Earth Day 2024 is on Monday, April 22, and we look forward to the community coming together to support conservation and environmental protection. For conservation photographers, Earth Day isn’t just one day, it’s every day, and we’re thankful for their tireless efforts to bring our planet’s important issues to the forefront of the conversation no matter the occasion. In preparation for Earth Day and to continue to care for our planet every day, we’ve gathered a group of excellent conservation photographers whose work you’ll want to add to your feeds immediately to keep up with and support their latest projects. Want to learn more about conservation photography and how you can get started? Catch up with these conservation photographers and more in the iLCP Club in the Sony Alpha Universe Community Forums.

Earth Day 2024 is on Monday, April 22. Follow these storytellers who are working tirelessly every day to protect our planet.

Cristina Mittermeier – @Mitty

Sony Artisan Cristina Mittermeier is a conservation photographer, co-founder of @SeaLegacy and founding executive director of @iLCP_photographers. For the last 30 years, she has traveled all over the world to document nature, the beauty of wildlife and the power of the ocean, as well as the wisdom of indigenous people. She uses her imagery to not only drive change, but to provide people with hope for the future, and you can learn more about her new book “HOPE” in the video below. Follow her to keep up with her latest conservation projects.

Paul Nicklen – @paulnicklen

Sony Artisan Paul Nicklen is another conservation photographer and co-founder of @SeaLegacy who is dedicated to helping protect our oceans through storytelling. He's been capturing and sharing the planet's critical issues for decades and his work has earned him many prestigious conservation awards. Watch the video below as he shares his experience being in the water with sperm whales to shoot stills and video with his Sony Alpha 1 and Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master. Follow him on Instagram for more posts in your feed that tell important conservation stories and inspire his viewers to enact change.

Andy Mann – @andy_mann

Sony Artisan Andy Mann is a conservation storyteller, National Geographic photographer, filmmaker, songwriter and the co-founder and director of @SeaLegacy. He leads the organization’s impact media team, creating storytelling assets to campaign and lobby for marine protections around the world. His work in the eastern tropical pacific ocean between 2018-2021 helped to create the world’s very first international marine protected area. Watch the videos below to learn more about how he uses the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II, Sony 600mm f/4 G Master and Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master to tell conservation stories from his perspective.

Melissa Groo – @melissagroo

Sony Artisan Melissa Groo is a well-known bird photographer, wildlife advocate and member of the @iLCP_photographers. Her conservation photography focuses on ethics first, ensuring that there are no negative consequences to creating the image for wildlife. She even created the National Audubon Society's Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and works closely with iLCP on setting ethical principles for wildlife photographers. You can watch the video below to see which gear she uses for her photography and check out her Instagram post of a crane with a fish. “Why is this important? Because it reinforces how the health of the Platte river and riverine system is critically important for the health of cranes.”

Bing Lin – @earth.abloom

Bing Lin is an accomplished conservation photographer and Emerging League member of the @iLCP_photographers. He’s also currently a doctorate student at Princeton, and his research combines conservation ecology and environmental policy in a coral reef context. His photography is created both underwater and topside, with a theme of biodiversity and conservation like in the post below. “Hawksbill turtles are among the most endangered sea turtles in the world and are currently classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN Red List. With less than 8,000 nesting females estimated to be left in the world, they’re a welcome sight on any dive.” He’s also taken to urban wildlife photography thanks to his encounter on campus with a fox, and you can read more about that in Urban Wildlife Photography & The “Princeton Fox”. Join Bing in the iLCP Club in the Sony Alpha Universe Community Forums to talk more about conservation photography.

Morgan Heim – @MoHeim

Morgan Heim is a leading conservation photojournalist, filmmaker and adventurer. Her work primarily focuses on wildlife-human coexistence. She uses her background in ecology and journalism to tackle subjects such as roadkill, living with cormorants, deer migration and the environmental impacts of drug cartels on forestlands. In the post below you can read more about how she just received funding from National Geographic for her project about cormorants. “It’s taken 15 years of working in conservation photography to get to this, and the project that got accepted stems from the one you see here. It began at home with the cormorants in my town from a self-funded project supported by people willing to let me in and give me access to a beautiful, complicated wildlife story. May it encourage you to not give up if you have a passion for this work.” Morgan shared some of her tips for photographing birds with us HERE, and you can learn more about her conservation work HERE.

Ross Long – @rosslongphoto

Photographer Ross Long is based in Byron Bay Australia, and much of his work captures the beauty in the surrounding ocean. He uses his imagery to tell stories of the various wildlife he photographs, and ensures to remind others of the importance of being respectful like in his post below. “Remember, when observing baby turtles, it’s important to respect their natural habitat and follow any guidelines provided by conservation organizations to ensure their safety. Many turtle species are critically endangered so tread carefully and be mindful.” One of his turtle images was a finalist in the Ocean Photographer Of The Year Content for Conservation Photographer Of The Year. You can find that image and learn more about it in Behind The Shot: An Extraordinary And Rare Natural Encounter.

Michael Eastwell – @michaeleastwell

British born wildlife photographer Michael Eastwell specializes in documenting conservation stories and the natural world. He captured the images of a spotted tail quoll in his post below with his Sony Alpha 1 and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II. “It’s always a privilege to encounter these threatened creatures, but seeing them in good light really allows you to appreciate their intricate details.” Learn more about the gear he uses for his work in What’s In My Bag: A Wildlife Photo & Camera Trapping Kit For Conservation Storytelling.