[vc_single_image image=”8296″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn”]

Top Photography Tips from Joel Sartore


  1. You can take a good picture with just about any camera these days. What’s most important is learning to see well. Pay attention to the subject, the light on it, the background, and the space around the subject.


  2. Good photography of any subject has three common elements: nice light, a clean background, and interesting subject matter.  My test for whether or not something is interesting to photograph is, if I were driving along with my wife and saw something on the side of the road, would she be glad I interrupted whatever she was doing to point it out, or would she just be annoyed?


  3. Use perspective to keep unwanted elements out of the frame. Take your photo from a different angle. Try getting down on the ground and take the picture from a worm’s eye view. Or get up high and shoot from the bird’s eye view. You can move your subject around, but you can move around too. And make sure nothing’s sticking out of someone’s head! 


  4. When working with nature, it is absolutely crucial to respect your subject and surroundings. This means leave everything as you found it and take your trash out with you, and with wildlife it means disturbing your subject as little as possible. Learn what the rules of conduct are, what a respectful distance is, what behavior to avoid, and what the “back-off” signal is. The goal is to safely get good photos of your subject behaving normally.


  5. Before you even set foot in the field, research your subject(s) thoroughly and talk to people who know the area you’ll be working in. Do your homework and don’t waste the time of the people who are helping you out. 


  6. Be prepared for the environment you’ll be working in.  Photography often involves extreme conditions, and it’s tough to work when you’re cold and/or soaking wet. And working in cities means you’ll need sturdy footwear with arch support so that you don’t beat yourself up.  Make sure you’ve got the proper clothing and equipment.  


  7. Finally, the more you shoot and the more time you spend studying other people’s photos, the more your photography will improve.  Get familiar with your camera and other equipment in a setting where you’re comfortable (your own back yard is a great place to start).  If you’ve practiced, you’ll know exactly what to do, and stand a much better chance of getting the shot.

[vc_single_image image=”8299″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”]

Joel Sartore
Photographer and Photo Ark Founder

Joel Sartore is a photographer, speaker, author, teacher, conservationist, National Geographic Fellow and a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine. His hallmarks are a sense of humor and a Midwestern work ethic.

Sartore specializes in documenting endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving. He is the founder of The Photo Ark, a multi-year documentary project to save species and habitat.

In his words, “It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity. When we save species, we’re actually saving ourselves.”

Sartore has written several books, including RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species, Photographing Your Family, Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky, and Let’s Be Reasonable. His most recent book, The Photo Ark, is now available wherever books are sold.

In addition to the work he has done for National Geographic, Sartore has contributed to Audubon Magazine, Time, Life, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and numerous book projects. He and his work are the subjects of several national broadcasts including National Geographic’s Explorer, the NBC Nightly News, NPR’s Weekend Edition and an hour-long PBS documentary, AT CLOSE RANGE. He is also a regular contributor on the CBS Sunday Morning Show with Charles Osgood.

Sartore is always happy to return to home base from his travels around the world. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, with his wife, Kathy, and their three children.

Rare INdiana Local Partners:

[vc_images_carousel images=”8262,8263,8261,8267,8264″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” custom_links_target=”_blank” speed=”0″ slides_per_view=”5″ hide_pagination_control=”yes” hide_prev_next_buttons=”yes” custom_links=”#E-8_aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRmZvcnRoZWxhbmQub3JnJTJDaHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5jb3BlZW52aXJvbm1lbnRhbC5vcmclMkYlMkNodHRwJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmdvcmR5ZnJhbWluZy5jb20lMkYlMkNodHRwJTNBJTJGJTJGYnN1LmVkdSUyRiUyQ2h0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuaGF5ZXNhcmJvcmV0dW0ub3JnJTJG”]