Vicki Santello loves seeing the world mindfully through the art of photography. 

"it's not what you look at but what you see". Henry David Thoreau

Professional Memberships

• North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA)
• Professional Photographers of America (PPA)
• Gainesville Fine Arts Association (GFAA)
   

Awards

2026: Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, First Place, Nature Category

2026: Remembering Giraffes, Top 20 for publication in series of Remembering Wildlife

2026: Exposure One Awards, Four Honorable Mentions, Black and White

2026; Africa Geographic Magazine: Two Finalists in Weekly Galleries

2026: The Nature Conservancy, image published in annual calendar

2025 North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), Top 250

2025 Refocus Black and White Awards, Silver and Bronze Awards, Wildlife

2025 Refocus Black and White Awards, People's Choice

2025, Exposure One Photographer of the Year BW, Bronze Award, Wildlife

2025, MUSE Photographer of the Year, Platinum Awards, Wildlife and Comedy

2025, Refocus Color Photography, Honorable Mention, Minimalism

2025, Exposure One Photographer of the Year BW, Minimalism

2024 ReFocus World Awards: Silver Category Award, Aerials

2024 ReFocus World Awards: Honorable Mention, Aerials Category

2024 ReFocus World Awards: Honorable Mention, Abstracts Category

2024 ReFocus Color Awards, People's Choice, for image titled "Keeping Up with Mom"

2024 African Geographic Photographer of the Year

• Weekly Finalist for image titled "Fig Brings Home the Bacon"
• Top 50 for image titled "Fire!" aka "Run!" 

2023 Audubon Society National Contest, Highly Commended Overall, for image titled "Illusion of Foliage"
2023 Greatest Masaai Mara Photographer of the Year

• Top 10 Contest Overall Finalist for image titled "Run!" aka "Fire"
• Monthly Finalist for image titled "The Prize" 
• Monthly Finalist for image titled "Pals" 

2023 North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA)

• Top 100 for image titled "Pivot"
• Top 250 for image titled "At the Waterhole"
• Top 250 for image titled "Sunburst at the Swamp"
• Top 250 for image titled "High Stepper" 

2023 Wild Art Photographer of the Year

• Commended, Category - Space, for image titled "The Vanishing Point"
• Top 100, Category - Abstracts, for image titled "Pink Magic"
• Top 100, Category - Light, for image titled "Bejeweled Bear"
• Top 100, Category - Space, for image titled "Swarming"
• Top 100, Category - Space, for image titled "Follow the Leader"
• Top 100, Category - Space, for image titled "The Approaching Storm"
• Top 100, Category - Space, for image titled "Seeing Double" 
• Top 100, Category - Wet, for image titled "Royal Snowstorm"
• Top 100, Category - Wet, for image titled "Rush Hour"
• Top 100, Category - Wet, for image titled "Thin Ice"
• Top 100, Category - Wet, for image titled " Against the Current" 

2022 :  WildArt Photographer of the Year, Category Winner, WET, "The Successful Hunt"

2022 - 2017: various awards from WildArt Photographer of the Year, Greatest Masaai Mara Photographer of the Year, Africa Geographic, North American Nature Photographer Association (NANPA) Showcase, Nature's Best Africa 

See Featured Gallery : Award Winning Images for history of specific images and awards

Exhibits

2026: Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, International Photographer of the Year Exhibition

2025: Santa Fe College President's Gallery, solo exhibit

2023: Gainesville Fine Arts Association - various venues

2022 : Santa Fe College Art Gallery, multi-artist exhibit: Nature's Beauty

Speaking Engagements

2025: FRAMES Magazine, interviewed by Tomasz Trzebiatowski, Editor-In-Chief

2024: Falkland Islands Musuem, Guest Photography Speaker

2024: University of Florida, Oak Hammock, Guest Photography Speaker