Nature and wildlife photographers seeking to put their images to work for the good of the planet will love this week’s podcast. Our first guest, Jaymi Heimbuch, founded the Conservation Visual Storytellers Academy to teach photographers how to connect their pictures to a larger purpose. Listen in as Heimbuch discusses ways to harness the three A’s—Action, Audience, and Affect—and successfully target the people you want to reach with your work.

After a break, we hear from Heimbuch’s star student, Anne Readel, who reveals how the viral spread of her story on No-Mow May enabled her to recast her message with different angles, increasing the story’s reach. Stay to the end for Readel’s offbeat story about living with your urban turkey neighbors. Please join us for this inspiring discussion about conservation storytelling, and learn how the aforementioned three A’s can be used to craft the focus of your nature and wildlife pictures and expand their impact.

Guests: Jaymi Heimbuch and Anne Readel

Episode Timeline

3:28: What is Conservation Photography?

7:00: The power of a call to action

8:40: Quick synopsis of the Conservation Visual Storytellers Academy

9:37: A look inside the Visual Storytellers Style quiz

12:25: Putting your visual storyteller style to use

14:00: Conservation stories are happening right outside your door

16:22: The effortless impact of No-Mow May

17:12: Pitching conservation stories and photo / text packages

19:08: The importance of the three A’s – Action, Audience, Affect

20:15: Tips for reverse engineering a photo story

21:03: Where to pitch photo stories and how to get an editor’s attention

23:18: Jaymi Heimbuch’s gear tips for cameras and lenses

24:47: Two trends in lens types: wide angle macros for insects and telephoto zooms for birds

27:28: Jaymi’s favorite brand of camera bag, plus backpacks vs messenger bags

28:52: Episode break

30:12: Anne Readel’s first Sony camera and subsequent upgrades

31:06: Situations where Anne still uses her first crop sensor camera

32:30: Anne’s go-to options for lenses

34:10: Anne’s discovery of Conservation Storytelling 101

35:00: Getting to the goal line with publishing conservation stories

37:58: Anne’s tips for turning scientific data into pictures with impact  

38:46: Making pictures to make your point and spur people to action

39:46: More on No-Mow May and Anne’s goal for the story

40:42: Recasting a story to appeal to multiple audiences and expand its impact

42:57: Focus on stories that get you excited

44:45: Countering negative media bias with a positive message – giving urban turkeys a different spin

46:12: How to catch up with Jayme and Anne

For further details about our guests, their gear, and image galleries of their conservation photography, check out this episode on the B&H Explora blog at: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/conservation-storytelling-with-jaymi-heimbuch-anne-readel

Photograph © Anne Readel