Ami Vitale Essay

In a male-dominated field, Ami Vitale stands apart as a renowned photojournalist for National Geographic. She is the recipient of many awards, including the International Photographer of the Year, the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding Reporting and Magazine Photographer of the Year, named by the National Press Photographers Association, according to National Geographic’s bio of her (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/contributors/v/photographer-ami-vitale/).

In a quote from Vitale’s website, she stated that “In the beginning, photography was my passport to meeting people, learning and experiencing new cultures.” (http://www.amivitale.com/about-ami/) She worked as a conflict photographer for many years, but found her true calling in nature photography after an assignment covering white rhinos in 2009 (http://www.amivitale.com/about-ami/). She focuses now on the rehabilitation of the giant panda population in China (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/08/giant-pandas-wild-animals-national-parks/). As a founding member of Ripple Effect Images, a news organization dedicated to showing the issues women face in developing countries, she also is providing a place for the next generation of photojournalists to get there start.

Vitale has contributed to photojournalism not only through her work, but also through supporting new photojournalists. She sits on the advisory board of the Alexia Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds both student and professional photojournalists for their studies or work (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/contributors/v/photographer-ami-vitale/). Along with this, Vitale creates online workshops, through her website, for those who want to learn about the style that she is known for (https://www.skillshare.com/site/join?teacherRef=2127490&via=teacher-referral&utm_campaign=teacher-referral&utm_source=ShortUrl&utm_medium=teacher-referral&t=Documentary-Photography-Capturing-Places-and-People&sku=1530569374). She also does in-person workshops and lectures. I have been fortunate enough to attend one (http://www.amivitale.com/learn/).

The thing that I most admire in both Vitale’s life and work is what she has done for National Geographic. Her ongoing photography work on the giant panda shows an amazing story of people working to better not only their environment, but the environment of another species. Going into places I would normally never be allowed to go just to take pictures has been a dream of mine for a long time and Vitale gets to do just that.

It seems to me that the work that she is most proud of focuses on animal life and conservation. Her photo stories on white rhinos and giant pandas find their way into articles featuring her more than her photo stories on conflict. To me, both deserve equal praise. Her conflict work shows a different aspect than most are used to when it comes to describing war. She shows not only the angry times, but the calm times as well.

In my opinion, Ami Vitale’s work speaks for itself.