Description
Photograph wildlife, plants, natural landscapes, and phenomena on location, often in remote or rugged environments. Use natural light and specialized equipment to capture authentic, ethical images, and edit files to produce publication-ready photographs and prints. Work with media, brands, and conservation organizations while planning shoots around seasons, behavior, and weather.
- • Capture wildlife, plants, and natural landscapes in the field, often in remote locations.
- • Adjust exposure, focus, and shutter speed for changing outdoor light, subject motion, and depth of field.
- • Use digital cameras, telephoto and macro lenses, tripods, filters, and remote triggers.
- • Use reflectors, diffusers, or low-impact artificial light when appropriate without disturbing wildlife.
- • Plan compositions and vantage points to tell ecological stories and highlight behavior or habitat.
- • Prepare and test weatherproof gear and backups before expeditions.
- • Review and cull field images to select and sequence the strongest photos.
- • Evaluate natural light, weather, tides, seasons, and subject distances, and calculate exposures and focus ranges.
- • Process RAW files; color-correct, denoise, and crop to produce publication-ready images.
- • Clean sensors and lenses; maintain and repair field equipment.
- • Manage schedules, permits, budgets, and logistics for shoots and travel.
- • Research ecosystems and timing; scout locations; coordinate with editors, scientists, or conservation clients to define shot lists.
- • Pack and stage field kits, blinds, and camouflage suited to terrain and species.
- • Retouch distractions and remove dust; prepare images in multiple resolutions and color spaces for print and web.
- • Set up tripods, hides, camera traps, and remote cameras safely and discreetly.
- • Ingest, back up, caption, and archive images with accurate metadata and geotagging as appropriate.
- • Lead or coordinate assistants, guides, and fixers in field setup and safety procedures.
- • Employ specialized techniques such as macro, long-lens wildlife, time-lapse, aerial/drone, and night/astro photography.
- • Experiment with new field methods, remote triggering, and concealment to ethically capture rare behavior.
- • Curate exhibits, prints, and talks to promote conservation and sell work.
- • Create visual stories, captions, and educational materials for publications, NGOs, or presentations.
- • License images through stock agencies and negotiate usage with publishers and brands.
- • Print, mount, and frame fine art nature photographs or prepare files for lab fulfillment.
- • Transfer images to computers or cloud systems and deliver galleries to clients via FTP or digital asset management systems.
- • Prepare photo books, calendars, and marketing materials or coordinate with labs for high-quality output.
- • Write accurate species identifications, locations, behaviors, and ethics statements in captions and metadata.
- • Adhere to wildlife photography ethics, permits, and Leave No Trace practices to minimize impact.
- • Monitor field safety; assess risks from terrain and wildlife; carry first-aid and communication gear.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
