Girls Who Click: Inspiring young female nature photographers

Editor’s note: This “Voices from the Field” guest blog is a part of our series highlighting Inside-Out conference presenters. Sandi Schwartz will be presenting a poster entitled “Finding Ecohappiness” during the Inside-Out poster session on Tuesday, May 10.

On the days that Suzi Eszterhas, award-winning wildlife photographer, is outside taking pictures she realizes that she is calmer, less anxious, and happier than compared to days she spends at a computer. “Nature has always been a large part of my life and helped me feel centered,” said Suzi. “Growing up, I had a big backyard with an acre of open space where I enjoyed watching birds and squirrels. I found peace out in nature.”

Suzi Eszterhas, Founder, Board President and Executive Director of Girls Who Click. Photo courtesy of Suzi Eszterhas and Girls Who Click.

Suzi harnessed that passion for nature and chose a career in wildlife photography. She is best known for her work documenting newborn animals and family life in the wild. Her photographs have been published in over a hundred magazines such as TIME, Smithsonian, BBC Wildlife, Ranger Rick, and National Geographic Kids. She is also the author of twenty-one books and has been featured on GoodMorningAmerica.com and TodayShow.com.

But her passion for nature photography does not stop there. Suzi noticed that the nature photography field was dominated by men and wanted to do something to change that. So, she started Girls Who Click, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, CA, to inspire girls to develop a lifelong passion for capturing the nature around them and to use their work to further conservation efforts.

By partnering with other female professional photographers throughout the country, Girls Who Click offers free nature photography workshops for teen girls on topics like bird photography, butterfly photography, basics of wildlife filming, photo processing, and using photography in conservation professions. Partner photographers also volunteer their time to virtually mentor young teens through the Ambassador program. Girls Who Click Program and Development Manager Sima Safavi-Bayat calls these volunteer photographers, “the pillars of our organization.”

Suzi is also very passionate about how nature impacts mental health. Although she started the group to attract more women into the nature photography field, she has found many other benefits for the girls involved, such as a boost in happiness and reduction in stress. “As a result of the group, I see how the experience gives the girls courage and empowerment to choose a life outdoors that they enjoy. If they are able to do what they love, it is so rewarding and it gives them so much happiness.”

In the same way that Suzi is calmer and happier when she is outside taking pictures of nature, she sees this same type of reaction with the girls. “During a typical class, we start in the classroom and then head outside to take pictures. I watch their joy and confidence build throughout the day. They are so excited. Many of the girls are walking on air.” Suzi receives lots of positive feedback from students about the classes. Some will even comment how they do not feel stressed when they are outside. Suzi is always thrilled to see how much just one photography class impacts and inspires them.

The sisterhood component of the program is also quite powerful. As the girls are outdoors learning and taking pictures together, they share excitement about what they capture with their camera and bond over it. Community is so important to happiness, and this type of group helps build a special connection between girls who are uniquely interested in nature photography. “Finding that support among your peers during a time when kids are more disconnected from nature is more meaningful than ever,” Suzi proclaims.

Suzi hopes that the girls who participate in Girls Who Click continue to enjoy nature photography throughout their lives and even choose a career involving nature photography or something involving the outdoors like a marine biologist or conservationist. “I truly believe that choosing a life outdoors is choosing a life of peace, balance, and joy because there are so many rewards to having that type of career. I hope they all find something they love,” she says.

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