The post was originally published by the Nature Photography Library written by Rylee Jensen.
Finding Your Niche
In order to survive in a variety of complex environments and coexist with their neighbors, animals must carve out their own “niche” in space and time, which refers to the unique role species occupy in their respective ecosystems. This could mean being nocturnal while everyone else is out and about during the day, or specializing in a particular diet to avoid competition for resources. For example, mesocarnivores like bobcats, coyotes, and foxes all coexist through subtle changes in diet and habitat use: bobcats prefer brushy habitat where they can avoid detection and ambush small mammals, coyotes spend time in open meadows and often scavenge from larger carnivores, and foxes lie somewhere in the middle. In this way, these three species are able to persist and share the same space without conflict.
Photographers, too, must find our own niche in this rapidly changing modern world. Social media has changed the game when it comes to visibility, networking, finding opportunities, and boosting our careers. The field is saturated with millions of photographers on apps like Instagram and Facebook, not to mention the ever-growing prevalence of AI infiltrating artistic spaces. Wildlife photography, in particular, is a specialized sphere of visual media that comes with its own set of challenges; it can be physically demanding, mentally taxing, and expensive with gear and travel costs. It often seems like there are no images that haven’t already been captured before, or “secret gem” locations that have not already been revealed. Additionally, women in this field often encounter hurdles that highlight the unique reality we face on a regular basis compared to our male colleagues:
– Planning out travel routes and backup plans carefully when shooting solo.
– Trying to appear agreeable and not “high maintenance” to senior colleagues who make us uncomfortable.
– “Did you really take those photos?” being asked of us at every art market we participate in.
Standing Out From the Crowd
So how do up-and-coming female wildlife photographers stand out from the crowd?
Photographers serious about selling prints for income must become marketing gurus, video editors, social media managers, and accountants all in one. We need to simultaneously follow social media trends but also express our own style and personality through the photos we capture in order for our work to get noticed. For multifaceted artist Alyson Yates, this unspoken rule never sat well. She expressed:
“My photography covers a wide range of subjects and conceptual ideas, which has made it challenging for me to build a cohesive body of work on the Internet. I intend to continue working in multiple different themes and mediums, and I hope to eventually cultivate an online presence that accurately represents my photography.”
Alyson’s work centers around misunderstood species like bats, as well as abstract feminist themes and ideas. Artistic influence can be greatly enriched by the support of other photographers that serve as mentors and role models. In Alyson’s case, the vision for many of her own photos is drawn from the work of photographers like Art Wolfe, whose “impossibly vibrant colors and cinematic compositions” exposed her to the world of art and photography early on.
Another one of Alyson’s inspirations, Morgan Heim, also serves as a mentor for wildlife photographer Jessica Hadley. Jessica is a bear technician who spent the last six years working in national parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and now Grand Teton. She spends her days documenting human-wildlife interactions throughout the park, from “bear jams” to food-conditioned foxes. However, her career path did not start off on a bright note:
“I had a bad experience in my first year of college when a photography professor told me to stop taking pictures of nature. Thankfully, I didn’t listen.”
More recently, to overcome self-doubt and lack of inspiration, Jessica says she took a step back and studied the work of other photographers like Jen Guyton, Steven Gnam, and Corey Arnold; this allowed her to focus on the bigger picture in her work moving forward.
My own career has taken many twists and turns over the years. I am formally trained as a scientist, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology & Management in 2019 and currently finishing up a Master’s degree in Biology this year. I have published research projects on killer whale behavior, carnivore interactions, seabird mortality, and—soon—about African herbivore gut microbiomes. However, when I decided to take a step toward pursuing photography as a career in 2019, I was clueless. I knew little about camera gear, manual camera techniques, or the social media game. Due to my nomadic seasonal work around the country, I also did not have a physical community to grow and learn from. Then I discovered an organization known as Girls Who Click in 2022.
Ambassadors
Girls Who Click is made up entirely of female photography ambassadors and mentors from around the world with the aim of encouraging other women to develop a lifelong passion for capturing—and striving to protect—the natural world. Alyson, Jessica, and I all joined as photography ambassadors with this organization in the past few years.
“It is easy to feel inspired when you are surrounded by supportive peers with great creative achievements,” says Alyson.
New ambassadors with the program are paired up with mentors during their first year to boost their career goals and home in on project ideas. This community has profoundly shaped my own outlook on the impact my photography can have and expanded my professional network in a way I never would have dreamed. Jessica adds that:
“The Girls Who Click community has fueled my confidence and inspired me to continue pursuing a photography career.”
With an inclusive community like this comes fresh, creative ideas for showcasing our work, encouragement during tough times, and confidence building with every meeting. Learning from diverse perspectives and finding commonality with other photographers rather than competition allows us to open ourselves up to endless possibilities. In this way, it is much easier to see the bigger picture when we inevitably end up with tunnel vision at times. For instance, one of my long-term goals is to delve more into the world of photojournalism and use my background in science to communicate important conservation stories to a general audience through visual media. Alyson hopes to exhibit her work at a Portland gallery where she is based, and is currently building up a new body of work centered around “feminist themes in the Internet age, with a focus on body image, sexualization, power dynamics, and domestic feminine ideals in contemporary media.” Jessica strives to combine her work with bears in the National Parks with her images on human-wildlife interactions into a final, published product, which she calls her passion project.
Conclusions
Despite the challenges that come with breaking into photography in such a hectic world, young women like us are finding our niche every day and motivating others to do the same. Finding role models and community early on can provide an enormous source of support and encouragement as we navigate the jungles of social media and discover our creative edge.
Jessica advises aspiring photographers to apply for everything and to not be afraid to contact other photographers who inspire you. Additionally, throughout my own career, I have personally strived to never lose my curiosity and to always pursue what brings me joy. There is always a story waiting to be told and, in the end, you will be amazed at how far you’ve come.
Meet Rylee Jensen (pictured above), a passionate photographer and ambassador for Girls Who Click—the empowering organization, founded by Suzi , dedicated to bridging the gender gap in nature photography for young women aged 13-30. In this guest blog, Rylee shares her insights into the challenges and triumphs of navigating social media, tackling gender biases, and finding her unique niche as a photographer. Explore how mentorship and community has empowered Rylee and her peers to break barriers, pursue their passions, and shape conservation narratives through visual storytelling. Throughout the blog, Rylee has handpicked imagery from Nature Picture Library’s female photographers, spotlighting the groundbreaking work of women who are reshaping the landscape of a traditionally male-dominated industry.