This video portrait was produced by National Geographic magazine in partnership with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. It is part of an ongoing series of conversations with the photographers of the magazine, exploring the power of photography and why this life of imagemaking suits them so well.
Michael "Nick" Nichols has photographed nearly 30 stories for National Geographic. He considers the ultimate success of his photographs to be their influence on the creation of national parks that serve as protected zones for wildlife.
Who are National Geographic photographers? To honor 125 years of photography, we turn the (video) camera on our colleagues and get to know the people behind some of the most celebrated photographs in the world.
Joel Sartore believes that photography can take an ordinary moment and elevate it to iconic. From covering koalas in Australia to the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Sartore has captured the world’s iconic moments in 33 stories for National Geographic. Throughout his 23 years working for the magazine, his photos have influenced governments around the world to protect both species and land. Sartore is now on a mission to halt extinction or, at the very least, slow the process down, through a project he calls the Photo Ark. For this project, Sartore travels to zoos around the country with an aim to photograph all of the world’s 6,000 captive species, of which he has so far captured more than 3,050.
According to Jimmy Chin, “It takes a ton of creativity to push the boundaries at the front edge of action sports.” And he would know. Rock climber turned photographer and filmmaker, Chin has shown audiences extraordinary places that few people could. He completed a historic first ascent of Mount Meru’s Shark Fin in the Himalayas and is one of only people to ski from the summit of Everest—and he does it all with the added challenge of making photographs along the way.
His passion for the outdoors and pushing the limits of his physical and photographic abilities has led to numerous honors. Chin was selected as the inaugural Emerging Explorer for National Geographic and the winner of the Rowell Art of Adventure Award.
William Albert Allard claims he isn’t your typical National Geographic photographer. He avoids dangerous situations and diseases and is largely a photographer of people. Allard fell in love with photography early in his life, and started his career as a National Geographic intern in 1964. He has used color photography to explore topics from the American West to the banks of the Seine river in Paris, and has done more than 40 stories for the magazine. Allard relies on having time to explore a story, as well as serendipity to catch the right moment. His passion for the work has meant an American Book Award and the Leica Medal of Excellence in 1983, as well as numerous other accolades.