Opportunities for women
Historically nature photography and video production has been a field dominated by men, but things are now changing! Check out these wonderful resources for women and women-identifying visual storytellers.
HER WILD VISION
A website created by Jaymi Heimbuch and Morgan Heim which showcases the work and expertise of female and female-identifying storytellers specialising in nature related topics. Applications to be listed with them open a few times each year, it is free to apply.
Girls who click
This charity founded by Suzi Esterhas provides workshops for young women and has a mentorship programme for women entering the realm of nature photography professionally.
FNP
A community founded by Stephanie Manuel, which showcases the work of female nature photographers. The website is a great place for aspiring photographers to find inspiration!
SHE CLICKS
This free to join community was set up to encourage and support female photographers of all levels of experience, from novices using a phone to experienced pros handling top-end kit. While the group started in the UK, the membership is now global.
Opportunities for under-represented groups
KMG Agency
Katie-Marie Goodwright puts filmmakers in touch with production companies looking for talent on the ground. Being a member can open up new job opportunities. Once you have a website and natural history portfolio be sure to apply. She has also set up diversity scholarships for under represented groups in wildlife film.
Diversify photo
Diversify Photo is a community of BIPOC and non-western photographers, editors, and visual producers working to break with the predominantly colonial and patriarchal eye through which history and the mass media has seen and recorded the images of our time. Their international online database is used by editors at major media outlets seeking to diversify their rosters of visual storytellers. They also create networking, exhibiting, speaking, community-building, and resource-sharing opportunities for their members. Membership application is free.
Indigenous Photograph
A space to elevate the work of Indigenous visual journalists and bring balance to the way we tell stories about Indigenous people and spaces. Our mission is to support the media industry in hiring more Indigenous photographers to tell the stories of their communities and to reflect on how we tell these stories. If you’re an independent Indigenous photographer from anywhere in the world with 3+ years of professional experience, you can apply to their database. While they are open to many different applications of photography as a storytelling medium, their emphasis is on photojournalism and documentary photography.
Black woman photographers
A global community and digital database, launched in July of 2020 by Polly Irungu. In an effort to promote and encourage inclusive hiring practices, the database highlights any and all Black women who elect to be submitted.
Creative Access
A charity working to support talented people from groups that are under-represented in terms of ethnicity, socio-economic background and disability, or facing significant barriers to employment, to find creative jobs in the UK. You can register to apply to job opportunities listed on their website.
Firelight Media Documentary Lab
A flagship mentorship program that seeks out and develops emerging, diverse nonfiction filmmakers. The Documentary Lab provides filmmakers with customised mentorship from prominent leaders in the documentary world, as well as funding, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities. Applications will be accepted through Tuesday, June 15, 2021. You can subscribe on their website to stay up to date with news on this opportunity. Please note applicants must be from a racially and ethnically underrepresented community and be residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories.