Prospective photographers

Nature Picture Library is not actively seeking to recruit new stills photographers at the moment (2024). We are, however, interested in taking on new footage contributors. When we do take on new stills or video photographers, we only accept content of the highest quality, which fills gaps in our existing collection – for instance new locations, species or behaviour. We’re particularly interested in images or clips that tell a story and in-depth coverage on a subject.

For more details, please see our photo submission guidelines here, or below.

Notes for Prospective Photographers

We represent many world-leading photographers and work in a competitive market, so we will only take on a new contributor if his or her work is of the highest quality and adds a new dimension to our collection. We are also most interested in photographers who pursue a story-based approach, covering their subjects in depth.

If you are interested in submitting material to Nature Picture Library, please follow the steps below:

  • First take a good look at our website and consider how your work compares with our existing coverage on your specialist subjects – we are always looking to fill gaps in our collection, especially on popular or unusual subjects and on the less well photographed regions of the world.
  • Before we can consider you for representation, we need to know that you can fill gaps in our collection and can work a subject in depth. If you want us to consider you please send us (bengillett@naturepl.com) 15 images that fill gaps in our collection and 20 images on a single subject or story. Please describe the range and subject matter of your work, tell us about any existing agency representation and give us information on previous publications. It would also be useful to know what your photographic and nature (e.g. biology degree etc.) background and experience is. If you have a website, send us a link to a gallery of your work.
  • If we contact you to request a submission, please read our technical guidelines (obtainable from bengillett@naturepl.com) and then send 10 sample hi-res files for quality control and a selection of 100 medium-res files showing the range and highlights of your collection.
  • Please keep in mind that in order to make regular sales through a specialist stock agency such as Nature Picture Library, you must build up a varied portfolio of work on subjects which are in demand and you must make regular submissions. If you are able to supply images from our wants lists, this will increase your chances of making sales.

Prospective videographers

We have separate guidelines for video – contact ewanflynn@naturepl.com to obtain a copy. Our video coverage is much less extensive than stills, so there are more opportunities for new contributors to fill gaps in our collection, and we are particularly interested in complementary video and stills on the same subject.

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) approaching boat with curiosity, with photographer taking picture, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway, Arctic Ocean.