Photograph by Joel Sartore
Photograph by Joel Sartore
Wielding his camera in the battle to conserve natural spaces and the habitats they support, Joel Sartore has contributed to over 30 stories in more than 20 years on assignment for National Geographic. These assignments have taken him to some of the world’s most beautiful and challenging environments, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and he has photographed everything from the remote Amazon to beer-drinking, mountain-racing firefighters in the United Kingdom.
His focus is documenting endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving. His interest in nature started in childhood, when he learned about the very last passenger pigeon from one of his mother’s Time-Life picture books.
His first National Geographic assignments introduced him to nature photography, and also allowed him to see human impact on the environment firsthand.
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 plans to spend much of the rest of his career documenting the world’s biodiversity in studio-style portraits for a project he calls The Photo Ark. Showing support for this work, he was recently named a National Geographic Fellow.
Sartore is the author of numerous books including RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species, Photographing Your Family, Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky, and most recently, Let’s Be Reasonable.
In addition to the work he has done for National Geographic, Sartore has contributed to Audubon Magazine, Time, Life, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated. His work has been the subject 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.
Budding photographers can learn from Sartore through a 24-lecture series on photography just published by The Teaching Company/The Great Courses available on DVD and for download.
Sartore is a co-founder of The Grassland Foundation, and is currently on the national board of Defenders of Wildlife.
A favorite among National Geographic presenters, Sartore’s hallmarks are his sense of humor and midwestern work ethic.
Presentation Topics
Grizzlies, Piranhas, and Flesh-Eating Pigs: On Assignment for National Geographic
Experience what it’s like to be on assignment for the world’s greatest magazine. Sartore has learned the hard way that there’s a lot more to it than just capturing amazing places and cultures—there’s also a chance things can go terribly wrong, and they often do. In this lively presentation, Sartore shares an intimate and humorous look at what could be the best—and worst—job in the world as he plays expedition leader, psychologist, medic, and coach, as well as photographer, on expedition with National Geographic.
Team Building: From Jungle to Boardroom
There’s no clocking out early when you’re National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. The far corners of the Earth aren’t all that different from the conference room, the sales presentation, or the cubicle; going the extra mile and building a team to deliver excellent results means the difference between ordinary and extraordinary.
Grounded: A Reflection on the Use of Life and Land
When Joel Sartore’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, this National Geographic photographer who had traveled the world for 18 years knew it was time to stay home. He reconnected with his family and with why he takes pictures in the first place: to show people that wild places and creatures on Earth need and deserve protection. In each life there is the potential for a positive change, and realizing it often starts very simply.
Witnessing Change: Making Sense of Global Warming
From the decline of tropical amphibians to the melting of polar ice, Sartore has seen and photographed the effects of global warming firsthand. See how even a slightly warmer Earth is already bringing about surprising change.
Learn More About Joel:
National Geographic Photographer Profile
NBC Nightly News: The Biodiversity Project
CBS News: Capturing America’s Endangered Species
PBS: At Close Range With National Geographic
Listen to Radio Interview With Joel Sartore
Boyd Matson Interviews Joel for NG Weekend Radio Show
Meet Joel Sartore, one of National Geographic’s most beloved figures, in this short video featuring highlights of his work and passions.
National Geographic contributing photographer Joel Sartore talks about being on assignment for the world’s greatest magazine.
As the global population soars toward nine billion by 2045, this corner of Africa shows what’s at stake in the decades ahead as a desperate competition for land and resources—and between people and wildlife—has erupted here with unspeakable violence.
What is it that makes animal migration such a magnificent spectacle for the eye and the mind?
The largest U.S. oil discoveries in decades lie in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico—one of the most dangerous places to drill on the planet.
Freshwater animals are vanishing faster than those on land or at sea. But captive-breeding programs hold out hope.
Be hypnotized! Gawk at cows! Indulge in fried Coca-Cola!
We are witnessing a mass extinction. An exotic fungus is delivering the fatal blow to many amphibians already hit by habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
In the United States as elsewhere, stopping the countdown to extinction means preserving healthy habitats—the aim of the celebrated and scorned Endangered Species Act.
National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore explains how he got some of the shots in his new book, _Photographing Your Family_—and how you can do the same at home.
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