Often, I find the journey of another photographer inspiring. For many, photography first became a way of escaping the stress of daily life and/or demanding careers. A way to fill one’s soul by becoming immersed into the natural world. Much like myself they were self-taught and what started as an escape soon became a path to a second more fulfilling career.
I have followed Vicki’s transition into photography fulltime. Her drive, dedication, and passion for photography is extraordinary, which is why the success of all the awards she has achieved comes as no surprise! Her love for art was developed early in life, which inspired her artistic vision and style in her photography.
THIS IS WHY I AM SO EXCITED that Vicki will be teaming up with me to lead the FIRST EVER Maasia Mara Workshop Extreme in 2024. She is also joining the team and will be a regular workshop leader for Piper Mackay Photo Safaris.
Learn more about Vicki in this Q&A
What pulled you towards photography and the genres of nature and wildlife?
Photography was my refuge from a near fatal car-bicycle accident (I was on the bike). As the months of recovery turned into years my busy Life slowed and I was blessed with the Gift of Time. I was always an active, outdoor person engaged in hiking, camping, kayaking, cycling. The multi-year recovery transition from being an invalid back to good health made me ache for the active lifestyle I once enjoyed and took for granted. Photography allowed me to reconnect to the Natural World in a small way from the safety of my garden or a public park until my strength returned. As I got physically stronger and able to be in Nature, I realized I was seeing with “new eyes”. My passion for the outdoors was further fueled! I now relish very day I have a camera in my hand in Nature.
Could you please share a little about your background and your recent photography journey of the past 5-6 years.
I’ve spent my life, even as a child thanks to my Mom, going to museums, galleries and exhibits worldwide appreciating art and developing an artistic eye. However, my personal career path went in a different direction: Finance. During my 40 year long career in Finance my love of art sustained my inner creativity. It was only until the car-bicycle accident in 2006 that my Life slowed down enough to allow me to explore my own creativity. Before I was to physically able to be in Nature again, I used a point-and-shoot just to keep my “new eyes” seeing in areas close to my home. I simultaneously launched myself into intensive tutorials, workshops and seminars to learn how to shoot with a DSLR and understand post processing all while I was working at my full-time job at Merrill Lynch. With only a few more years left to retire, I envisioned a transition into full time photography not knowing if that would be as an avid hobbyist or as a professional. The past 5-6 years have been a blur of international travel as I diversify my portfolio with wildlife and regions around the world. I also made the switch to mirrorless and continually strive to refine my post processing skills as new technology is made available.
Many photographers dream of working as a photographer. What do you think was a pivotal moment in your journey that transitioned you into an award-winning photographer?
I have always admired high quality art and am driven for my own work to be Top Level. When it is not, I want to understand why not? What can I do better? I’m not sure there is just one pivotal moment for me or rather there is always an underlying desire to grow and learn and improve. With that as a background, I can say that winning my first award in an international competition was an “AHA” moment for me. When my image won Nature’s Best Africa for the category Wild Cat Behavioral, I realized my unique story told through the lens of my camera could strongly impact others. The recognition by my peers and the prestigious Nature’s Best organization gave me valuable feedback that motivated me to keep improving and learning. That sense of excitement and gratitude is renewed each time one of my images is awarded.
The equipment does not make the photographer but is critically important. What equipment is important in your work in photography?
I rely on different equipment for different environments: hot, cold, wet, dry. That said, I always travel with 3 bodies (currently Canon R5) even if I end up only using 2 bodies on the shoot. The third body is my insurance policy against damage for the ones I’m using in the field. Typically, I will have a wide angle (currently Canon RF24-105mm f/4) and an intermediate telephoto (currently Canon RF 100-500 -f/4.5-7.1) ready for quick reaction time in the field. I may swap out the wide-angle lens and have the 2nd body on my longest lens (currently EF600mm f/4 III) when reach is important. The intermediate telephoto is the workhorse that is always in the field with me. If I’m on a shoot where dust is a problem, I’ll have all 3 bodies out with a lens on each. I usually take a tripod with me as well as a skimmer pod as well as rain protective gear and waterproof camera bag.
Have you made the switch to mirrorless, and why or why not?
I made the switch to mirrorless in 2020 for two main reasons: weight and the histogram in the view finder. There are a myriad of other reasons to enjoy mirrorless and the Canon R5 in specific especially the new auto eye-tracking system.
Here are a few articles from the archives about mirrorless cameras and gear –
The Huge Advantage of Mirrorless
The Struggle of Choosing the Right Lens
Best Big Lens for a Wildlife Safari
Words of inspiration.
Photography is a joyous process of seeing and being in the world whether in Nature, in a City, with family or with abstracts. Find your voice and be patient with your learning process!
Read more about Vicki in her bio –
Vicki Santello is a US based photographer who retired from a career in finance to devote herself full time to photography. Vicki enjoyed the excitement of living in New York City and working on Wall Street for 10 years in the early part of her career. Living in a big city, however, deprived her of being in Nature and enjoying outdoor sports. She moved to North Central Florida, a mecca for birds and a unique area for rivers and first magnitude springs. Here she was able to balance her love of the outdoors and her corporate career for 30 years. During this time, she also traveled extensively around the world including Africa, South America and polar regions. Vicki’s first trip to Africa was in 1981 and she has since returned 18 times for photography trips of 2 weeks to 2 months. Vicki’s passion for photography is now her lifestyle as she travels worldwide to diversify her photography portfolio. Vicki typically stays one to two months in each location to fully immerse herself in the environment and maximize photography opportunities of animal behavior.
