#044: I've learned over the last decade that there are some really critical places that you want to invest your money right away in order to really start out on the right foot as a conservation photographer.

With a certain amount of preparation and education under your belt, you become a more effective storyteller and a smarter business person WAY faster than you otherwise might.

There's five places that I suggest that you consider investing your money, especially if you're just starting out, but these are smart investments for any point in your career.

And there's also two places I often see money wasted, and I breakdown where to spare yourself unnecessary expenses.

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/44

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#043: Question: How do you get incredible images of elusive animals?

Answer: Wildlife tracking skills!

At least that’s how David Moskowitz does it. A talented conservation photographer and a master tracker, David used his skills to track and photograph the highly endangered Mountain Caribou in the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, and published a beautifully photographed book called Caribou Rainforest.

So if you’re a photographer that wants to go beyond snapshots and get an insider look at the lives of the species that you want to document, are you ready to make wildlife tracking the next thing on your must-learn to-do list?

You should. Or at least you should after this episode of Impact, where we chat with David about tracking skills and how they've played into his conservation photography work. And yes, we will definitely dive in more into that amazing species, the Mountain Caribou.

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/43

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#042: Detail shots. They are one of the six essential photos that you need in a photo story.

But it's easy to forget about capturing the details of a story when you're focused on other things like characters or action. 

So in this episode, we are celebrating the detail shot in all it's surprising glory.

We talk about why they’re so essential to photo stories, and three key ways that they can be used to create a richer experience for viewers.

You'll Learn

• How details add a whole new dimension to stories and characters
• How details also go beyond the story, and create a more immersive experience for viewers
• Questions you can ask yourself to figure out how to add details to your shot list

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/42

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#041: You know those moments where you're like, “You know, this thing would be so helpful. It should exist,” and then you go make it exist? Well, that happened.

Three weeks ago, Morgan Heim and I had a conversation about the hurdles for women in conservation photography, and how it would be awesome to create something that takes away some of those barriers. And that’s what we did.

Enter Her Wild Vision Initiative, a searchable directory of women-identified conservation photographers and filmmakers that's going to make big waves.

In this episode, Morgan and I sit down and chat about Her Wild Vision Initiative. Why we’ve created it, challenges that we’ve faced as women in photography, and not to mention the amazing perks and collaborations we have inside the project.

It’s a jam-packed episode full of exciting reveals.

You'll Learn

• What Her Wild Vision Initiative is all about and how it works
• The whirlwind story of how it came to be
• All the awesome perks Her Wild Vision has for conservation photographers
• How you can apply (it’s free!) and how you can support the project

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/41

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#040: "Yeah, but how do I make a living at this?" 

It is a very common question, and for good reason.

Making a career in conservation photography can feel daunting. There's no road map. There's no right way to do it. You really have to navigate and figure out how in the world you create a successful career as a conservation photographer.

But the thing is, it's possible - and my guest today proves it.

Lauren Owens Lambert is a professional conservation photographer with an impressive career trajectory. From landing assignments with big outlets from the Nature Conservancy to Audubon magazine, and being accepted to the Emerging League with the International League of Conservation Photographers, it’s been phenomenal to watch her career progress.

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/40

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#039: In this episode, we dive into the idea that conservation photographers are bridges, connectors, and how you can use this concept to to put your own opinions aside.

This way, you can see that whole story and become a far more persuasive conservation photographer because of it.

You'll Learn

• What it really means to be a connector
• The importance of building bridges through photographs
• Why we’re easily persuaded by some things, and not others
• How to frame your thinking and tell persuasive stories

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/39

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#038: I'm digging into all the things I've done right, have figured out, and that are working well. And all of the places where I've gone down the wrong path, been confused or have gotten stuck, and how I've had to dig myself out of conundrums.

In part 1, I’m taking you to where it all began, the very origin of the project, because sometimes the way a project takes shape dictates whether or not you're going to move forward fluidly ... or with some stumbling blocks.

You'll Learn

• All the steps I took in shaping Watershed Sentinels
• Who to turn to when you need input (and how they can best help you)
• The key questions that really matter when you’re planning a project
• My three biggest take-aways from this first part of shaping a new long-term photo project

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/38

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#037: The ability to push through challenges is incredibly important to a conservation photographer. The determination to get the shot against all odds is what ensures you capture something no one has seen before. The drive to look for answers and find pathways into the story even when things get hard ensures you're shedding light on every last, important detail. 

That’s what gets photographers to the next level, taking them from average to extraordinary.

Mac Stone is one of these next-level photographers. Focusing on the Everglades in the southeast of the United States, Mac turns his camera toward everything from snail kites to ghost orchids as he documents all things nature and wildlife in the most incredible ways. His dogged determination to get never-before-seen images is shedding light on this fascinating corner of the world.

If you’re looking to get inspired to pick up the camera, you will definitely want to listen to this episode. Mac talks about his process in diving deep into natural history of the Everglades, the gripping stories behind his jaw-dropping images, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

You'll Learn

• The value of random conversations, and how they can turn into stories
• The not-so glamorous challenges behind getting the shot
• Recognizing that moments can happen at any time. As Mac says “The story is going to happen regardless of whether you shoot it or not.”

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/37

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#036: Conservation photographers tend to come from a background of wildlife or landscape photography. People photography is often either uncharted or uncomfortable territory. We feel awkward or intrusive holding a camera in front of someone, and that discomfort makes it hard to capture those decisive and emotional moments.

Yet... every quality photo story NEEDS a human element.

So if you’re looking to push past your discomfort and start photographing powerful people portraits, then this episode is for you. 

You'll Learn

• A step by step process to help you become more comfortable and skilled with photographing people
• The two core skillsets you need to capture epic portraits 
• How restrictions (like COVID-19) can boost your skills

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/36

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide

#035: I’m introducing three fantastic funding tools that I use to keep my passion project overhead costs covered so that I can continue to stay active on all the other parts of the project I love.

And the thing is, they are super easy for anyone at any skill or experience level to implement. 

Whether you're starting your first project or are launching your fiftieth, these strategies will help you bring in some funds so you can stay focused on creativity and the project's big picture. 

Get the full show notes and download a handy transcript of the episode at https://ConservationVisuals.com/35

🎓 Get the Mini-Course: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story
https://conservationvisuals.com/6Shots

📸 QUIZ: What's your hidden visual storyteller personality?
https://conservationvisuals.com/quiz

🗺️ Guide to Conservation Photography
https://conservationvisuals.com/guide