June 2020 forced her to reexamine her own blind spots as a filmmaker working within the nature/adventure/conservation space. Even though her focus has always been to amplify underrepresented stories from BIPOC communities, she was rarely hiring BIPOC crew. They simply weren’t visible in her immediate circle. She realized that in doing this, she was perpetuating the system of white supremacy, not to mention the usually well-intentioned yet undeniably colonialist behavior of all-white crews striding into non-white communities and making a career— and potentially even a profit— off of BIPOC struggles.
“I had this amazing opportunity to take full responsibility for my actions,” Amy says. “And it meant dealing first and foremost with my own white fragility— which, as a half-Indonesian adopted into white America, and encouraged from a young age to assimilate into white culture— felt extra confusing to unpack. Once I understood it, and forgave myself for it, my own personal path to dismantling the system became crystal clear. I’ve since learned to see myself as an unapologetically BIPOC filmmaker who can use my films to encourage hard conversations about racism and help guide my white community onto a more conscious path.”
She goes on to say: “Once we learn to stop blaming others for our emotional struggles, and choose to take full responsibility for our own behavior, we become aware of what we as individuals have the power to disrupt. It’s a life lesson that extends well beyond just filmmaking and photography.”
So look within yourself. Have uncomfortable conversations. Listen, ask questions, talk to all sorts of people. Because chances are, you have your own biases, and the only way to un-learn them is to know where they are, and actively create new definitions.
“Once we learn to stop blaming others for our emotional struggles, and choose to take full responsibility for our own behavior, we become aware of what we as individuals have the power to disrupt. It’s a life lesson that extends well beyond just filmmaking and photography.”
– Amy Marquis
“When we talk about diversity and inclusion, we’re talking about it too late.” said Inka Cresswell.
When we usually talk about diversity in photography, we’re talking about the photographers themselves. We talk about why these prestigious programs don’t have more people of color. We talk about how the majority of nature photographers are white males.
But, a lot of conversations are missing a key point, the youth.
“We need to be empowering people at that young age when they are a teenager,” said Inka, “when they have their first opportunity to pick up a camera or are getting involved in science and thinking about what kind of career they want to pursue.”
Think about it. We all had those experiences early in our lives that shaped who we are today. Whether it was a grade-school teacher that saw your potential. Or it was a local nature walk that inspired your love for animals and conservation. Or maybe it was your parents who gave you your first camera. We all got our start somewhere.
Now imagine if those opportunities were taken away. Would you still be an advocate for conservation? Would you still be a nature photographer?
That’s why creating opportunities for all youth to learn about the environment and photography is an important action to take. Without it, we lose a whole suite of voices before we even get to the hiring process.
“When we talk about diversity and inclusion, we’re talking about it too late.”
– Inka Cresswell
Photography is a complex interconnected system, and a vicious cycle. Success in this field is heavily dependent on connections and networking, as most jobs aren’t advertised on formal job boards. Instead, photographers get pushed up the ranks through mentorships and connections. Editors hire who they know. Opportunities go to the people who are most conveniently placed within this network. Stories that get published are from the same perspectives, shown to the same people who want to hear the same things.
So instead of just asking “how we can include more diverse photographers?”, we need to start looking at diversity in the bigger picture, and work from there.
For example, Karen emphasized the importance of diverse editors.
“To me, the call of action is not having more diverse photographers. It is having more diverse editors.” she said, “You’ve got to have people who are running the show to be diverse. The people who are doing the hiring have to be diverse. Because as a photographer, you have no real power.“
Photo editors and the leaders in conservation are essentially gatekeepers of nature photography. They get to decide what stories and how an environmental story is portrayed. They are the ones who decide which photographers are going to get the opportunities that propel them to success. So having diverse editors who are connected to diverse photographers and who are open to unique perspectives on issues is a big step in the right direction.
“You’ve got to have people who are running the show to be diverse. The people who are doing the hiring have to be diverse. Because as a photographer, you have no real power.“
– Karen Kasmauski
Another example is fostering diversity in the STEM industry, and breaking barriers there.
“[Young photographers and filmmakers breaking into conservation careers] have to get through not only their undergrad, but possibly also through grad school to be in a position where they are qualified for an entry level role.” said Inka, “so if you’re only addressing diversity at that entry level or management position in the professional world, you’re not going to have many applicants, because we’ve lost them at stage one, early education.” We need to address diversity at “all levels”.
But what if you’re not a scientist? Great question. As storytellers, there is one thing that we can all do, and that is to foster diversity in the voices and stories that we tell.
Inka explained how she does this in her work:
“Whenever I’m traveling abroad, if possible, I try to give back to that local community in some way. Whether that’s giving a conservation talk to local kids or in the local dive shop that’s put online and advertised that anyone can attend. I think we have a duty to share our knowledge.”
She’s right. As conservation storytellers, we have a duty to share our message. So that they can be passed on, become someone else’s message, someone else’s story. We can break the cycle.
“Whenever I’m traveling abroad, if possible, I try to give back to that local community in some way…I think we have a duty to share our knowledge.”
– Inka Cresswell
“I was talking to one of the world’s most prestigious photo competitions about [diversity] because they notoriously have very few women featured in their exhibition featured as winners. And so they’re asking me ‘what can we do?’. And I said ‘you have to actively invite women.’” said Celina Chien.
Usually, it’s not enough to just say “I’m in favor of diversity”, and hope that photographers come to you. If you really want to make change, you have to put in the effort.
For example, one of the biggest complaints that editors have when cultivating diversity is that they aren’t able to find diverse photographers. They don’t exist, they would say.
However, when Brent Lewis and Andrea Wise posted a call specifically asking for photographers of colour in 2017, he received over a one thousand five hundred responses. (Read more in this New York Times blog)
That’s why initiatives like Diversify Photo and Her Wild Vision have also started photography directories, for black and women photographers, respectively, and push back on this problem.
But it’s doing that not only as an organization, but also as an individual.
Change starts from you. As individuals, we all have the capacity to inspire and lift up the ones around us. In the diversity sense, that means making an effort to get to know photographers from all backgrounds, and reaching out to them personally to encourage them to apply to programs and photo contests. It means bringing along a friend who might not have the same opportunities as you when a photo or filming gig arises. It means putting your friend forward when you have conversations with higher management like a photo editor or director of an NGO. It means letting them know that they are wanted and needed. That they deserve to be seen and heard.
Because it’s all about collaboration, and lifting each other up. Only then, can we really start fostering a diverse community. As Celina said: “Everything is always made better if you do it all together.”
“Everything is always made better if you do it all together.”
– Celina Chien
A large part of finding your career in photography is finding your voice. We preferentially are drawn to particular narratives.
However, many will lose their voices along the way, and say what’s always been said. Because that’s what gets published.
So for this last action, here are some wise words from Amy Marquis:
“Don’t be ashamed of who you are— white, BIPOC, female, trans, whatever. Denying your own identity is to deny the diversity of thought and experiences and creativity and unique perspectives that humanity must learn to celebrate and pool in order to rise above these insane global challenges right now. Stop believing that you have to shapeshift to fit old and outdated pieces of this industry to be successful. Maybe it worked for some people, but at what cost?”
So find your own voice. Break the status quo. Embrace your own diversity, and empower others to do so as well.
“Stop believing that you have to shapeshift to fit old and outdated pieces of this industry to be successful. Maybe it worked for some people, but at what cost?”
– Amy Marquis
Diversity, racism, and systemic disparities are enormous topics, which we can’t exactly cover fully within this blog post. But hopefully, with these few actionable items, this will help your journey in creating a more inclusive environment for all photographers and storytellers.
Here is a great starting point by 500px on how the photo industry can help BIPOC photographers. We also listed some organizations that are encouraging diversity below.
Diversify Photo, an organization devoted to “creating a place where people can come and see photographers of color, to know they are out there and they exist, and to provide editors with the ability to find people not in their circles.”
Photographers Without Borders: a community of photographers/filmmakers that are aiming to make storytelling more accessible for communities around the world who are contributing to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and UNDRIP.
Girls Who Click: We’ve been working to close the gender gap by providing mentorship and workshops to young girls. This year we also created our Ambassador Program, which targets female and female identified photographers of diverse cutlural and socio-economic backgrounds. The program pairs these young photographers from all over the world with an experienced mentor, and helps them gain professional knowledge of the photography field.
Women Photograph: a website that highlights the work of female editorial photographers with at least five years of working experience.
Her Wild Vision: a searchable directory that makes it easy for editors to find and hire women and women-identifying photographers/filmmakers in conservation and environment.
Wild Idea Lab: a membership community where conservation visual storytellers find creativity, community and support for their wildest work. Wild Idea Lab offers a partial-scholarship program, which provides a reduced membership rate to photographers and filmmakers who are underrepresented in conservation visual storytelling and have a financial barrier to joining.
We encourage you to add more in the comments, and to keep learning as you continue on this journey.
Written by Alice Sun
Growing up, Alice’s dream was to become a National Geographic photographer. This passion led her to spend much of her high school years photographing and sharing stories of wildlife in her own backyard, which earned her a spot in the 2016 NANPA High School Scholarship Program. She then went on to pursue a degree in environmental biology and a graduate certificate in environmental visual communication, sharpening her skills and building a foundation for a career in visual storytelling. Today, she is a freelance science communicator and conservation storyteller based in Vancouver, Canada. Inspiring young people to pursue the same dream she had is something that Alice is passionate about, and why she’s extremely be on the Girls Who Click team! Visit Alice’s website (alicesun.ca) to see the stories she has told over the years.
Magic of Macro: Focusing on the Small Things in Life
Join GWC partner photographer Alyce Bender for an introductory course on macro photography. Learn more about Alyce on Facebook at @abenderphoto
Participants will learn about finding scenes, gear selection, special lighting considerations, choosing an appropriate depth of field, and basic Lightroom post processing techniques for macro images.
This workshop is free. This workshop is for girls and female-identified youth ages 13-18. We do make age exceptions for motivated participants!
To register, fill out the form below.
