From War Zones to Wildlife: Ami Vitale’s Journey to Hope Through Photography

This week, I talk with someone who’s been on my dream guest list since day one—Ami Vitale. Ami is a National Geographic photographer and filmmaker whose work has taken her from war zones to wildlife sanctuaries, always in pursuit of the deeper story. But this conversation goes far beyond her remarkable resume. We talk about how picking up a camera transformed her from a shy, introverted kid into one of the world’s most powerful visual storytellers. Ami opens up about what it really means to bear witness, the emotional cost of telling the truth, and why she eventually turned her lens away from conflict and toward hope, healing, and our connection with the natural world. This episode is about dignity, presence, and the quiet leadership that comes from listening well and seeing clearly. I promise, you’ll never look at a photograph the same way again.

In this episode:

(00:00) – Intro
(03:06) – How picking up a camera gave Ami a voice
(05:06) – Why introverts might see the world more clearly
(06:21) – Knocking on doors with a camera
(12:32) – Wanting to be a photographer—and being told “no”
(16:27) – Leaving a steady job to bet on herself
(23:30) – What war zones taught Ami about storytelling
(29:26) – The moment Ami knew she had to walk away from war zones
(38:08) – From grief to hope: finding a new kind of story
(51:26) – The story that changed everything
(59:42) – Why wildlife stories are human stories
(01:07:22) – One image that moved the world: Steve Winter’s P-22
(01:13:41) – Capturing moments with dignity and depth
(01:15:59) – The relationships behind the photographs
(01:25:51) – Reflecting on a life of good work
(01:28:02) – Barrett on the fears and hopes behind Good Work

Key Takeaways

Your hidden traits might be your greatest strengths: Ami’s journey began with a camera in hand and a deep sense of shyness. What she once saw as a liability—being an introvert—became her superpower. Listening deeply, observing quietly, and building authentic connections became the foundation of her photographic work. Your perceived weaknesses might actually be your most valuable assets if you learn to embrace them.
If you want to tell real stories, you have to take your time: Ami learned that quick, parachute-style journalism often tells only part of the truth. To capture genuine human experiences—especially in complex, conflict-heavy environments—she had to live among the people, listen to their stories, and stay long enough to understand the full picture. Good storytelling is slow storytelling.
Invest in yourself—even when it’s scary: Leaving a stable job at the Associated Press to pursue photography was terrifying for Ami. She didn’t have a backup plan, only a calling. But that leap of faith allowed her to discover the work that would eventually define her career. The willingness to bet on yourself might be the difference between living safely and living meaningfully.
Dignity and beauty exist in every corner of the world—if you’re willing to look: Whether capturing images in war zones or remote African sanctuaries, Ami focused on honoring the humanity and complexity of her subjects. Her photographs are a reflection of connection, empathy, and compassion. The world is full of light and darkness, grief and joy—and we need both to tell the whole story.
The stories we tell shape the world we live in: From war-torn Kosovo to a rhino sanctuary in Kenya, Ami came to see that many global conflicts are connected to deeper issues like environmental degradation and resource scarcity. By shifting her lens from conflict to conservation, she now tells stories of resilience, interconnection, and hope—proving that storytelling isn’t just about what’s true; it’s about what we choose to see and share.

Quotes

“ The quieter stories get lost and they’re harder to tell. But they’re so important because I think they shape the world that we live in and our understanding of it. The stories we tell ourselves as individuals shape who we are.” ~ Ami Vitale

“It’s really important right now for journalists not to exploit and sensationalize the polarization, but get to why are people feeling this way? And this is our job to explain and give voice to the multitude of viewpoints. It’s not just one thing or the other.” ~ Ami Vitale

“It’s so easy to find the problems, the horrors, but it’s also equally so easy to find the joy and the amazing champions out there.” ~ Ami Vitale

“It is so much more than the loss of a healthy ecosystem. It is actually the loss of who we are in our own wild and our own imagination and sense of wonder.” ~ Ami Vitale

Links