Derek Nielsen Photography

After 20 years behind the lens, my journey to capture, share—and ultimately help preserve—the fragile beauty of our planet has taken me to more than two dozen countries and every continent. My photographs don’t just inspire, they connect—linking audiences and resources all over the world to wildlife, landscapes, and people in desperate need of assistance, from Rwanda’s endangered silverback gorillas to the overfished waters of Antarctica. First moved to contribute to global conservation efforts while photographing the ominous splendor of Iceland’s Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, a haunting manifestation of climate change, I provide a portion of the proceeds from each sale using sustainably framed and matted works to on-the-ground, local conservation efforts, including The Conservation Alliance and Borneo’s The Borneo Project. A native of Chicago, I carry a friendly midwest smile, eager for a conversation with strangers. If you see me in the field or out at events, don’t hesitate to ask any questions or just start a conversation about wildlife, conservation, and of course, photography.