WILD NINJA

Kristi Odom travels the world as a photographer and filmmaker to highlight wildlife stories and protect them. As an Associate Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, she has helped raise nearly $1m for conservation. 

On a recent trip to Bolivia, Kristi Odom visited La Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary to raise money for Jaguars involved in illegal trafficking. She spent time with the team and captured remarkable close-up shots of the Jaguars and other wildlife. 

“Being a one person show, who films, produces and edits videos to raise money for conservation is something that I am really proud of,” says Odom. 

When roaming some of the world’s most remote locations, a compact, yet reliable set-up is a must. As a Nikon Ambassador, the Nikon Z8 and Z9 are often Odom’s first choice of camera, supported by a wide range of lenses and accessories. Among her equipment is the Atomos Ninja monitor-recorder which has proved to be an essential tool in her kit bag. With its ability to record in ProRes RAW, the lightweight and portable Ninja makes it the ideal accessory for mirrorless cameras.   

In Bolivia, the Ninja played a fundamental role documenting a rare encounter with a hummingbird. Positioned on top of her Nikon Z9 camera, Odom set the monitor to record, waited patiently from a distance, and observed it capture the hummingbird’s fluttering movements as it drew closer to the birdfeeder at the edge of her cabin. “I love using my Ninja; it’s great that I can just hit record and let it do all the work,” she adds. Thanks to its compact size and recording ability, the Ninja enabled Odom to successfully capture incredible shots of animals in the rainforest at close range, without disturbing them in their habitat. 

Odom works with conservation non-profits and delivers educational workshops to photographers. She teaches skills from using the right equipment to adjusting camera settings to emotionally connect with wildlife through their images. “It’s such a rewarding experience developing the next generation of storytellers. I love being able to use a camera to serve and protect the planet, while teaching others how to help protect the wildlife and animals,” says Odom. 

The Ninja’s bright, high-definition display has been a game-changer for her workshops, allowing her to share fine details of the images to her students. “The Ninja’s a fantastic tool – there are a lot of people who want something bigger to look at than the electronic viewfinder on their camera, and that’s where the Ninja proves most beneficial.”  

Odom’s interest in photography came at an early age when she first discovered her grandfather’s camera – taking many photos over the years to remember him. She went on to study electrical engineering while developing her talents as a photographer for her college student newspaper. It wasn’t until later, after moving to Australia and graduating with a fine art degree, that Odom’s admiration for wildlife grew.  

“From this moment I fell more in love with wildlife and developed a true dedication for the arts.” Her career has led her to receive more than 60 international photography awards with images featuring either online or in print in Rolling Stone, National Geographic, and at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Many photographers and filmmakers carry an extensive toolkit to cover all eventualities. However, they look for more efficient ways to work—and Odom is no exception. 

NB: Kristi Odom was covering a story on illegal wildlife trafficking during her time in Bolivia. The jaguar images were photographed inside an animal sanctuary with supervision of biologists and/or conservationists to ensure no animals were harmed or negatively affected.  

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This article was sponsored by Atomos