National Geographic: Here's the 7 iconic photographers getting profiled in the new 'Photographer' docuseries

Look, in 2023, everyone thinks their selfie skills are elite. But if there’s one thing you can count on it’s the fact National Geographic has been doing this for a very long, long, long time and knows a thing or two about iconic photography with plans on proving it in the upcoming ‘Photographer’ docuseries.

While we’ll have to wait until a confirmed 2024 premiere date, it’s not too early to geek out over the photographers getting big respect placed on their names when the must-see series airs.

Potent visuals. Fiercely independent photographers. Complex and emotionally arresting stories. PHOTOGRAPHER will transcend the genre of photography shows. 

Today, National Geographic announces the names of the seven critically acclaimed photographers featured in the upcoming six-episode docuseries from award-winning producers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The world-renowned photographers, who are influential in industries such as fashion, wildlife, conservation and more, include fashion photographer Campbell Addy, ocean and conservation photographers Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen, science photographer Anand Varma, portrait photographer Dan Winters and adventure photographer Krystle Wright. 

PHOTOGRAPHER will premiere winter 2024; date will be announced shortly.

PHOTOGRAPHER takes us on a journey with the world’s most extraordinary visual storytellers, pairing them with today’s leading documentary filmmakers for an exhilarating and dynamic international adventure. Vasarhelyi and Chin direct the pilot episode, which follows Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier. Other directors will be announced shortly. During each episode we embed with a photographer from a range of disciplines while they work to make iconic images that stand the test of time. Through verité footage of their current mission interwoven with backstory, archival materials and interviews, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of each photographer’s process, how they found themselves behind the camera, and discover how they see and experience the world.  

“The diverse range of photographers at the heart of this series each have different focuses in their work but the throughline across all of them remains: to inspire a deeper connection to the world and to ignite curiosity through striking images,” said Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual and Unscripted Content, National Geographic. “That’s the goal of what we do at National Geographic– to spark that wonder and curiosity – and we’re looking forward to bringing the daring, creative spirits of each of these photographers to viewers around the world.” 

For over 135 years, National Geographic has built a storied legacy in visual storytelling, showing an interconnected world through the work of thousands of renowned photographers. With millions of images moving at a rapid clip across news and social media daily, it can be difficult to focus on a singular picture that captures one moment more than any other. This is what these photographers precisely do – they use the power of visual storytelling to capture life in motion showing us the world in entirely new and unprecedented ways. This series will masterfully delve into the nuances of the craft of photography while staying rooted in universal themes through a personal lens. PHOTOGRAPHER transcends the genre of photography shows to take a deep dive into the forces that drive these obsessive photographers on their quests for visual perfection.

More about each photographer: 

Paul Nicklen (@paulnicklen) and Cristina Mittermeier (@mitty)

“The only way you can change the world is with stories. And the bigger your legend becomes, the easier it is to share the story. People want to hear it. They want to listen.”

Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier are two of the world's most iconic working ocean photographers, and they also happen to be partners in both their personal and professional lives. Nicklen grew up with the Inuit in the Canadian Arctic and worked as a biologist in the Northwest Territories before specializing in photographing the polar regions. Born in Mexico City, Mittermeier started out as a marine biologist and now works as a writer, conservationist, and photographer, immersing herself in diverse cultures and environments worldwide. They are both sought-after thought leaders who are at the forefront of ocean conservation, and together, this remarkable duo aims to raise awareness through their art and non-profit organization, SeaLegacy, which creates strategies and content to move audiences into action through visual storytelling. In this episode, we follow them as they travel by boat to the Bahamas to take on oil drilling and document the recently discovered seagrass beds there. Using their photographs, family archival materials, and behind-the-scenes footage of their expeditions, this episode provides a compelling look at their present-day mission to travel the world's oceans, risking life and limb to create change and inspire people everywhere."

Anand Varma (@anandavarma) 

“There is magic all around us. There is beauty and complexity and wonder around every corner. You just have to know how to look for it.”

Fascinated by the natural world, Varma grew up dreaming that he would become a scientist like his father. But while studying marine biology at Berkeley, Varma seized an opportunity to leave school to work as a camera assistant and has never looked back. An ingenious and profound soul who is endlessly enthusiastic about all things “icky,” he masterfully navigates the intersection of science and art, and accomplishes the nearly impossible feat of making high-brow geeky science accessible through his innovative approach. Varma is currently working on a series about metamorphosis, which focuses on capturing the developmental process of a chicken embryo as it's forming and hatching. This episode reveals an inside look at his working style as he attempts to deliver yet another groundbreaking innovation in photography.

Krystle Wright (@krystlejwright) 

“Seeing a tornado form in front of your eyes, there are no words. Sometimes I call them heart explosions because your heart just feels so full.”

Krystle Wright is at a critical moment in her life and her career. After over a decade of traveling the world and shooting some of the most awe-inspiring extreme sports stunts ever attempted, she has become a highly sought-after photographer in the heavily male-dominated world of adventure photography. Wright’s assignments have covered all seven continents in over 55 countries – ranging from the Australian outback to Pakistan and Antarctica. Her images have been published in National Geographic magazine and her work has also appeared in Outside magazine, The Times, GQ, Red Bulletin, and The Guardian. But after an unexpected medical emergency and the pandemic forced her to spend two years at home in Australia, she’s reentering this high-stakes industry to chase tornados in the American southwest, make an epic image in Moab, and explore whether this adrenalized life is still the best outlet for her creativity.

Muhammed Muheisen (@mmuheisen) 

“I've seen so many people dying in my life. I'm happy that period has gone because now I replace it with joyful moments … So I chose life, I choose the light.”

Veteran conflict photographer Muhammed Muheisen -- a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, a National Geographic photojournalist, and the founder and chairman of the Dutch nonprofit organization Everyday Refugees Foundation -- has a new perspective and a new calling: He no longer ventures to the frontlines in search of drama and despair. Muheisen – born and raised amongst conflict in the Middle East – now uses photography for advocacy, activism and connection. He dedicates his craft to giving a voice to the many children caught up in the refugee crisis. Through his nonprofit, Everyday Refugees, Muheisen helps support projects that build schools, provide much-needed supplies, and teach the languages and skills refugees need to better navigate their futures. This episode focuses on Muheisen’s evolution from photojournalism to activism while following him on his current mission: documenting the stories of Ukrainian war refugees, specifically children, at the Ukrainian/Romanian border.

Dan Winters (@danwintersphoto) 

“My entire life I've chased after magic and wonder to find the masterpiece in every moment. It's been a 40-year search for me, but it's come with a cost.” 

Dan Winters is arguably one of the most versatile, celebrated, and renowned photographers working today, widely known for his unusual and iconic portraits of celebrities, his scientific work, street photography, illustrations, and capturing the “hallowed grounds” of NASA. He is a National Geographic Explorer, and has won over one hundred national and international awards from World Press Photo, American Photography, SIPA, Communication Arts, Society of Publication Designers, LIFE Magazine and the Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Magazine Photography, among others.  While Dan has reached the pinnacle of photography with the help of his wife and manager Kathryn, he now feels at times he neglected his family. As we travel with Winters around the world to Kennedy Space Center, Iceland and Bangladesh, working to make iconic images and chase a childhood memory, he reflects that sometimes, the most important moments are found not halfway around the world behind a camera, but back at home.

Campbell Addy (@campbelladdy)

“I pull from iconography that I inhabit. I’m queer. I’m Black. I’m religious, from England; all of the things I often have shunned, I’m putting together for the first time"

Heavily sought after (he just shot Meghan Markle and Megan Thee Stallion for NY Mag, Lizzo for Vanity Fair, and Naomi Campbell for Vogue), British-Ghanaian Campbell Addy is the fashion photographer of the moment and at a pivotal place in his career. His talents as an imagemaker have launched him into the fashion stratosphere and landed him on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list, but his newfound fame and success also present challenges. Concerned about selling out or becoming a “brand,” Addy recently changed agencies and decided to refocus his career on reclaiming his purpose, which is first and foremost to express his vision, expand his art, and make images that allow people of color and queer people to feel seen and empowered. Audiences will journey with Addy and his crew of artists and stylists as he works to make epic imagery for his first solo art show in London and navigates how to lay the foundation for a long-term career without compromising his health or integrity.

PHOTOGRAPHER is produced by Little Monster Films for National Geographic. For Little Monster Films, E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin and Pagan Harleman are executive producers; and Anna Barnes and Brent Kunkle are co-executive producers. For National Geographic, Betsy Forhan and Chris Kugelman are executive producers; Charlie Parsons is senior vice president, Development; and Tom McDonald is executive vice president, Global Factual and Unscripted Content.