Quiet Landscape in Montana
Photojournalist, Nikon Ambassador and National Geographic magazine photographer Ami Vitale has traveled to more than 90 countries, bearing witness not only to violence and conflict, but also to surreal beauty and the enduring power of the human spirit.
Ami’s Instagram feed is one of our absolute favorites! Her global adventures provide the armchair traveler (or even the experienced traveler) with a heavy dose of regular inspiration. We also love when she turns her lens on her home state of Montana. Each photo she posts tells a story about place, culture and a moment in time. Be sure to follow Ami’s amazing feed here: @amivitale
Place you live: Montana
Occupation: Photographer
Preoccupation: Horses, pandas, bears. Basically mostly animals and wildlife.
Place your Instagrams were taken? Southwest Montana
Can you sum up the place you live? Honest and hardworking. Everyone here has a strong bond with the land and a deep connection to what lives and dies here. I cannot escape the feeling that people here are shaped as much by their parents as by the land itself. Here people seem to measure worth by how comfortable you are around animals and they around you. I have seen young toddlers on horseback nestled between mother and mane. By two, they are nuzzling calves—by four, they can rope one. And by six, they are in the middle of a coral carrying irons for their parents amidst the hoof and horn melee of branding. Kids here can throw rope before they can talk.
What is a perfect day in your spot? No Internet, no phone, just horses and wildlife and a big blue sky.
If your city was a person or character who would it be and why? Maybe Nelson Mandela. It’s a quiet landscape that brings clarity.
How long have you been using Instagram? Two years
Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? Both
What is your editing process? Very minimal. Less is more in my opinion.
Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? I think about other formats more than I did in the past.
Can you give a couple tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? Make images that are not just beautiful but also have a compelling story.
Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? Too many to name just three so I’ll list the places that showcase some of my favorites. @natgeo, @thephotosociety, @randyolson is a great example of using IG to tell stories.