Whether you’re looking for inspiration or want to fill your Instagram feed with more quality work, and specifically from women photographers, you’ve come to the right place.
Amy Davies recently shared her suggested list of the 10 women photographers you should follow for International Women’s Day, and I collated a list of some of my favourite female street photographers. But now, it’s time to put a spotlight on the women working in wildlife, nature and conservation.
From underwater and drone photography to birds and wildlife conservation photojournalism here’s a selection of my favourites in no particular order:
Ami Vitale
Ami Vitale is an acclaimed National Geographic photographer, writer, documentary filmmaker and founder of Vital Impacts. Ami’s career is dedicated to documenting and addressing global crises and spotlights critical issues affecting our world.
Rachel Bigsby
Rachel Bigsby is a self-taught wildlife photographer with a deep affinity with seabirds. Guided by purpose, passion, and a profound dedication to her craft, she has forged her own path in the field. Her work has been recognised with the Natural Artistry Award in Wildlife Photographer of the Year (2023) and the Portfolio Award in Bird Photographer of the Year (2023). She is also an ambassador for the RSPB and a Nikon Creator.
Lara Jackson-Turner
Lara Jackson-Turner is a conservation biologist and wildlife photographer aiming to be a voice for the voiceless, telling the stories of those who work tirelessly to protect some of the most endangered species on the planet. She was Highly Commended in the Animal Portraits category of Wildlife Photographer of the Year (2021) with her fierce lioness portrait, ‘Raw Moment’.
Margot Raggett MBE
AP’s recent winner of the Hero of Photography award for her Remembering Wildlife project, Margot Raggett is a wildlife and travel photographer specialising in Kenya, Masai Mara, Tanzania and more. Remembering Wildlife, a series of books covering elephants, rhinos, great apes, cheetahs, lions, African wild dogs, bears, leopards, and tigers have raised over £1.25m for conservation projects.
Joanna Steidle
Joanna Steidle is an international award-winning professional drone pilot, aerial photographer/videographer, and artist. In 2025 she was honored as International Aerial Photographer of the Year for her drone imagery, particularly related to marine ecosystems and ocean wildlife.
Britta Jaschinski
Known for her unique style of photojournalism, Britta Jaschinski’s work can be hard-hitting and yet they are hauntingly beautiful. Jaschinski is the co-founder of Photographers Against Wildlife Crime™, an international group of photographers and journalists who have joined forces to use their iconic images and powerful words, to help bring an end to the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetime.
Kate Newman
Kate Newman is a Melbourne based based photographer specializing in wildlife portraits and conservation imagery. From her backyard in Australia to the African savanna her work truly celebrates the wild and its beauty.
Cristina Mittermeier
Cristina Mittermeier is a marine biologist, activist and one of the most influential conservation photographers of our time. Her images focus on demonstrating the relationship between human cultures, indigenous people and biodiversity, the ocean, and climate change. In 2014, she co-founded SeaLegacy with her partner, Paul Nicklen, a non-profit organisation using photography and film to promote the protection of the world’s oceans.
Fiona Wardle
Fiona Wardle is a conservation photographer and expedition guide who believes that empathy is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect the natural world. Her work is guided by a deep love for wild places and the quiet, often unseen stories within them.
Julie Chandelier
Whether in the polar regions, atop mountains, or beneath the ocean’s surface, French/Swedish photographer Julie has dedicated recent years to raising awareness through her imagery and telling the stories about the natural world we live in. She’s been fortunate to work on expeditions in some of the most remote corners of the planet, where extreme conditions make capturing images both challenging and unforgettable—from documenting whale research in the Subantarctic Islands to guiding in the high Arctic and Antarctica.
Kelley Luikey
Kelley Luikey is an award-winning fine art photographer known for her signature soft, dreamy style that brings a painterly, intimate quality to bird photography. While much of her time is devoted to photographing the birds of the South Carolina Lowcountry, Kelley also travels in pursuit of new species and fresh perspectives.
Dani Connor
Dani Connor is a wildlife photographer with a special affinity with squirrels. Following a trip to northern Sweden where Dani came across red squirrels, she discovered four orphaned baby squirrels. After sharing a viral video of Baby Pear, she was inspired to focus on YouTube, where she shares her journey of photographing wildlife.
Shannon Wild
Shannon Wild is an acclaimed wildlife photographer, cinematographer, and a devoted advocate for wildlife conservation. She has contributed her creative talents to esteemed organisations like National Geographic, NatGeo Wild and the United Nations. Shannon established Wild In Africa – Bracelets For Wildlife, a heartfelt initiative aimed at providing direct support to various wildlife conservation organisations. Additionally, she co-founded MAC MEDIA, a natural history and film production company.
Marina Cano
Marina Cano is a Spanish wildlife photographer that has a sensitive and intimate approach to wildlife. Her work has gained international prestige through competitions like BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and seen the covers of National Geographic. She has published books including Babies of the Wild and Wild Soul, and is a European Canon Ambassador, Banana Republic Wildlife Ambassador and Think Tank and Cotton Carrier collaborator, and collaborates with the likes of Vital Impacts and Remembering Wildlife.
Tesni Ward
Tesni Ward is an award winning, professional wildlife photographer and OM SYSTEM ambassador. While the majority of her work focuses on British wildlife, she also photographs projects across the world and has aspirations to promote conservation and education through her images.
Amy Jones
Since 2018, Amy Jones has worked on the ground across seven different countries to document the plight of animals used for food, entertainment, fashion, and experimentation. Amy’s work seeks to replace false narratives with images of what is really happening to animals behind closed doors, giving people a glimpse into the places that are kept hidden. She is the photographer behind Moving Animals and her work has strengthened the campaigns of multiple animal advocacy groups.
Karine Aigner
Karine is an award-winning photojournalist who captures visual stories that explore the relationships between humans and the animal world. Her work has been featured in National Geographic Magazine, Audubon, The New York Times, Nature Conservancy Magazine, The Guardian, WWF and BBC Wildlife. Her photo ‘The Big Buzz’ of a cactus bee mating ball won the 58th Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards in 2022, making her the fifth woman ever to win the grand title.
If you have a suggestion for a list you want to see, or any photographers you think should be added – let us know! Email [email protected] or contact us on social media.
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