Wildlife Watch, an integrated reporting project at the Bureau of Animals, is dedicated to the commercial exploitation of wildlife and other valuable resources, identifying vulnerabilities in national and international wildlife conservation efforts, and empowering institutions and individuals committed to a better world. National Geographic Travel has the largest digital reach of any media brand in consumer travel. Through cross-platform visual storytelling, we provide practical tools, tips and inspiration for planning trips to iconic places and the great outdoors. We focus on sustainable travel, national parks and wilderness places, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, family trips and stories that reveal the authentic qualities, stories and cultures of places. «I send a lot of my staff to events like the Alexia or Pictures of the Year International scholarships, the World Press Photo contest and other competitions. We always look at the people who win these competitions and see what they do. «For me, going to school was the gateway to this business. I went to journalism school at the University of Missouri, so that was my path. When I learned to be a journalist and I learned to write captions and to be a reporter and also to do photojournalism. That was really important to me. Every day, she receives countless pitches for travel stories and documentaries.
We asked them what makes an interesting story, if journalism school is important, and what makes a good pitch. She also told us what blogs she reads to find new talent. «They know how to take great pictures, but sometimes they don`t have those skills, and you have to say, `Hey, you can`t just walk around, take pictures and not get information. «I feel like at National Geographic, we don`t start here, we come here. This is not where you will start as a photographer. The people we work with are, for the most part, fully trained professionals. We try to feed the young people and sometimes find super talented young people and try them out. This is what happens, especially when they have a project that has already started and that suits us. Nat Geo Kids magazine is a general interest publication for children aged 6 to 14. Our mission is to educate and entertain children through captivating storytelling on topics such as natural history, cool technology, amazing geography and fascinating history. «Why are you introducing history when we`ve just done it? Do your homework. Cover photo by photographer Luciano Candisani via National Geographic «You have to be open to these things and not be too restrictive.
Sometimes photographers can find really interesting ways to tell a story, and you`ll be glad you took that risk later. «First of all, I`m not going to get ideas or pitches from people that I don`t think could work successfully for us as a photographer. There`s no point in me thinking, «Well, your photographic work isn`t at a level that will never make it here.» National Geographic`s Animal Office primarily reports on wild animals and sometimes domestic animals in order to better understand our natural world and inspire the public to care for them. Our reports include discoveries of new species, new behaviours and new cognitions; wildlife crime and welfare; conservation of endangered species and threats of extinction; and the intersection of animal and society. «If you present an idea and we did it two months ago and you don`t know it, I`m a little less interested in you because it makes me a little moody because we just did it.» Mathias Depardon`s postcards from the Black Sea for National Geographic «I have to be convinced that they can actually do the job – whatever they come up with – and that their photography, their vision, their aesthetics are at a level that will be successful in any of our publications. National Geographic`s Office of History and Culture is the primary vehicle for reporting on human journey: important archaeological finds, significant cultural monuments, and a deeper understanding of history as it affects our culture and modern life. We also tell stories about contemporary people, cultures, and regions in the United States and around the world that help readers better understand and understand our global village. Here are Leen`s tips for being featured in National Geographic. «I think training as a journalist is very important if you want to work as a photojournalist.» Rachel Bujalski`s Connected Off-the-Grid for National Geographic Submit your pet pitches here. Specifically for Wildlife Watch locations, email them to NGP.WildlifeWatch@natgeo.com. [Erica Canepas Kleinfontein for National Geographic] «Then you should consider, is this the kind of story that suits this publication? Is it in our wheelhouse in terms of the problems we are facing? Is it ecological? Is it climate change? Is it cultural? National Geographic`s science office offers a mix of discovery-driven news, explanations of the science behind current events, and longer features that put current science in context.
Our typical reader is passionate about science, but not an expert, so we cover new developments and trends in a way that takes people on a journey of discovery. The ideal pitches are driven by exciting visuals (photos or graphics) that complement the text. Our office covers paleontology, astronomy, geology, health and medicine, human origins, technology and physics. «If you`ve tried to present stories here — whether it`s National Geographic magazine or Traveler — it`s really, really smart to have looked at the magazines. Know the magazine you`re presenting, and if you have an idea, maybe google it and find out: When was the last time you did this and what did it look like? «A lot of times I find projects done by photographers, and I`m like, `This is really cool, but I`d like to see more about this or that part of this story.` We started relationships with several photographers this way – they started with a project, then we fired them and let them work more, and maybe we took a slightly different angle on something they had already started. «Why should we do this now? Can you answer that question? Why should we do it now and not in three years? It`s not just a dot on the map, like, «Oh, this is this beautiful place and we should make this beautiful place.» It just won`t fly with my editor. She will want to know, why should we do it now? National Geographic`s environment office offers a mix of news, analysis of recent developments, and features from remote locations. Our central topics are climate change and the adaptation of man and nature; fossil fuels and the transition to renewable energy; threats to terrestrial and ocean ecosystems; parks and protected areas; pollution, in particular by plastic waste; and justice issues embedded in all of the above. If you`re a photographer serious about documenting unique people and places, publishing it in National Geographic is pretty much the holy grail of career goals.
To find out what it takes to be introduced, we called the magazine`s camerawoman, Sarah Leen. «If you don`t go down that path and you don`t end up becoming a great photographer, at some point you also have to learn how to be a great journalist. You also need to understand what a photo narrative is and the importance of getting accurate and complete subtitle information and reports.