Joel Sartore is a photographer, speaker, author, teacher, and a regular contributor to National Geographic magazine. His hallmarks are a sense of humor and a Midwestern work ethic.

Joel’s assignments have taken him to some of the world’s most beautiful and challenging environments, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and he has photographed everything from the remote Amazon to beer-drinking, mountain-racing firefighters in the United Kingdom.

His focus is documenting endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving. His interest in nature started in childhood, when he learned about the very last passenger pigeon from one of his mother’s Time-Life picture books.

His first National Geographic assignments introduced him to nature photography, and also allowed him to see human impact on the environment first-hand.

In his words, “It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity. When we save species, we’re actually saving ourselves.”

Joel has written several books including RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species, Photographing Your Family, and Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky. His most recent book, Let’s Be Reasonable is now available wherever books are sold.

In addition to the work he has done for National Geographic, Joel has contributed to Audubon Magazine, Time, Life, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and numerous book projects. Joel and his work are the subjects of several na­tional broadcasts including National Geographic’s Explorer, the NBC Nightly News, NPR’s Weekend Edition and an hour-long PBS documentary, At Close Range. He is also a regular contributor on the CBS Sunday Morning Show with Charles Osgood.

Joel is always happy to return to home base from his travels around the world. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with his wife Kathy and their three children.

Joel Sartore Most Requested Topics:

Grizzlies, Piranhas and Man-Eating Pigs: On Assignment for National Geographic

Experience what it’s like to be on assignment for the world’s greatest magazine in some of Earth’s most amazing places. In 20 years and 30 stories, Joel Sartore has learned the hard way that there’s a lot more to it than just visualizing, then capturing amazing places, wildlife and cultures—there’s also a chance things can go terribly wrong, and they often do.

Producing each story requires not only imagining the end result months (and sometimes years) in advance, but bringing home results, no matter what. From the steamy Amazon to the high Arctic, Joel shares a lively, intimate and humorous look at what could be the best—and worst—job in the world as he plays expedition leader, psychologist, medic, accountant and coach, as well as photographer. It’s all just another day at the office when you’re on assignment for National Geographic.

Great for: all audiences

Grounded: A Reflection on the Use of Life and Land

When his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore knew that it was time to stay home for a while. After traveling the world for 18 years, his wife’s illness quickly forced him to focus on what really matters.  He reconnected with his family and with why he takes pictures in the first place: to show people that wild places and creatures on Earth need and deserve protection.  In each life there is the potential for a positive change, and realizing it often starts very simply.

Great for:  family-oriented audiences, health care audiences, creative audiences 

Climate Change: Making Sense of Global Warming

From the decline of tropical amphibians to the melting of polar ice, Joel Sartore has seen and photographed the effects of global warming first hand. See how even a slightly warmer Earth is already having very serious consequences. Travel to Alaska’s North Slope where a lack of sea ice threatens not only polar bears, but all of us as well. Learn what to expect when warming comes your way, whether or not it can be reversed, and what you can do to help.

Great for: environmentally conscious audiences, educational settings