Best Female Nature Photographer

[jeremy jackson]

<p>Hi all, just interested in your suggestions about who you think is the best North American FEMALE nature photographer. Cheers, JJ</p>

[tom_walker1]

<p>1) Cheryl Opperman, and for Alaska species, 2) Robin Brandt.<br>

Of course, the "Dean" may well be Wendy Shatill. (SP? may be off)</p>

[images_in_light_north_west]

<p>Suzi is pretty darn good.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.suzieszterhas.com/">http://www.suzieszterhas.com/</a></p>

[brucecahn]

<p>Not that I am an expert in that kind of photography, but I like Marina Cano.</p>

[steve_rasmussen]

<p>I feel that Mary Liz Austin is in the running.</p>

[joseph_wisniewski]

<p>I was always a bit of a Heather Angel fan...</p>

[eric_silvi]

<p>Brenda Tharp</p>

[Robert DeCandido PhD]

<p>From the archives (2003)...best female bird photographer:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/nature-photography-forum/004RE5</p>

[Mary Doo]

<p><a href="http://www.ligiaphoto.com/">Ligia Dovale-Kiamco</a></p>

[judy_tilley]

<p>Elizabeth Carmel<br>

http://www.elizabethcarmel.com/</p>

[michael.gregory]

<p>I am a big fan of Laura Pipkin<br>

http://www.pbase.com/pipkin</p>

 

[michael.gregory]

<p>I am a big fan of Laura Pipkin<br>

http://www.pbase.com/pipkin</p>

 

[jeremy jackson]

<p>I'm asking because I am part of a group of photographers selecting presenters for a workshop. We will be having all sorts of participants and we only have male photographers presenting/leading the sessions. We wanted to balance the presenters and have a female present in addition to the 5 males we already have. We just wanted to try to minimize the MALE dominance of the workshop presenters.</p>

<p>So, we were looking for female photographers that are well enough known that people would recognize the name. I thought posting a question here would help us start looking.</p>

<p>And the posts have been very helpful. Thank you everyone that offered informed, constructive help. We will be contacting some of the people you have identified.</p>

<p>Cheers, JJ</p>

[s_b21]

<p>I have the feeling that i am gonna step on some toes here, but what does it matter what the gender/race/shoe size/whatever of the photographer is as long you like their photos?</p>

[jeremy jackson]

<p>A number of the presenters suggested it. I did not ask them why. I only agreed to post the question to see who is out there. JJ</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>SB, Jeremy Jackson, the original poster, has already explained why he is asking this question.</p>

<p>As one of the moderators for this forum, I have deleted a bunch of posts that took this thread off a tangent. Hopefully we can bring the discussion back to the intended topic.</p>

[stemked]

<p>I can't say I know exactly which side of the couple does what but Mary Ann McDonald and her husband Joe have written a fair number of good books and run workshops. Anyway:<br>

http://www.hoothollow.com/Original%20website%20folders/default.htm</p>

[g dan mitchell]

<p>I'd say that the question of whether or not it makes a difference seems to be one that concerns posters in this thread, and I think that removing posts on that question from the thread might not be appropriate.</p>

<p>My quick answer is that it is no more or less appropriate to ask about female landscape photographers than it would be to ask about young, British, California, or 20th-century landscape photographers. We categorize photographers in a number of ways, and doing so is not necessarily a sign of prejudice for or against that group or the groups not mentioned.</p>

<p>I think this is an entirely appropriate question. I know of several of the photographers mentioned here and I'm very interested to hear of more.</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Dan</p>

[macpherson]

<p>I have to agree with other posters here.</p>

<p>It seems to me that what matters is the IMAGE.</p>

<p>Would you feel differently about a great image if it were shot by one gender vs the other?</p>

<p>If we are indeed heading toward a gender / color / age / etc blind society, why not challenge the question as soon as it is asked?</p>

<p>Let's just get back to evaluating the image on its own merits and leave the characteristics of the photographer where it belongs - outside of the frame altogether.</p>

[frank_field]

<p>As a workshop leader, I'd look for someone who is both recognized and a good communicator/teacher. I think Brenda Tharp is excellent in both categories. She has published a well regarded book (with updated edition due in March) and is recognized as an outstanding instructor. </p>

[juliet_chase]

<p>Jeremy didn't know what he was starting when he asked the question:-) If a presenter only talked about the camera, the setting, time of day and that sort of thing then gender wouldn't matter. But in my experience they tend to talk about all their gear, how they got to that spot, how they experienced foreign countries and all the things that go into making the image. And for that gender can make a big difference in how they approach things. Women travelling alone have different considerations than men - doesn't mean they shouldn't go, just that they <em>may</em> approach it differently. As a female photographer I find that info as much or more helpful as knowing the aperture they used.</p>