Tuareg nomads drive a camel caravan laden with salt tablets.

What it takes to create enduring images

For National Geographic photographer Brent Stirton, patience, persistence, and a touch of perfectionism are key.

Tuareg nomads drive a camel caravan laden with salt tablets.
Photograph by Brent Stirton, Nat Geo Image Collection

When people hear I work at NatGeo, I often get asked some version of: “How can I become a National Geographic photographer?” This is an incredibly galling question for a NatGeo writer. But I get it. Many of these people have romantic visions of exploring the far ends of the planet with a Nikon slung over a shoulder. For the few who seem to want the hard truth, I tell them about the time I was on assignment in Mali with Brent Stirton, and we were taking turns throwing up in an airport bathroom.

We arrived at Bamako’s airport before dawn to catch a flight to Timbuktu, the legendary Saharan outpost, and found the dilapidated terminal

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