Yes, We know!
This is not just a Nikon issue. Across the board, with many of the other big photography companies, women are not being represented. Yes, we know. Basically, in most professional fields, women don’t have a position that warrants their voice to be heard.
This matters, we matter.
Nikon is currently celebrating 100 years of innovation, and you can be certain that women helped pave the way to that celebration. It can seem unfair to those not really understanding the issue that we would single out one company, but It has really been a catalyst to pay attention to this industry as a whole and demand more.
But why the post?
Nikon Asia recently released a team of men, pictured below. To test their incredible new series of cameras, the Nikon D850. They were unable, however, to find one capable and talented woman to add to their roster. But why should we care when here in the USA they are surpassing by percentage of women inclusivity, between all of the other companies with 29%. We see that, and it is still valid to want things to be more even at 50-50, because why not. Or perhaps, let women have the majority. Would that be so crazy? and blow peoples minds. Perhaps.
Nikon MEA, if you happen to stumble upon this, let me share some amazing talent in your region MIDDLE EAST | ASIA
More stats :
Sony – http://imagingambassadors.sony.net/ambassadors/
50 Men
8 Women
14% Women, 86% Men
Canon – http://learn.usa.canon.com/dlc/contributors/explorers.spr
32 Men
8 Women
20% Women, 80% Men
Nikon – http://www.nikonusa.com/…/nikon-ambassadors/index.page
17 Men
7 Women
29% Women, 71% Men
Olympus – http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/visionaries
10 Men
2 Women
20% Women, 80% Men
Hopefully, these numbers will change across the board.
We asked women of our Official Dear Photographer group to share their thoughts, and the gear they use to create their art. Below are some of their images! Enjoy.
Danielle Hatcher | Nikon D750 “I shoot families, newborns, and children with my Nikon because #womencan. ” 
Christina Davenport | The industry of landscape photography is much more male-saturated than the portraiture industry. #womencan & #womendo
Eboni Rivera | Nikon D750 ” As a woman photographer, this cuts to the bone. To feel like a brand that you’ve supported throughout the years with your heard earned money doesn’t reciprocate the support- well that’s disheartening. “
Jessica DeMers | Nikon D750 #womencan
Kristy Burell | Nikon D800 “Nikon I am a mama, wife, and a photographer. I can raise babies and run a successful business. #screwnikon #WOMANCAN 
Lori Pickens | Nikon D5 #womencan 
Monika Colichio |Nikon D750 “Did I mention i switched from Canon? I kick ass with my persistence and passion. You will tell me I can’t I will prove you wrong!
Erin Peck |Nikon D800 + D750 “all the way. I’ve supported Nikons for years, the least you could do is support women back. #WOMENCAN “
Jenni Hecht |Nikon D3 “I don’t think they are as involved in the industry as they should be. To them photography is making cameras to make money. They don’t care about us. They care about their product and themselves. They grossly underestimated how this would effect (sp)our community and women in general.” 
Brooke Mora | Nikon D3000 “embarrassed by my crop sensor” 
Meg Dowd | Nikon D600 #womencan 
Erika Vianey Avila Hernandez | Nikon D750 “#womencan, Literally.”
Katie Simon | Nikon D90 “Yeah, I still shoot with my D90, almost ten years later…I love her…” 
Yaffa Koff | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Nicole Speer | I’m a woman who bought my Nikon D700, D800, and D810 ALL ON MY OWN! Crazy. I know!!!!! #screwnikon #womencan
Lindsey Porter | Nikon D610 #womencan 
Lynzi Berg |Nikon D750 ” And we multi task. Self-portrait of the birth of my fourth son. #womencan do freaking anything .”
Magda Cichoka | D5100
“Sometimes I think that men are scared of our strength. We can go through the deepest and hardest sh*t with a smile on a face and a child on a shoulder. Taking photos on a way..”
Anna Deacon | D750 ” Shame on you Nikon.”
Mandi Johnson | Nikon D610 ” I manage to be a stay-at-home working mom of 3 littles – 5, 3.5, & 2, a wife to a hubby who travels for work, a double business owner. 1 of which is my photography business where I manage to squeeze in photo sessions in between the cracks of running a busy household. And because I know how to use this camera, I manage to capture newborns, families, children, park adventures, free-lensing at sunset at much much more all while being mom, wife, & business owner! #womencan
Jess Buttermore | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Alica Keiser | Nikon D750 “picked and not one women, shame on you Nikon Lets show Nikon just how bad ass women are! #womenCAN 
Leah Moore | Niko D750 “Sunrise with a warrior of five open heart surgeries.”
Thais Mapstone | D750 -D810 “I’m so heartbroken over so many things, and then Nikon had to top it off and shit on my pie with their D850 misogyny. #WOMENCAN, Nikon.”
Margaret Albaugh | Nikon D750 
Traci El | Nikon D300 #WomenCan ” we capture all the love” 
Jess Buttermore | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Christina Marie | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Lindsay Saunders | Nikon D750 “Discouraged, overlooked and tired of not being taken seriously. ” 
Stormy Solis | Nikon 4s- 750 #womencan 
Alicia Moss |Nikon D750 #womencan 
Heather Koepp | D750 #womencan 
Desra Ramey | Nikon D7000 #womencan 
Jasmine Pickens |Nikon D800 “Who rules the world ?! ….. women.”
Joy Faith | Nikon D750 “empower our daughters to be bold, take risks, chase dreams, and have a voice.”
Justyna Nina |Nikon D610 “Wouldn’t the world be a different place, if there wasn’t women to grow life, raise your children, teach you compassion and strength, grow your garden, hold your hand, and help you chase your dreams.” #womencan 
Lauren Grayson | D750 
Julie Godbolt |Nikon D750 #WomenCan “Shot by a woman (me) of another amazing woman photographer as a part of The Traveling Dress Collective project ALSO the dress was handmade by another kickass woman photographer!”
Eve Rashid | Nikon D750 “Last I checked I was fully capable… disappointing Nikon… #womencan women shoot real emotions, connections, and memories, details of life… not just gorgeous landscapes but whatever “
Alpana Aras | Nikon D700 Double exposure, still rocking the old beast and ready for an upgrade!
Twyla Jones |Nikon D750 “We are better than this!”
Dana Whitley | Nikon D7200 “Good thing I have some knowledge of what all those switches and buttons do…. #WOMENCAN” 
Clare Elizabeth |Nikon D600 ” As for me, I’ll raise my daughter to believe she breathes fire.” 
Petra Tomicova |Nikon D800 “Photos from recent family session “
Liz Degroff |Nikon D750- D7100 ” A handful of self-portraits I took with either because I can be a mom, a wife, a homemaker, AND a badass photographer.” 
Sarah Kelley | Nikon D7100 #womencan 
Alicia Thwaites | Nikon D610 #womencan 
Olga Levien |Nikon D750 #womencan 
Karen Dyck |Nikon D750 #ofcoursewecan 
Caroline Over | Nikon D750 “Here’s to strong women. May we know them, we may be them, may we raise them.”
Becky Maini| Nikon D750 #womencan ” I ‘ve used Nikon since the year I graduated as a dental surgeon 12 years ago. Currently, on my 3rd, a D750 as I launch my photography from a hobby to a business alongside saving teeth, raising twin toddlers and all the other stuff working mothers do. Hell yeah #womencan.”
Katie Rickard | Nikon D800E 
Mindy Tingson | Nikon D5100 “Shortly after I started to take my photography more seriously, a friend posted a status on his Facebook begging “housewives of America” to “put the camera down”. And at first I took it personally. Then I realized it was just an invitation to not only show him but also show my daughters that #WOMENCAN take a beautiful, rad photo and cook a mean casserole at the same time if she wanted to. 
Elizabeth Blank | D700 I made this photograph while holding my breath in 8 feet of water as I metered through foggy goggles and changed my settings manually. #womencan D700 (through non-Nikon underwater housing).
Kristen Ryan |Nikon D810 ” #womencan capture the world around us” 
Karen Osdieck | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Anita Perminova | Nikon D750 “I have always shot with a Nikon,” #whatashock
Niki Durcan | Nikon D750 #Womencan
Sarah Wilson | Nikon D4 #womencan 
Alyssa Hollis | Nikon D800 #womencan
Rachel Mcgowan | Nikon D800 #womencan
Melissa Post |Nikon D810 ” I spent 3 years of my life being put down in many ways by men. Not having a single woman is a HUGE put-down, Nikon. ” #getyourshittogether#womenCAN
Jennifer Hammer | Nikon D610 #womencan 
Bridget Palmer | Nikon D90 – D600 “I am a capable shooter with a D90 and a D600. I’m certain I can handle the newest model from those morons at Nikon.” #screwnikon #WOMENCAN
Natalie Thomas | Nikon D610 “My face as that one article circulates. Nikon. Come on. ”
Katherine Mcpherson |Nikon D7000 “Nikon, Our girls deserve so much better than this! ” #womencan
Jennifer Haley | Nikon D610 “Full Frame with a woman behind the viewfinder. ”
Kimberley Kroupa | Nikon D610 “Been shooting Nikon since ’98 as a hobbyist.”
Erin Kay | Nikon D800 ” proud MOMtographer here. It is my responsibility and pleasure, as this capable young lady’s mother, to teach her that #WOMENCAN. But I, and every other mother, need help from the rest of the world too. We need change. Our youth is depending on us for a better future.” 
Leilani Rodgers | Nikon D4 “I have been shooting Nikon exclusively for 10 years.”
Alys Davidson | Nikon D810 “a mother of two incredible humans, and full-time photographer and photographic artist, gallery owner, and a trustee, multitasking machine busting my lady parts to live sustainable while doing what I love .. while your over there busy being a son of peach with your shitty attempt to make women seem less than capable. ” #wOMANCAN #screwyounikon
Rebecca Waldock | Nikon D810
“Dear Nikon,
I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.
Sincerely,
Women
And I was in the market for a D5 or an 850.
4 strong, confident young ladies. Shot with a d810.”
#womencan
Sandy Fales | Nikon 750 #womencan 
Erin Mufford |Nikon D750 I don’t own lip gloss, I barely require a bra, and my cooking is passable at best. Good thing my worth is not defined by what a woman is “supposed” to be. 
❤ #WOMENCAN 
Chris Tine | Nikon D750 “And of course I just bought a new Nikon body…..” 
Dandra Budd | Nikon D810 “Screw that Nikon! by a woman who embraces badass.”
Ashli Moon |Nikon D750 #womencan 
Amanda Patrick | D750 “Shame on you Nikon”
Beth Farnsworth | Nikon D600 #womencan 
Sarah Moroce | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Cheri Dempkowski | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Jenn Russell | Nikon D750 “My husband even lets me drive sometimes to places where I can press buttons .” 
Elise Meader | D750 
Sarah Gupta |NikonD750 ” A self-portrait of a wife, mother, scientist, artist, business owner, and badass photographer!”
Angie Klaus | Nikon D750 “I tell stories of powerful women. ” #womencan 
Jen Bilodeau | Nikon D750 “One of the amazing things about women is the way we come together in the face of adversity…..we each bring our voice and our passion, collectively creating a force that is unstoppable. #womencan
Laure Aziz |Nikon D600 “Oh these? Just some photos I managed to take while also having boobs and a vagina!” 
Mallory Gorham | Nikon 7200 “my passion is showing this male-centric world
just how much and how well #womencan. because, uh..life. ”
Lee Harrison Pettigrew | Nikon D7100 #womencan 
Abby Kenan | Nikon D750, Self Portrait
Sarah Whiting | Nikon D750 “My kind, caring, strong, independent little girl. I’m working hard to teach her that women can.
Amy Rushbrook | Nikon D810 I pushed a button on my friend’s Nikon for this personal project like the badass AF woman I am. #womencan
Chloe Ramirez | Nikon D800 “self-portrait” 
Jenny Diaz |NikonD750 “I managed to photograph this session all while having a baby attached to me as I do with many of my sessions because #womencan.”
Brianna Waltman | Nikon D750 “I am baffled by this low blow made by Nikon.” 
Nicole Caradonna | Nikon D750 Wait, #womencan grow and sustain human life AND work a camera?! Who knew.
Kris Kelley | Nikon D750 #womencan 
Brittany Blake | Nikon D750 “see the world in beautiful ways. And women can hold big cameras in their tiny hands.”
Deanna Mccasland | Nikon D700-D750 #womenCan 
Brianna Nichole | I see you Nikon…not cool. I ❤️ the crap out of my d750. It’s my 4th baby after the 3 that call me mom. I’ve been so fortunate to learn from some bad ass women in this industry. I would not be the photographer I am with out their influence. #WOMENCAN
Sarah Begbie | Nikon D700 #womencan 
Shaina Sullivan | Nikon D90 “It’s incredible of all the talent out there they didn’t choose a single female for Nikons campaign #screwnikon. I wish I could afford a bad boy camera but I’ve been stuck with what I started off with.” 
Jess Worrall | Nikon D750 
Karen Dell |Nikon D750 ” Of course we can.” 
Camille Camacho | Nikon D810 “My first ever self-portrait & it took all the guts… all the courage… all the bravery… to not only take this but share it.”
Stacey Ebstyne | Nikon D750 “Just photographed this woman yesterday! I use a Nikon d750 and use all Nikon lenses. I have never posted here before but this made me want to be brave and support all woman photogs! #womencan”
Alana Atkins | Nikon d750 “I’m not sure if there are too many women in this post for Nikon? D750” 
Amy Shaw | Nikon D750. “I’m a mother, a daughter, a wife and a nurse. I balance many things in my life. I raise children and run a business. I have a unique perspective on the world. I am strong and I am capable. #womencan
Rebecca Tompkins | Nikon D810 But I am also a survivor. I survived 13 years of domestic abuse. Physical, mental, emotional, and sexual. I survived 2 years of stalking and threats and months without my children when I left. I fought. I stood. I persevered. I piece by piece put myself back together. I put my family back together. Put my life back together. Every time I pick up that camera now, I am managing to heal another piece of something that needs to be loved. Every image that is featured, liked, praised and most importantly is pleasing to my eye I feel pride because I did that. I taught myself one button at a time. I am a woman and I can!
#womencan
Amber Getsinger | Nikon D750 “Proudly raising boys to know that #womencan“
Inspiring…truly inspiring. Congrats ladies. #womencan
This is an absolutely amazing compilation. I’m honored to be a part of it.
Ok did not realize you were fimanazis. I have been a photographer for thirty five years. I never once considered the sex of a photographer to be important. Much less the sex of who made my camera. The problems I see with the industry has to many inexperienced people calling themselves photographers. The ease of the modern equipment gives anyone who he ability to call themselves a photographer. I see to much post production presets and letting others control their craft. To bitch about who designs your camera is childish be glad you did not start out like I did with a Kodak instamatic. Or learn how to use a large format camera. Just grow up the camera does not take the picture the photographer does. Now don’t get me wrong I do like the modern technology I am just tired of the whining. I think everyone one of you should go take a shoe box and learn how to take pictures with limited tools. Just saying this was an offensive blog to those of us men who have been in the trenches long before mommies found they could run a side job with a camera. Note please remove me from your blog
Way to miss the point entirely, Olen. Not to mention – you are exactly what is wrong with some males in this industry. So sorry these “mommies” are out there kicking your ass professionally. Enjoy that chip on your shoulder.
Why so touchy? Are you against women photographers? Or is it raw talent? You said it yourself….”the camera does not take the picture the photographer does.” In that statement alone you are saying the art of the photo comes from the photographer so the “mommies” you feel are only in it for a side business must have some talent for it. You can’t just pick up a camera and become a photographer, you have to either have the talent for it or study it. Either way it takes a lot of work and devotion! Photography isn’t just a quick side job, you have to want it! It’s an investment of time, money and energy!
YES, YES, YES! So much love, talent and power in those images. Women can!
This.
Nikon, if you’re paying even the slightest bit of attention, Dear Photographer just handed you some of the most extraordinary talent that this industry has to offer. They deserve to be noticed. These are not only your customers, they are your spokespeople. They are talented, they are fierce, and they are women.
It’s time you took notice. Because the rest of the world already has.
Thank you for the feature! I appreciate it! Can you please add my IG account – http://www.instagram.com/olgalevien @olgalevien
Thank you so much! These women just amazing, so talented!
Thank you so very much! I am honored to be included by all of the incredible women who defeat the odds and stereotypes that surround us daily! We are so much more than women. You have inspired me to be very proud of what I am and the images I create. Keep on showing the world what #womencan do!!
While these images are lovely, and representative of typical things women are passionate about, and your general aesthetic, I don’t see much variety. Where are the female sports photographers? The landscape photographers? Wildlife photographers? War photographers? Women do so much more than babies, children and romance….#womencan
Hi Trenna! We wholeheartedly agree! We have a small group of about 3k or less, which is where the call to share the talent came from. Most of our readers/contributors are lifestyle + documentary photographers. Thank you so much for the feedback, we have had a few landscape shares and contributions on our blog, as well as street photography but no wildlife, and I look forward to seeking out that kind of talent to feature in our blog post. We also want to seek out more of a diverse talent and be inclusive to everyone.