If you’ve searched Google for “Journal of Wildlife Photography — Is it worth it?” you’ve probably seen various threads from sites like Reddit debating whether the membership is worth the cost.
But Reddit discussions often miss important context. Many commenters haven’t actually subscribed to the Journal and as a result they may not understand how the platform works or what members receive.
So let’s answer the question clearly right away. And I am keenly aware that everyone’s skill levels and goals are different so this post was created to help YOU decide if the Journal is worth it based on where you’re at with your wildlife photography goals and what you’re looking for.
Yes — for most wildlife photographers, the Journal of Wildlife Photography is absolutely worth it.
The Journal is designed specifically for photographers who want to improve their wildlife photography quickly by learning directly from award-winning professional wildlife photographers. Instead of trying to figure everything out through trial and error, members gain access to structured training, image critiques, contests, courses, and a large community of photographers focused on improving their craft.
The biggest value comes from learning two essential skills that dramatically improve wildlife photography:
For photographers who are serious about improving their wildlife photography, the Journal provides a structured path to growth that can shave years off your learning curve.
The Journal of Wildlife Photography is designed for photographers who want to significantly improve their wildlife photography skills.
It is particularly useful for:
If you’re just getting started in wildlife photography, you’re likely struggling with issues such as:
The Journal helps beginners develop strong foundations by teaching proper camera settings, field techniques, and editing skills.
Many photographers reach a plateau where their images are decent but not exceptional. This usually happens because they haven’t yet learned advanced wildlife photography techniques such as:
The Journal provides education specifically designed to help photographers move beyond this plateau.
Random YouTube videos can teach useful tips, but the information is often fragmented and inconsistent.
The Journal provides a structured learning environment that allows photographers to build their knowledge step-by-step.
If you want an honest review, I think the best resource are testimonials from people who have actually joined the Journal of Wildlife Photography. If you click on the image below you’ll be directed to the Journal of Wildlife Photography website. Scroll down on that landing page until you get to the testimonial section and you’ll be able to listen to members share their honest feedback about the Journal.
One of the biggest advantages of the Journal of Wildlife Photography is that it focuses exclusively on wildlife photography.
Wildlife photography requires unique skills that many general photography courses don’t cover.
These include:
The Journal was created to help photographers master these skills faster by learning directly from professionals who already produce award-winning wildlife images.
To determine whether the Journal of Wildlife Photography is worth it, we need to examine everything included in a membership.
One of the most valuable features of the Journal membership is the monthly live wildlife photography training sessions.
Each month, members attend a live webinar taught by award-winning wildlife photographers.
These sessions typically last around 90 minutes and include:
Here’s just a few of the topics covered in these trainings:
All trainings are recorded, allowing members to build a library of educational material they can revisit anytime.
The Journal hosts monthly wildlife photography contests that allow members to submit their images and compete for prizes.
Each month there is a winner selected in each of the three categories and they receive a $500 USD cash prize. That prize money moves to $2,000 USD for the December contest.
One unique feature is that contests are divided into three skill levels:
This ensures that photographers compete against others at a similar skill level.
Contests also encourage photographers to:
One of the fastest ways to improve photography is through constructive critique.
Each month, contest judges review submitted images and explain:
Watching these critiques helps photographers refine their eye and understand what separates a good wildlife photograph from a great one.
Members also gain access to wildlife photography courses covering specialized topics such as:
These courses allow photographers to go deeper into specific topics and develop advanced techniques.
The Journal also includes a private community where photographers can:
Having access to a supportive community helps photographers stay motivated and continue improving.
For more than two decades, Gerry van der Walt has guided photographers through some of the most demanding environments on earth. From the plains of Africa to the ice fields of the Arctic.
He is a world-renowned expedition leader, wildlife photographer, and certified mindset and performance coach. He has helped professionals, athletes, and creators perform at their best under pressure.
Gerry’s background bridges two worlds that rarely combine:
Through this coaching members have access to 1:1 personalized coaching sessions where they set their own goals for growth. Those might be as simple as those shown below for beginners or they can be for the very advanced photographer where you might wish to discuss animal behaviour, how to use light and so on.
This personalized feedback can accelerate improvement dramatically.
The Journal began as a quarterly digital magazine and it remains a central part of the membership.
Each issue typically contains 50–60 pages of educational content written by professional wildlife photographers. There are over five years worth of back issues with way too many quarterly issues to cover all of the topics but to give you an idea of article content you’ll find:
Members also gain access to every past issue of the Journal.
The Journal is also expanding to include a members-only discount page where members will receive discounts on:
This adds additional value for photographers who regularly purchase photography related items. In fact, the savings from some of these discounts may more than cover the cost of membership.
The Journal offers several membership options including annual and lifetime memberships.
Annual memberships have historically been priced around $100–$120 per year, which is significantly cheaper than most photography workshops that can cost thousands of dollars.
Considering the amount of training and educational content included, the Journal provides strong value for photographers who actively use the resources.
If you plan on continuing your education with the Journal the Lifetime membership is definitely the way to go. It is not only cheaper over time but you get 5 additional photo contest entries each month which improves your chances of winning.
For most wildlife photographers, the answer is yes.
The Journal provides structured education, professional critique, community support, and access to some of the most respected wildlife photographers in the world.
If you want to improve your wildlife photography faster and produce stronger images, the Journal of Wildlife Photography is one of the most comprehensive learning platforms available today.
Yes. The Journal includes beginner friendly tutorials, articles, and training sessions designed to help new photographers build strong foundations.
Yes. Members receive editing tutorials covering Lightroom and Photoshop techniques specifically designed for wildlife photography.
Free tutorials can be helpful, but the Journal offers structured learning, professional critique, and deeper training that accelerates improvement.
The Cristina Mittermeier MasterClass includes 45 episodes and more than 8 hours of teaching focused on conservation photography, storytelling, composition, and creating images with purpose. Do you ever feel like[…]
Read the post.
What is DxO PureRAW5? DxO PureRAW 5 offers a powerful set of tools for wildlife photographers to optimize their RAW files, particularly for managing noise and enhancing detail in images,[…]
Read the post.