Ami Vitale
“Ami Vitale, National Geographic photographer, writer, and filmmaker, has been a pioneer in creating unique conservation stories that amplify the work of communities on the frontlines of grassroots conservation.”
This text is the opening line of her bio below that you’ll be getting to. This alone is a lot…I mean, A LOT! But it’s not just that her bio is impressive; it really only scratches the surface of the incredible work she has created and the inspirational individual she is to so many people, myself included. She did not need to speak with me at all for this interview, but the type of person she is, the projects she is neck-deep involved with, and the care and understanding for teaching our future photographers is such a priority – she stepped up. And isn’t that what this is about? Making an effort and doing something you know in your heart is worthwhile? It’s why I am here, and clearly, Ami feels the same.
Her name has long been on my list of creatives to reach out to with the hope that she would indulge my questions and add to what is turning out to be a very worthwhile endeavor. Thankfully, I was fortunate to have the help of contacts at the Lucie Awards, as Ami was about to receive their 2023 Humanitarian Award. Deservedly so! A well-timed connection and I’m thrilled to have had this opportunity. Education is the backbone of this site, and even though Ami doesn’t mention herself as an educator, it is clear that she is, and so much more.
With this thought in mind, I will mention the number of links provided in this text. They will lead you down a worthwhile rabbit hole that will continue the conversation that started here. So take some time to explore further.
What Ami teaches us is that SO much can be done with the power of a photograph. I look back at the years I was working hard and compare them to where she was at the same time, and I can’t help but kick myself for being some kind of a slacker. But, the flip side is that it reminds me how much is possible out there and inspires me to be forthright in my efforts and convictions with my chosen career. This is an excellent place to be, and I’m confident that this interview, not to mention her photographs, will inspire and influence you all to head in a similarly positive direction with your goals. Ami Vitale is a storyteller of the highest order, and I’m indebted to her for her efforts here. Cheers to you, Ami.
Bio -
Ami Vitale, National Geographic photographer, writer, and filmmaker, has been a pioneer in creating unique conservation stories that amplify the work of communities on the frontlines of grassroots conservation.
She has travelled to more than 100 countries, documenting the heartbreaking realities of war to witnessing the inspiring power of individuals making a difference. Throughout the years, Ami has lived in mud huts and war zones, contracted malaria, and donned a panda suit— keeping true to her belief in the importance of “living the story.” Her award-winning work illuminates the unsung heroes and communities working to protect wildlife and finding harmony in our natural world. Her photographs have been commissioned by nearly every international publication and exhibited around the world in museums and galleries.
Ami has been named one of the most influential conservation photographers and storytellers of her generation and is Conservation International's Innovators Fellow. In 2022, she was awarded with the prestigious prizes from both the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service and the Lucie Humanitarian Award. Instyle agazine named Ami one of fifty Badass Women, a series celebrating women who show up, speak up and get things done. She has been named Magazine Photographer of the Year in the International Photographer of the Year prize, received the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding Reporting, and named Magazine Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographer’s Association, among others. She is a six-time recipient of World Press Photos, including 1st Prize for her 2018 National Geographic magazine story about a community in Kenya protecting elephants. She is the author of the best-selling book, Panda Love, on the secret lives of pandas. Her films have won awards at dozens of prestigious film festivals and her most recent work, Shaba, is an Official Selection at the prestigious Wildscreen Festival. Through online streaming, Ami raised over $200k for the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, whose story she featured in her film, Shaba.
Ami is the founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Vital Impacts. In the first 6 months, she raised 1.5 million dollars which has been distributed to help support conservation efforts around the world. She is mentoring and teaching photography with her team to 40 indigenous Kenyan conservationists and using art to empower and engage youth to become activists and influence their peers in the world.
Ami lectures for the National Geographic LIVE series and will be featured on the National Geographic Channel Explorer TV series in 2023. She is also a founding member of Ripple Effect Images, an organization of renowned female scientists, writers, photographers, and filmmakers working together to create powerful and persuasive stories that shed light on the hardships women in developing countries face and the programs that can help them. She is also on the Photojournalism Advisory Council for the Alexia Foundation. For the past four years, Ami was the President of the Photographers Advisory Board for National Geographic photographers and currently sits on their Advisory board.
Interview -
Michael Kirchoff: Thank you, Ami, for taking the time to speak with me about your incredible career. I’d like to start, well, at your start in the photographic medium. Do you have any recollection of your first introduction to cameras and photographs? Was your interest in them immediate, or did it take multiple reminders of image-making to reel you in? Or perhaps there was a specific person or event that made you sit up and take notice?
Ami Vitale: If you had known me as a young woman, I was painfully shy, gawky, introverted, and afraid of people. Something incredible happened when I picked up a camera. The second I held it in my hands I felt like I had hidden superpowers. By taking the attention away from myself and putting it on others, I felt invisible and empowered. It allowed me to dive into situations I never would have had the courage to do. In the beginning, this little black box gave me the courage and helped me realize that being an introvert is not a weakness - it actually gave me the ability to listen, to truly hear others' stories.
Later, the most extraordinary and unexpected thing happened, I realized I wasn't just empowering myself. Photography is so powerful and can amplify others' voices. It has this instant ability to connect people, and it becomes a tool for creating awareness and understanding; a tool to make sense of our commonalities and differences in this world we share. In the beginning, the camera was my passport to engaging with the world around me. It was this tool for my own empowerment, but today, the reasons I do this are very different. What gets me going every day is the desire to illustrate personal stories about individuals who, against all odds, are making profound changes in their communities and the world.
MK: Indeed, your images are used to cross borders, experience cultures, and create an awareness of our fellow humans with beauty and grace. Has this always been the goal, and do you feel there was a specific instance in your career that helped propel you into the international limelight?
AV: I did not become a photographer right away. I dreamt of being a photographer, but the people hiring couldn’t envision me, this quiet, young woman, as a photographer. The folks out taking the shots were mainly men, with a few remarkable exceptions. I was pigeonholed and felt stuck for many years, but I always had that dream. Even though my dreams were dismissed, I knew I had to try. Even if I failed, this was part of my journey, and I would never regret trying.
After being an editor for Associated Press for 4 years, I built up the courage to quit and, a year later, moved to the Czech Republic to pursue my dreams of working as a photojournalist at a small business paper in Prague. A year later, I decided it was time to pursue my dream as an international correspondent and began working in Kosovo to cover the war. I was 26 when I began working in the Balkans, then Gaza for the second intifada, then Sierra Leone, Angola, Kashmir, and places you may never have heard of, like Casamance in West Africa.
I set down this path and became a war photographer and primarily focused on only the horrors of the world.
After a decade, I realized a profound truth; I had been telling stories about people and the human condition, but the backdrop of each and every one of these stories was the natural world. In some cases, it was the scarcity of basic resources like water. In others, it was the changing climate and loss of fertile lands, but always it was the demands placed on our ecosystem that drove conflict and human suffering.
Today, My work is not just about people. It's not just about wildlife either. It's about how the destiny of both people and wildlife are intertwined and how small and deeply interconnected our world is.
I can recall the exact moment when I truly understood how connected we all are to one another and to all of life on this planet. It happened on a cold, snowy day in December 2009 in a village outside of Prague. It was on this day that I met a rhino named Sudan for the first time. And quite unexpectedly, this animal changed the way I saw the world forever. I heard about a plan to airlift four of the last Northern white rhinos from Safari Park Dvur Kralove in the Czech Republic back to Africa. It sounded like a storyline from a Disney film but in reality, it was a desperate last-ditch effort to save an entire species. The hope was to breed them. The air, water, and food, not to mention room to roam, might stimulate them to breed—and the offspring would then be used to repopulate Africa. Back then, there were only eight of these gentle, hulking creatures alive, all in zoos. Today there are two, both in Kenya at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. This story I began 13 years ago, helped me to understand that we need to start recognizing that we are not separate from nature. When we see ourselves as part of the landscape and part of nature, then saving nature is really about saving ourselves. Our fate is linked to the fate of animals. We need these sentient beings as much as they need us. Without rhinos and elephants, and other wildlife, we suffer more than a loss of ecosystem health. We suffer a loss of imagination, a loss of wonder, a loss of beautiful possibilities.
MK: So you had engaged in a ten-year working education that brought the realization of what you truly needed to do in your career. It is fascinating that you’d been making pictures all that time to get you there. Better than any formal education could ever give, certainly. Do you feel that that time also helped you hone in on what your unique qualities as a photographer were?
AV: As journalists and storytellers, we often research and try to learn everything we can before we begin working on a story. While research is important, there is danger in going with the narrative already written before we even set foot in a new place. I learned that it takes time to truly listen to and understand one another's stories. Stories are often messy and complex. I've learned to embrace that complexity, and when we take the time to listen, the stories emerge without preconceived notions.
It takes time to understand and tell one another’s stories. When I started my work as a journalist, I was encouraged to "parachute in" and bring back "the story" and then leave. We often work with the narrative already prewritten in our heads before we even begin. I have learned that it often takes years to even begin to understand the subtleties, context, and deeper truths that exist. I have chosen to work in the same communities, on the same stories, sometimes for more than a decade. By taking time, I am able to hear and share a multitude of narratives. And in this way, through a multitude of stories, I hope that a balance is maintained. There is a universal truth, and if you get beyond the headlines, if you peek under the veil and truly take time to understand each other's stories, you are transformed. Only then do you understand that the "sensational" we are asked to find transforms into a different story, one of sensitivity and interconnectedness. This is when we begin to understand that no matter where we go, the joy of human emotions remains the same.
I hope that more of us try to go a little bit deeper into each story and reveal more than a series of “exotic” images. Sticking with a story for years helps us understand the complexities, characters, and issues that are not always immediately obvious. Empathy and earning trust is the most important tool one can have. So my advice to those who dream about this is to find a story close – maybe even in your backyard – and make it yours. You don't need to travel abroad. What you do need to do, however, is tell a story better than anyone else can, using your own unique perspective.
MK: Following this line, I’m wondering if once you’ve achieved finding your particular style or voice, you ever feel the need to break out and follow a different path. Or perhaps that might be assignment driven?
AV: I'm always pushing myself to learn more and break out of patterns. Whether it is the stories I'm following or the advances in technology, it is really important to embrace new ideas and question what I think I may know. I do not like to feel too comfortable in anything I'm doing. The best stories and moments come from a place of discomfort when I feel pushed to reimagine a new way of seeing things.
MK: Where do these best stories come from in the first place? Are you choosing some of the topics and narratives that hit you the hardest or come from a sincere place in the heart? They are always so compelling.
AV: I try to make my work not just about the endangered animals but also remind people of the deep connection humanity has with the creatures we share this world with. Everywhere I go, I see people, often with very little, making huge impacts on their communities and the planet. I think it's important to shed some light on those stories of hope, where against all odds, individuals are making a difference. These stories about wildlife and our environment are really about all of us, our HOME, our future. It’s about how deeply connected we are to each other.
MK: At this point in your life, what do you feel is your primary objective in photography?
AV: I try to find stories that show us a way forward where people are learning how to coexist and protect wildlife and the habitats that we all share
MK: What mental preparations do you make to execute a particular shoot or project that you are excited about? Do you ever look back and find that nothing you had planned is what was done, yet you feel completely satisfied with the outcome?
AV: Always! I am constantly seeing the wonder and magic of this world. Wonder allows us to get beyond routine ways of thinking. It allows us to believe that we can fundamentally change the course we are currently on. When we experience wonder, it's inexplicable, everything changes, and we can't go back.
MK: On the technical side of things, what tools are you using to make your images? Are you a film, digital, or both kind of photographer? Does it really matter what you use?
AV: I am currently using two Nikon Z9 cameras and a variety of lenses from the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S, Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S, Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S, Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, and Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S. The technology of this generation of digital cameras is impressive and has opened up many more possibilities in that I am now making films in addition to photos.
I am also dabbling with medium format cameras that my father once used and recently gave me. When I look back, film had its own challenges when I was working as a conflict photographer. It’s easier now because I would have to take the chemicals, all the little containers to process the film and a huge Nikon [Super Cool Scan] scanner back then.
I’d stay up all night long. I would make my pictures during the day, get back to the hotel, and set up the lab in the bathroom. I’d have to bring a blow dryer and dry the film, like leave it hanging there, chop it up, edit it up against the window, pick the pictures, scan them and then transmit it all night long. Looking back at that time, I think life is far more reasonable now with digital. I have a rhythm and a pattern, and I feel like I was really trained to work for the wire services because I’m used to captioning, downloading every day, and keeping my work organized, and now as a filmmaker, it’s essential to have all of those skills, to keep track of what you have.
MK: A major part of your life these days is your role as Executive Director for the non-profit Vital Impacts. Can you tell us more about this and how your position there helps accomplish their directives?
AV: Never before has it been so clear that our fates are inextricably linked to the life around us, whether we see it or not. We can learn to live more deeply when our eyes are open to the wild.
My mission as Executive Director of Vital Impacts is to use photography to transcend language and create empathy, awareness, and understanding to help us see that the survival of the planet is intertwined with our own survival. There’s a strong connection between visual imagery and empathy; when we see something, it helps us to connect our brains and hearts to feel love and compassion for other living beings. While science and research are critical to understanding the planet and all the life we coexist with, photography can often reach people in other profound and important ways. As photographers, we have a huge opportunity to inform and influence change, but pressing the shutter is just the start. For an image to have significance, it needs to tell a story and reach people.
The message is simple. Never before has it been so clear that our fates are inextricably linked to those around us. What we need most is another way of seeing and another way of being in this world. This is a moment to reimagine our relationship with nature and with each other. We all need to do all we can to care for the plants and critters that inhabit the earth. Our future happiness depends on them.
In just our first year, we have raised nearly $1,500,000 for grassroots conservation and humanitarian organizations. We carefully curate and offer a selection of fine-art photographic images by photographers who are renowned for their tireless dedication to safeguarding our world. Our goal is twofold: help communities find solutions to protect the planet while supporting photographers so they can continue to tell these critical stories.
As part of our programming, we created a year-long visual storytelling mentorship program for 40 indigenous Kenyan conservationists who are working to protect endangered wildlife and threatened habitats in northern Kenya. We work with both the most established artists in the world but are also particularly committed to amplifying emerging talent and creating opportunities for women and nonbinary photographers of color. As we grow, we will continue to actively seek ways to foster and support the next generation of photographers and storytellers.
MK: What an incredible organization! And the name could not be more spot on. I’m going to do more of my own research into this to keep learning more about what can be done to help. The humanitarian aspects of your work have, as described, had a deep impact, certainly. Along the way, you’ve garnered awards and accolades for your efforts, and now (at the time of this writing) are also about the receive the Humanitarian Award from the Lucie Awards for 2022. My question is then, how does an award like this, and others, help in your career? Is it something that simply lifts you up and helps give you the drive to continue your work, or does it offer other benefits from the exposure you receive?
AV: It makes me feel so good to know that other people appreciate my work. So much of what I do is about bringing attention to these critical issues, and I believe these awards help with that goal. I very much appreciate the impact this award can have on addressing both humanitarian and environmental issues.
MK: Beyond the photographs, the non-profit, and the awards, you spend a great deal of time as an educator, bringing your experiences to others, especially youth, to propel their own goals forward. How does teaching impact your life? Is it helpful on a personal, professional, or both kinds of levels?
AV: Teaching is one of the best parts of my work. It is profoundly meaningful, a responsibility, and an absolute JOY to open doors for the next generation of storytellers.
MK: Okay, an interview with you would not be complete without addressing your latest book, Panda Love: The Secret Lives of Pandas. They are a fascinating species with a life that was, for many, unknown until you came along to illustrate them in such a beautiful light. Two questions then; what was this experience like for you, and how long did it take to feel complete? And my second is–the panda suit that you wore while making photographs was amazing. Was this your idea, and how well did it actually work? The images of you on your Instagram page were wild!
AV: I began my journey into the world of pandas as a photographer with one of the first foreign film crews allowed to photograph a captive panda being released into the wild. It was an extraordinary moment, and I had front-row access as a panda named Hope was released into the wild. She had no lines of schoolchildren waiting to see her and no fan page on Facebook. But as she trundled off into the forest, she took with her the aspirations for her entire species.
I took the opportunity to cultivate the trust and turn this access into a 3-year journey into the world of pandas. There were challenges as a photographer. The Chinese treat these million-dollar bears with kid gloves and do not allow access easily. And how could I possibly create anything new that might surprise our readers? The panda may be the most photographed animal alive on the planet. It is not that anyone hasn't seen a picture of a panda; we all have. Zoos pay millions to mount exhibits, where panda “ambassadors” on loan from China never fail to attract a crowd. But after going to China multiple times, getting to know the people, getting to understand the pandas, and learning to really think like a panda, this became one of the most unimaginable explorations I've ever had.
In order to get close, I had to dress up as a panda. It's harder to rock a panda suit than you may imagine, especially when you look like a bank robber and particularly when it’s scented with panda urine and sometimes panda feces. Pandas go by smell, not sight, so it was a stinky endeavor but one I’d happily do again if asked. It was one of the most rewarding assignments, and also like being in a wacky Wes Anderson film: I’d wake up and get dressed in a panda costume, and everyone else I was working with was also wearing panda suits, sometimes missing an ear or a tail.
It's hard to imagine, but these animals were once as mythical and elusive as Bigfoot. They have been around for millions of years but were only discovered within the last century. The first one was not captured alive until 1936. In ancient Chinese art, there were no artistic representations of giant pandas for thousands of years.
Today, there are fewer than 2,000 Giant Pandas in the wild. Their breeding secrets have long resisted the prying efforts of zoos, and the mountainous bamboo forests they call home have been decimated by development and agriculture. For over thirty years, researchers from the reserve have been working on breeding and releasing pandas, augmenting existing populations, and protecting their habitat. And they’re finally having success. The slow and steady incline in the population of Giant Pandas is a testament to the perseverance and efforts of Chinese scientists and conservationists. By breeding and releasing pandas and protecting their habitat, China may be on its way to successfully save its most famous ambassador and, in the process, putting the wild back into an icon.
The panda reminds us that nature is resilient, but we HAVE to give it a chance for it to succeed. Now, the question is, how do we turn this incredible story of success into a solution to the larger problem, which is the long-term survival of ALL endangered species, including uncharismatic ones, as well as the preservation of ecosystems that sustain them?
MK: Well, let me just thank you immensely for your time and effort with this interview, Ami. I know you have plenty of things going on, and it has been a valuable experience for me and those who will be reading it very soon. My final question is simply, what might we expect to see from you in the future that you can mention now?
AV: Thank you so much, Michael! We are about to launch some very exciting things with the non-profit for Vital Impacts!
We are continuing with our holiday print sales and will launch right before Thanksgiving.
This year's focus is to create opportunities for the next generation of environmentalists and environmental photographers. The proceeds will go to supporting our programs and Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program. The world’s most prestigious photographers will be contributing, and it's a wonderful way to support artists, give back to conservation efforts and own something that will inspire you every day.
We are also launching two $20,000 environmental storytelling grants. These grants will give the recipients funding and mentoring to produce a body of work over twelve months. We are also creating a 12-month mentoring program for the top 50 participants. Apply here: https://vitalimpacts.org/pages/the-vital-impacts-environmental-photography-grant
Thank you!!
Looking for more?…
You can find more of Ami’s work on her website.
Check here to learn more about Vital Impacts.
Don’t forget to get a copy of Panda Love!
All photographs, ©Ami Vitale
