Meet Peter Ismert | Conservationist and wildlife photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Peter Ismert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Peter, how does your business help the community?
Through my photography business, Peter Ismert Photography, I try to build awareness about our natural world, and I hope to spur action to protect what is remaining. My wildlife photography not only showcases beautiful scenes in nature, but it also tells stories about wild places and efforts to protect them. My images and stories also teach people to respect nature in the wild by letting wild things be wild. The more people understand the importance of wilderness for our own sustainability, the more likely we will protect and restore wild places.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m excited that my photography can build off my career of protecting and restoring the environment. My environmental and scientific experience gives me the insight to photograph nature with intention and to tell stories about the diverse wildlife and landscapes in the Rocky Mountain states. Although I frequently travel to far-away places for my photography, such as countries in Africa and more recently Alaska, many of my most impactful images come from my home turf here in Colorado and neighboring states. It is difficult to create wildlife photos in an artistic manner, but I strive to add visual creativity to my images in the field. My images will include a creative spark to catch people’s attention and to entice them to learn more about wildlife and the challenges they face. Authentic wildlife images are a powerful tool in the conservation world. An important lesson I’ve learned over the years is that a wildlife photographer creates his/her best images if they fully understand the animals they photograph. Studying a species behavior and their habitat is key to creating intriguing wildlife images with character. I try to stay passionate about my photography and push myself to new ways of seeing and photographing nature.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Colorado has no shortage of things to do and sights to see. My home city of Denver is a great place to visit and a perfect hub for visiting the Rocky Mountains. Popular here in the city are the numerous brewpubs. It is easy to design a custom brewpub tour, all within walking distance. There is plenty of wild spaces to access within a short drive from Denver, up and down the Front Range. I have wonderful hiking routes in the nearby mountains where I take friends to show them wildlife, such as the many large moose in the area and unique birds that only live in the high country. Places like Mt. Evans, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, and the many high mountain passes all offer fantastic experiences. If my friends are into mountain biking, the trail opportunities are endless. We can ride for miles in the Front Range or drive a bit further into the mountains to access trails that connect the old mining towns of the 1800’s. Maybe on the way home we would check out the new Casa Bonita. Finding something to do and see in Colorado is never a problem.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A shoutout goes to my wife Michelle. She is also an avid photographer, and we support each other’s creative work. Our teamwork gets us both closer to our creative goals. She is also my safari partner, so we can stay together on our trips around the globe, inspiring each other to go further.

Website: https://peterismert.zenfolio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterismert/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pismert

Image Credits
Peter Ismert