Lara Jackson: Collaboration Is Better Than Competition
In this episode of the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast, Angela Nicholson speaks with the inspiring Lara Jackson, a conservation biologist, award-winning wildlife photographer, Nikon Creator and ambassador for Save the Rhino. Lara’s work takes her across the globe, combining scientific research with photography to highlight the plight of endangered species and the importance of conservation.
Listen to another episode of the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast
Lara shares how she fell into photography almost by accident while studying zoology, and how her passion for wildlife and protecting the planet has driven her photographic journey ever since. Her story is a fascinating blend of science and creativity, showing how images can be a powerful tool for change when used with intention and empathy.
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Lara discusses how competition can sometimes dominate the photography industry, especially when many people are striving for similar opportunities. Lara explains why she believes collaboration and community are far more powerful, not only for individual growth but for the wider benefit of wildlife. She talks openly about the importance of supporting others, building networks and how passing on opportunities can create a more positive, inclusive environment.
As a conservation photographer, Lara also reflects on the ethical responsibilities that come with documenting wildlife. From the pressures of tourism to the power of storytelling, she shares valuable insight into how photographers can make a real difference while remaining respectful of the subjects they capture.
We also chat about the realities of being self-employed, from the challenges of chasing work and dealing with rejection to managing multiple projects and staying motivated during quieter times. Lara’s honest perspective is both relatable and encouraging, offering a glimpse into what it really takes to build a career in wildlife photography.
Whether you are just starting out or are already immersed in your photographic journey, this episode is packed with thoughtful insights about storytelling, purpose and resilience. Lara’s advice about networking, staying true to your values and developing a unique photographic style is particularly helpful for anyone looking to grow in this competitive industry.
If you’ve ever felt unsure about your place in photography or questioned whether you’re doing enough, Lara’s story will remind you that integrity, compassion and collaboration are just as important as technical skill.
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CEWE
This episode is brought to you by CEWE - Europe's leading photo printing company and their hero product, the CEWE Photobook that is the proud recipient of the Which? Best Buy award.
You know those thousands of photos sitting on your phone or hard drive? With a CEWE Photobook, you can turn your memories into a beautiful, high-quality album that you’ll want to show off. Every page is fully customisable and you can pick from a range of sizes, finishes, and layouts, designing every detail with their easy-to-use editor — or let their Smart Assistant help. So if you’re ready to do something real with your photos, head over to cewe.co.uk.
Episode Transcript
Lara Jackson 0:04
I think there's quite a strong lean towards competitiveness in this industry, because there's so many of us trying to achieve the same things. But actually, the more we raise up other people and the more we work alongside each other, the better it is for wildlife and probably for yourself.
Angela Nicholson 0:21
Hello and welcome to the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast. I'm Angela Nicholson, and I'm the founder of SheClicks, which is a community for female photographers. In these podcasts, I talk with women in the photographic industry to hear about their experiences, what drives them, and how they got to where they are now. This episode is with Laura Jackson, a conservation biologist, award winning wildlife photographer, Nikon creator and an ambassador for Save the rhino. Her work has taken her across the globe, combining cutting-edge research with photography to highlight the plight of endangered species.
Angela Nicholson 0:52
Hi, Lara, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today.
Lara Jackson 0:56
Thank you for having me.
Angela Nicholson 0:58
Oh, that's great. Thank you for joining me. Now, I know your first passion was nature and wildlife, but at what point did you become interested in photography?
Lara Jackson 1:06
Yeah, so for me, I like to say that I fell into photography completely by accident. So first and foremost, I'm a conservation biologist and zoologist, and as part of my university studies, I had amazing opportunities to go to some incredible places as part of my research. So it was actually a trip to Madagascar, and I was there for six weeks researching mouse lemurs for my undergraduate dissertation. And I went equipped only with a GoPro, and obviously came away with no photos that I liked, because you can't really capture wildlife imagery with a with a GoPro. So it was after that trip that I decided to buy a camera, and I bought a bridge camera, because I distinctly remember thinking, Well, I don't want to get into that cycle of buying expensive lenses. Obviously, that changed quite quickly. But it was from that moment on that I really became interested in photography, and I had another opportunity, a tropical ecology field trip to Belize the next in my next year, where I took my camera, and I just absolutely fell in love with photography. So that's where it really began.
Angela Nicholson 2:08
So what was it about photography that really hooked you? And at what point did you realise it was going to be a key part of your career?
Lara Jackson 2:15
I think, well, I assume it's the same for many of us. It's just that chasing that perfection of that image. When I was in Belize, we had scarlet macaws that would just fly in the trees above our camp, and I just became obsessed with trying to get a better and better image, just for me personally, you know, I was really intrigued by their behaviours, and I wanted to capture them in flight and capture them bickering amongst each other. So I think it was that maybe the pursuit of perfection. I've always been a bit of a perfectionist anyway, so that's probably what really intrigued me. And I think having my background in conservation, and, you know, studying Zoology at uni, I probably had more of an understanding of behaviour, especially for some of the subjects, than someone who might just be starting out in photography and then learning about the animal afterwards. So I felt like I could predict certain moments, maybe. But it wasn't until the pandemic where I realised that photography would become a bigger part of my career. I was really in the research side of things, and then just using my photography on the side to raise awareness for for wildlife.
Angela Nicholson 3:17
I mean, it is a really useful tool for communication, isn't it?
Lara Jackson 3:21
Absolutely I think with conservation, with the state of the planet as it is at the moment, it's really difficult to get messaging out there, and it's also really difficult to get that balance. I think people, if they see overwhelmingly negative stories surrounding the planet and the plight of wildlife, I think it can be easy to feel quite down and to not really know what to do, and to feel quite helpless. So trying to get the balance, get the balance right and communicating both positive stories as well is, is really important.
Angela Nicholson 3:47
Yeah, if you see a photograph of a fluffy panda cub, you automatically want to do something to protect them, or, you know, you're intrigued. But how do you go about something like, you know, a naked mole rat or something like that, you know, something that's just only its mother could love love it.
Speaker 1 4:02
Well, I've never photographed a naked mole rat before, but I think it's trying to find something that we as humans can relate to. That's why I'm really obsessed with rhinos, and I'm really passionate about raising awareness for the plight of rhinos, because I think they're harder to relate to. We have things like the elephant, where they almost respond in in a human like manner. They've got human like emotions. So it's easy for us to anthropomorphize those behaviours and think, Oh, they're just like us, like we must protect them. For animals like the rhino, like the naked mole rat, it is more difficult. So I think it's finding stories and finding quirks which are either just funny or intriguing or yeah, that we can relate to. And I think that's sort of the key to crack crack those species and make them a bit more lovable to the general public.
Angela Nicholson 4:50
How did you first get involved with Save The Rhino and working with them?
Speaker 1 4:54
So I researched black rhinos for my master's thesis, and I worked in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya while I was doing that, and once I'd completed my master's, I actually got invited back to the reserve to repeat my study, but in the dry season, because my original study had been in the wet season and then wanted a holistic data set. And it was on that second trip that I met a representative from save the rhino. And obviously I was aware of their work. Anyway, I really admired everything that they did on the ground and all the conservation efforts. So I just got chatting with them, yeah, and we just created a relationship, and I think it was at the start of the pandemic, and I just said to them, you know, you don't have any ambassadors as charity, and lots of other charities have ambassadors, and I'd really like to be that role for you. So yeah, it didn't happen for another year and a half, but eventually, yeah, as announced as an ambassador, and I just am so grateful, and will do everything in my power to keep amplifying their voice.
Angela Nicholson 5:55
I think that's great that it wasn't just that you asked them if you could be one. You pointed out they didn't have any, and they really should.
Lara Jackson 6:00
Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I guess it's a role which is quite important for me. It's I use my socials to sort of help share any fundraising events that they're doing and spread any communications that they they want people to be aware of, so yeah.
Angela Nicholson 6:17
Are you involved with a lot of their programmes? Do you go out and photograph them?
Lara Jackson 6:21
I would absolutely love to and it's something that I keep pushing for. But obviously, with charities, their budgets are tied up in various different things, so I know that they don't have a specific budget set aside for things like that. So it's something that I am saving up to hopefully go and do for them at some point. But they have incredible charities like so many things, so many varied things, like, they have life insurance policies for rangers, because obviously it can be a dangerous job out there. They provide boots, food, meals. It's not just things like funding dehorning projects, it's it's so far beyond that. So they do amazing work. And it's not just the African species they focus on. It's also the Asian species too.
Angela Nicholson 7:00
Yeah, it takes a lot, even if you are just dehorning or, I know it takes a lot to get there and know how to do it and all of that sort of stuff there's so there's a lot of training involved. I should think,
Lara Jackson 7:11
Yeah, absolutely, it's so many different teams. You've also got aerial support and helicopters and pilots, and you've got battery teams, Rangers, all the teams on the ground. So it really is a lot to mobilise and organise, and obviously none of that is cheap, so I totally appreciate that all of the funding is funnelled into those more important things.
Angela Nicholson 7:29
Yeah, now you've been involved with projects that are trying to reduce the impact of tourists on wildlife. How do you tackle the, photographing wildlife and the role of photography in documenting wildlife with the sort of need to try and stop lots of people going to remote locations and disturbing the wildlife?
Lara Jackson 7:50
Yeah, I think it's a really tricky one, and that's a problem that's become quite pronounced this year. I don't know if you've seen some of the videos from the great migration in Kenya and Tanzania, where you have lots of tourists out of the vehicle and actually blocking the routes of the wildebeest as they're trying to cross, it's really difficult, because obviously we want more and more people to care about nature, because if they care, you know, hopefully they're going to make small changes in their lives, but also advocate for those species, and hopefully it will help to protect them as we move forward, if it's unregulated, if tourism is unmanaged, then we can end up in situations like that. So I think it's really about putting the emphasis on us for now and making sure that we do our research and we're only supporting camps or conservancies that are really supporting conservation projects, and they're not putting pressure on the wildlife. And you can even have that in the Mara, there's quite a few private conservancies that surround the muscle Mara greater reserve, where they have really strict rules with the number of vehicles per sighting, for example. So I've visited in the boy show conservancy quite a few times, and I think they only allow five cars per sighting, and everyone is really good at following those rules. So it really is about doing your research, making sure you're supporting ethical companies, and also, if you're in a situation where you feel like your guide is perhaps being a bit unethical, to actually put your foot down and say, No, we want to leave. And I've had to do that in the past, and my guide was super ethical. But, you know, we were following five male cheetahs in a coalition. They don't exist anymore, but this was in the Maasai Mara and there were just so many vehicles effectively chasing them, and we just said, Nope, we're going to leave. And I think it's accepting that you might miss a photographic opportunity, but it really doesn't matter, because the welfare of the animal always comes first.
Angela Nicholson 9:36
Yes, I suppose a similar analogy is, you know, you've got to walk the walk. And in the UK, we sometimes see photographs of people who appear to be, say, sitting in bluebells or sitting on bluebells. And it's good if the photographer says, you know, they were sitting on a log next to the bluebells, or I've taken an angle, and they're actually on a footpath, to make people aware that they haven't. Just disregarded any sort of wildlife requirements.
Speaker 1 10:03
Yeah, I think that we should all be held accountable for our actions, and by explaining what we're doing, then hopefully it will not encourage others to perhaps do something that they perceive as per your example, if they thought you were sitting on bluebells and might try and replicate the photo, but actually, if you just said, yeah, please note, you know, I sat in a log. That's really important, because we don't want to propagate bad behaviour.
Angela Nicholson 10:28
Yeah. So how do people approach you these days for work? Do they primarily come to you for photography, or is it for your research work?
Speaker 1 10:37
So at the moment, I'm not doing any active research, predominantly is all photography and science communication, but I would say it's probably still mostly me approaching companies and organisations. Maybe I get approached 5% of the time, and the other 95% is me reaching out and saying, Hey, like I've noticed this research project going on, or like I noticed that you support this, I'd really love to go and document it. And obviously I still sometimes don't get any email replies. I still sometimes get no. The worst is getting a yes and then having months of communication and then getting ghosted. But yeah, like it's a it's a give and take, and I think people don't appreciate that. There's still a lot of hard work behind a desk that goes on.
Angela Nicholson 11:17
Yeah. Do you find that aspect stress? Stressful? You know, if you know, if you have a bit of a lean period, and then suddenly, you know, you have to chase people down. Or sometimes, you know, suddenly three leads come in at once, and you just kind of work out how to fit that in.
Lara Jackson 11:30
Yeah, I think it's, it's the the joys of being self-employed. Sometimes you have months where you're incredibly busy, and then you don't have time to actually line up work for the next few months, and then suddenly you're in those few months and there's not really an awful lot going on. So I guess it's just about being mindful and responsible with your income and making sure that you have enough put aside to help support yourself over those fallow months, as it were.
Angela Nicholson 11:55
You have quite a few strands to your business because you're not doing that much research anymore, but you've got your photography, you run workshops, you've written a children's book, how do you balance all those strands while, you know, feeling comfortable bringing more work in and not feeling overwhelmed?
Lara Jackson 12:10
I think I've always been quite organised and quite good at multitasking, and that's probably the most important thing that prevents me getting stressed. My husband and I, we got married last year, and I organised our wedding in three months, because I had some down time, and I was like, right, just gonna get it all done. So I think I know that when I set my mind to something, I can do it, but it is stressful, and especially with the economy going up and down, sometimes that money doesn't trickle down to marketing teams, which obviously affects then the work that I can do all the budgets that they have. And I think with social media, sometimes the role and the impact of photography is really underestimated. And I think people don't put the same sort of monetary value, or they don't ascribe the same monetary value to photography that they should. So trying to sort of say, well, actually, my work is worth this much can be difficult, because they might say, well, you know, there's lots of other people doing it on social media, and they might get their image to me for free. So that's, that's difficult, and something that's you're, well, you're always having to navigate being self-employed,
Angela Nicholson 13:13
Yeah, that is a tricky thing. I mean, sometimes you are, though, just competing against someone with a smartphone, and whilst they might get a great smartphone shot, it's not going to stand up to what you might produce.
Lara Jackson 13:23
Yeah, I agree. I think smartphones are amazing and certainly have their place, especially now that Instagram, for example, is very heavily focused on reels, I see quite a few of my friends who are in the fitness space, and they do really well, because their content can just be shot on an iPhone and uploaded, whereas for me, it wouldn't quite have the same impact if I did that. So there's certainly a lot more effort that goes into creating content. On my side I feel than or like Not, not necessarily effort, because my friends work incredibly hard too. But I guess there's just more gear involved. You know, a video of me filming an otter on my phone wouldn't quite have the same impact as me filming it with my Z9 for example.
Angela Nicholson 14:05
Yeah, quite a different thing. People have different expectations of someone who's talking about photography, what they are actually going to put out on social media. Do you feel under pressure to put out content on a frequent basis?
Lara Jackson 14:19
I think that I did when I first started out, arguably, I could still do more. I think that I am not a huge fan of reels, and I definitely felt at first when they when they came out, that I had to meet that trend and do the same thing. But I think staying true to me and my passions and what I believe in, and I love imagery like I still think imagery is the most powerful thing. So it's a case of using that in carousels, which I need to get better at doing more often. But certainly there is pressure, especially with the algorithm, and because some brands or companies will only work with you if you have a certain level of engagement. And so that does introduce pressure, but I like to think that I don't bend to that, and I try to just continue on being me.
Angela Nicholson 15:07
It is remarkable how powerful the trend towards reels and Tiktok and everything has become. Because, I mean, not only have we sort of felt pressure to start producing that type of content, everybody's flipping their cameras around.
Lara Jackson 15:20
Yeah, it's quite interesting, isn't it? And I Not gonna lie, I did think it would sort of be over by now, because I don't know if you remember a long time ago there was a vine, and Vine was quite similar in terms of videos that you made and see that ended up being shut down. So I didn't think that it would be as prolonged as it has been. But obviously it looks like it's here to stay now. So I think it's about using reels in a way that works for you. And I am not hugely comfortable in turning the camera around onto me all the time, and I do it if I need to, but I'd prefer that the focus wasn't on me. I'd prefer to be on my work. So I think going forward for me in the way that I use reels, it would be just focusing on footage and clips of the wildlife and finding a way to make that exciting for people.
Angela Nicholson 16:08
Great.
Angela Nicholson 16:11
Please excuse this interruption. This episode is brought to you by CEWE, Europe's leading photo printing company, and their hero product, the CEWE photo book that is the proud recipient of the Which Best Buy Award. You know, there's 1000s of photos sitting on your phone or hard drive? With a CEWE photo book, you can turn your memories into a beautiful, high quality album that you'll want to show off. Every page is fully customizable, and you can pick from a range of sizes, finishes and layouts, designing every detail with their easy to use editor or let their smart assistant help. So if you're ready to do something real with your photos, head over to seaweed.co.uk. That's C, E, W, E.co.uk, okay, let's get back to the show.
Angela Nicholson 16:57
Your image of a lioness with blood dripping from her face was highly commended in the wildlife photography of the year. I think it was 2021?
Lara Jackson 17:05
Yes.
Angela Nicholson 17:06
And it is a stunning image, but it's also quite hard to look at in some respects, and it's not one you want to think about too hard. Sometimes. Has that been received differently by different you know, how was it received?
Lara Jackson 17:19
I think generally, it was received overwhelmingly positively,
Angela Nicholson 17:23
Good.
Lara Jackson 17:25
and in fact, in the display, it was actually the first image that you saw when you walked around the corner, which I think was really bold. I thought the organisers would sort of hide it in the back, because it can be quite a polarising image. But at the end of the day, that's that's nature, isn't it exactly. It's brutal. It's messy. And yeah, it is. It is a hard image to look at. It was even harder in person, because, fortunately, she started eating the wildebeest while it was still alive. So that was terrible, yes. And actually, that's why having a camera in your hands helps, because it kind of separates you from what you're seeing. And obviously, being a scientist, there was a part of me that was like, Oh, this is horrendous. And the other part was like, wow, this is really cool. Now do this again. So yeah, I think overwhelmingly positively, although there was one time where I was at the exhibition with my family, and so obviously, like, you overheard people talking, and there was one lady who was like, oh, that's disgusting, move away, move away, can't, can't see it. I totally respect that. It's, yeah, it isn't easy to look at. But yeah, as I mentioned, it's nature.
Angela Nicholson 18:33
Those eyes, though, you wouldn't get away from those eyes very easily because they were boring into you.
Lara Jackson 18:38
Yeah, yeah. Straight down the lens. She was very fierce,
Angela Nicholson 18:41
Very, a very real shot. I think it shows wildlife as it really is, not a sanitised version.
Lara Jackson 18:48
Thank you. Yeah, I think there's not necessarily a trend, but it's easy to sort of disneyfy nature and make all those interactions and relationships pretty and pristine. But the reality is that it's not.
Angela Nicholson 19:01
Do you enter many photographic competitions?
Lara Jackson 19:04
I do on and off. I think photography competitions are really interesting, and I think actually the the best thing about them is that they help you to pick out your best work, to be honest with you. But for example, that image was highly commended in that competition, but I also entered that image into several other photography competitions, and it didn't, didn't get any awards. So I think it's important for everyone to remember that those competitions are highly subjective, so don't feel too disheartened if your images aren't awarded, but I do think it's still worth doing, because being able to objectively look at your own work and say, yep, that image is perhaps award worthy could get through. I'll enter. It is really, is a really important skill to have.
Angela Nicholson 19:45
I was going to ask you what your advice would be for anyone contemplating entering a competition. And it sounds like actually your advice, I'm putting words in your mouth now, would be to not see it as an opportunity to win something, but as an opportunity. To learn. Would that be fairly accurate?
Lara Jackson 20:03
Definitely, I think so. And I think the more that you're looking at your own work and perhaps looking at other people's and trying to figure out if have you got something unique, it's only going to open your own eyes to different techniques that perhaps you haven't tried, or different conversations that you didn't think about. So I think Never underestimate the opportunity to learn and being able to critically look at your own work is one of the best ways that you can start doing that.
Angela Nicholson 20:26
Do you ever shoot with a competition in mind? Or is it something you do retrospectively? You go back and you look through your images to find something appropriate?
Lara Jackson 20:36
I never shoot with competitions in mind, but I also haven't had many opportunities to sort of sit out and plan the dream photo. I've always been quite a reactive photographer, and I think that comes down to how I started out, and when I was out doing my research, if I saw something, I'd have to beg my research partner to stop the car so I could take a photo. And he'd say, yeah, you've got, like, one minute, and then we've got to go and find the black rhinos. So I never really had that time to sort of think about what could be an incredible shot and to stay and wait. It's something that I'm starting to do a lot more now that I have a son and I've got a lot of time in one place. I can sort of think about, for example, I live on the Isle of mall. I can think about apart from photo that I really want, and next year I might try out and go and get that. But yeah, I've never really had the luxury of that. So I've never shot with competitions in mind. And it's definitely been something that I've looked at my images in an ad hoc basis and thought, yeah, that works for that category, and that could be interesting. There.
Angela Nicholson 21:33
Have there been any instances, for example, maybe with that lion photograph, where you've thought, oh, actually, this is a shot as you took it, that I could enter into a competition.
Lara Jackson 21:43
Yeah, there's definitely been a couple of times where I've had that feeling of, this is quite special. And actually the second the bloody lioness was the first time that happened, and the second time was this male lion, and we were with him in the muscle Mara. But of peaks, it was lovely and quiet, actually. And there was a stunning sunrise, and he was backlit, and it was absolutely beautiful. His mane was like orange. And then I looked up and there were two hot air balloons sort of drifting past, and I sort of zoomed out as they went in front of the sun and took a picture. And I thought that, oh, this is really quite special, but I've entered that in multiple competitions, and it's never been shortlisted. So I think it's important there to also note that although work to you feels special, it might not make it in a competition, and that's fine, like it doesn't make me love that image any less, just because it hasn't gone on to win any awards or be shortlisted in any competitions.
Lara Jackson 22:40
Do you ever print any of your work and put it on the wall so you at least can look at the stuff that you really like.
Lara Jackson 22:45
I have printed out a lot of my work. I sell prints, so I sort of print them out and make sure that I'm happy with them. And the only one I have on my wall is that line with the two balloons, actually. But both my husband and I are wildlife photographers, so I think if we put all of our favourites up, there wouldn't be much space
Lara Jackson 23:03
OK
Angela Nicholson 23:03
and then there'd be some sort of survey as to who's got more pictures than the other. All right. Well, I think that's a really good time to go to Six from SheClicks. I've got 10 questions from SheClickers, and I'd like you to answer six questions please by picking numbers from one to 10. So if you could give me your first number, please?
Lara Jackson 23:03
on the walls.
Lara Jackson 23:24
Let's go one.
Angela Nicholson 23:25
If you only had one species you could photograph from now until forever, what would it be and why? That question is from Sarah.
Lara Jackson 23:34
That's a really good question and pretty difficult to answer, actually, because I have quite a few species that I absolutely love, but I think my absolute passion lies in trying to raise awareness for rhinos and the fact that they're still heavily poached. So it would probably have to be rhinos, specifically black rhinos, because that's what I specialised in, and I just think they're really underestimated, undervalued. They're under loved. I would want to use my time to sort of create imagery that would help people fall in lo ve with them as much as I have.
Angela Nicholson 24:04
Lovely. Okay, could I have your second number please? Let's go three. What are your tips for capturing wildlife in the UK when the quality of light is so often poor? That question is from Andrea.
Lara Jackson 24:16
I think that's also a great question. I have just mentioned, I live on the Isle of mole, so we have even more slide. Yes, and probably with the rest of you right now, it's absolutely pouring down. And we didn't have a summer. It was dreadful up here. So I think my best tip is to work with the light. I think it's a common misconception that you need golden light to create Sterling imagery. And of course, in some situations, that helps. But actually working with moodiness and using it to your advantage can be really powerful. It can open up new techniques to you, things like high key photography, which can create really unique shots. That's especially useful here when I'm photographing the seabird breeding season, and we've got a really. Foggy day, or it's just quite white and washed out, then high key photography is perfect for that. So I think don't see the weather as a disadvantage, but actually use it to your advantage, and you'll probably create imagery that someone else might not have.
Angela Nicholson 25:13
Yeah, I mean, I guess you don't get a problem with harsh highlights and deep shadows if it's permanently overcast.
Lara Jackson 25:20
Not very often, not very often. But I do think the magic comes out in the wild weather and with auto photography. I think some of my favourite photos have been taken in pretty stormy, horrendous conditions.
Angela Nicholson 25:31
Okay, could I have your third number please?
Lara Jackson 25:33
Number four.
Angela Nicholson 25:35
Could you share a memorable experience for one of your wildlife photography trips that's left a lasting impression on you? That question is from Anne.
Lara Jackson 25:44
It's got to be this time in Kenya when I was researching black rhinos, and we couldn't find any black rhinos that morning. So my research partner and I drove to the top of this hill, and I was this really large plateaued area at the top. It was probably 150 metres across, and there were three, three white rhino is grazing at the top. And we both got out the car, my research partner was using binoculars to see if we could find a black rhino, and I just sat next to the car with my camera, and I was taking photo of the white rhinos. And it was so peaceful, so relaxing. And obviously I had a zoom lens on, so I think at the time I had a 150 to 600mm on, and I was completely lost in the moment, and I didn't realise that the rhinos had wandered really quite close, and I heard a sort of Huff, and I looked up and there was a bull White Rhino about five metres away from me.
Angela Nicholson 26:31
Oh, wow.
Lara Jackson 26:32
So I stayed completely still, I put my camera down, and I just stared him in the eyes, and he was probably looking at me for about five seconds, and then Lao huff and walked away. So that was one of the most awe inspiring encounters I've ever had. It's worth noting that my research partner was watching the entire time. He's Kenyan, and grew up around rhinos. He was monitoring behaviour, and he would have told me before I got to that point if he thought I was in any danger. But yeah, luckily, was a very relaxed Rhino, and sharing that moment was, yeah, more inspiring
Angela Nicholson 27:05
When a rhino is five metres from you and somebody did say you're now in danger. What do you do, apart from try not to panic?
Lara Jackson 27:12
Yeah, I think, like, I obviously would have been told way before that point, so I would have time to move out the way, and I was also right next to the car, so it would have been case of just jumping up and moving around the car
Angela Nicholson 27:22
Righto
Lara Jackson 27:23
to provide a little barrier that. Yeah, it was, it was incredible.
Angela Nicholson 27:29
Shades of Jurassic Park. I thought, all right, could I have your fourth number please?
Lara Jackson 27:34
Number six.
Angela Nicholson 27:35
Do you have any advice for getting noticed as a photographer? That question is from Philippa.
Lara Jackson 27:41
I think, stay true to you and what you find interesting and and also, just like develop your style a bit, look at other photographers, look at what inspires you, try out techniques that they're using, but ultimately, just keep uploading work that you like and you feel represents you. And then, I guess, just start reaching out to brands, but make sure that you don't reach out and just say, Hey, I'd love to work with you, because I can guarantee they get 1000 messages like that every day. And perhaps do some research and see if there are any projects that you want to go and document or support and say, Hey, like, I see that you're doing this. I'd really love to go and do that for you. And that's probably the best way to start getting yourself out there. I have a love hate relationship with social media, but social media is incredibly important just for getting your name out and about. And yeah, it kind of acts a bit like those competitions we were talking about earlier, being able to look at your work critically and decide which you want to upload and which you don't think is good enough. So I would start there.
Angela Nicholson 28:36
Good advice. That point about doing research I think is so important. I mean, I get so many emails every day from companies offering me services saying that they really admire SheClicks And then going off in a tangent, which clearly says they've got no idea what SheClicks is.
Lara Jackson 28:51
Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's also kind of insulting, isn't it, because you can tell it's just a generic email and they've subbed in a couple of words, so make sure it's really table it otherwise, yeah, it doesn't come across well at all.
Angela Nicholson 29:03
Absolutely. Right. Can I have your fifth number please?
Lara Jackson 29:05
Okay, number eight.
Angela Nicholson 29:07
Is there any place or animal you'd be very happy never to travel to or see again? That question's from Marie-Ange. Oh, so quite a flip on the rhinos.
Lara Jackson 29:17
I don't know, that's a difficult question. I don't think there's anywhere that I wouldn't go again, and I don't think there's any species that I wouldn't work with again. However, I would happily say no to the ants. Why? When I went to Uganda to photograph the gorillas, it was absolutely incredible, and I was really careful, and I tucked my my trousers into my socks, and I made sure there were no gaps, and somehow these ants still got underneath all my clothing. And there is nothing worse than lining up a shot and thinking this is going to be beautiful, and then getting bitten by an ant and having to try and shake them off. So yeah, I don't think there's any location or species that I've worked with that I wouldn't work with again, but I would definitely say no to some of the creepy-crawlies that come along with it.
Angela Nicholson 30:02
Try and avoid the ants, okay.
Lara Jackson 30:03
Yeah.
Angela Nicholson 30:03
Right., so your final number then please?
Lara Jackson 30:05
Number 10.
Angela Nicholson 30:07
What is the most valuable piece of advice you've received in connection with your work? That question is from Liz.
Lara Jackson 30:13
I think networking. And it sounds really cliche, but it's really, really important, whether it's conservation, photography, filmmaking, if you want to get yourself and your foot through the door, talking to people who are in that industry, getting your name out there is really important, because if you're applying for a job, or you know, you're wanting to go and document something, if someone's already aware of your name, then chances are they might lean more towards you than they would towards another candidate, and more importantly, just knowing what it's like and speaking to people who are already involved in that industry is really, really helpful. So I think, yeah, networking, and also to be collaborative. I think there's quite a strong lean towards competitiveness in this industry, because there's so many of us trying to achieve the same things, but actually, the more we raise up other people, and the more we work alongside each other, the better it is for wildlife and probably for yourself, because there might be a time where I've been approached for a project I haven't been able to do it. I've put someone else forward, and I guarantee you that at some point in the future, that person will reciprocate and offer me a project that they can't do. So yeah, I think networking and to be collaborative rather than competitive.
Angela Nicholson 31:25
Well, Lara, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast. It's been really fantastic to hear from you.
Lara Jackson 31:30
Thank you so much for inviting me on. It's been lovely to chat, Angela, .
Angela Nicholson 31:33
You're very welcome. Thanks for listening to this episode of the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast. I hope you enjoyed it. Special thanks to everybody who sent in a question. You'll find links to Lara's website and social media channels in the show notes. I'll be back with another episode soon, so please subscribe to the show on your favourite podcast platform and tell all your friends and followers about it. You'll also find SheClicks on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube if you search for sheclicksnet. So until next time, enjoy your photography.
