Nikon Ambassador and National Geographic Magazine photographer Ami Vitale has travelled to more than 100 countries, bearing witness not only to violence and conflict, but also to surreal beauty and the enduring power of the human spirit. Throughout the years, Ami has lived in mud huts and war zones, contracted malaria, and donned a panda suit – keeping true to her belief in the importance of "living the story". In 2009, after shooting a powerful story on the transport and release of one the world’s last northern white rhinos, Ami shifted her focus to today’s most compelling wildlife and environmental stories.
Ami is a founding member of Ripple Effect Images, an organisation of renowned female scientists, writers, photographers and filmmakers working together to create powerful and persuasive stories that shed light on the hardships women in developing countries face, and the programs that can help them. She is also on the Photojournalism Advisory Council for the Alexia Foundation and is the current President of the National Geographic Advisory Board.
Currently based in Montana, Ami is a contract photographer with National Geographic Magazine and frequently gives workshops throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. She can be reached at ami@amivitale.com