We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Derek Nielsen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Derek , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
It all began long ago when I started traveling the world. I fell in love with learning about other cultures, new landscapes, and the wildlife within these new places. However, the more destinations I traveled to, the more I realized the planet was in trouble. Even 20 years ago, I was starting to see deforestation and melting glaciers at a level I knew was not sustainable. Instead of traveling for pure pleasure, I began to pick locations where I could help raise awareness. Such as the Ecuadorean Amazon, Antarctica, Africa, or Borneo. Places where environmental injustices are happening on a daily basis. I would go there to see first-hand what was happening. My camera is always in hand, hoping to capture images of beauty to share with the world what we are at risk of losing if we don’t make changes. My purpose really found me.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As a conservation-driven fine art photographer, I capture beautiful images around the planet, raising awareness about the pressing conservation issues of our time. Showing pretty images on the internet is not enough. I use my brand as an example to live by, a source of inspiration and education. My dog and I picked up 120 garbage bags worth of trash out of my neighborhood over the summer to show people that conservation starts at home.
This year, I was accepted into the prestigious Old Town Art Fair in Chicago and walked away with best in show. Being invited to an art show like that was so gratifying to receive recognition from my peers and also to have hundreds of in-person conversations about conservation. I take pride in knowing my art and brand make a difference for the planet.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Learning how to be a traveler was one of the most important skills I learned over the last twenty years. Researching how to behave around different cultures while being respectful and open to learning. The same applies to my work in nature. It is so important to research each location. Learn about the potential dangers and gain an understanding of how to behave around wild animals. Knowing how to operate a camera in my field at a professional level is certainly important, but if you can’t do it in a safe, respectful way, then you are doing something very wrong. I recommend spending a few weeks researching each location before going. Then, please arrive with an open heart and an open mind if you truly want to get the best out of your experience.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
One of the biggest challenges I face is keeping optimistic about the fate of our planet and its disappearing species. Every day, we hear about record-breaking heat across the globe, wildfires, flooding, and endless issues with the ocean, but we need to maintain hope. Hope is a powerful way to drive change. My art inspires people to fall in love with nature. Surrounding yourself at home or in your office with images of nature reminds us daily about how beautiful this planet is. The more we love something, the more we want to protect it. Saving this planet will be a complex, massive undertaking, but I am proud to be part of a group of professionals doing something to make a difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dereknielsen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dereknielsenphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DerekNielsenPhotography
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-nielsen-8b972a8/
Image Credits
All images were taken by me Derek Nielsen of Derek Nielsen Photography
