National Geographic Explorer and photographer Octavio Aburto focuses his photographic outreach and scientific research on the conservation of marine habitats and commercially important species and their fisheries. He has been photographing marine ecosystems off the coastal waters of Mexico since 1994, and also works in Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the United States. Octavio earned a Ph.D. at the Center of Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), where he currently serves as an associate professor and research scientist. His images have been part of several conservation projects worldwide and have won international photography contests.

Pie Aerts is a Dutch documentary and wildlife photographer with a sincere interest in human/wildlife coexistence stories. Through his lens, he examines the intricate relationship between animals, humans and nature and, as we become increasingly distant from each other and ourselves, he uses photography as a medium to search for the cause of this disconnect. Pie is an official Canon EMEA Ambassador and Founder of Prints for Wildlife, a fundraising platform that supports African wildlife & communities badly hit by Covid-19. Since its inception in 2020 more than $2.1 million dollars has been raised by uniting 230+ wildlife photographers from around the world. Pie’s first best-selling book 'Tales from the Roads less Traveled' was published by teNeues in 2019 and sold 8,000 copies worldwide.
After more than 10 years of fieldwork all across the African continent and beyond, as a photographer as well as an activist, Pie has developed an intricate understanding of, connection with and passion for documenting the last wild corners of our planet.

An avid tropical fish hobbyist since the age of five and a reptile and amphibian enthusiast for nearly as long, Hussain Aga Khan developed a keen interest in conservation at a young age and began scuba diving at 14. He started travelling to the tropics frequently after secondary school and began taking photographs of fauna and flora on a trip to the Brazilian Amazon in 1996.Multiple photographic expeditions, often organized jointly with scientists or professional photographers, have led him to constitute extraordinary archives, covering various geographical areas and types of habitats as well as a large number of marine and terrestrial species.His books and exhibitions, shown internationally, aim to raise awareness, inspire admiration for wildlife and therefore the desire to protect it. His new book, The Living Sea, was released in May 2022.

Hanan is an emergency physician and serves as associate director and core clinical faculty at a large level 1 trauma center in Florida. An avid SCUBA diver and under water photographer, Hanan dedicates all his images to ocean conservation organizations and initiatives. Hanan is an expedition physician with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions and serves as medical director for Beneath the Waves, a US-based ocean conservation organization.

Hannes Becker is a freelance photographer specialized in the adventure and landscape niche. Grown up in rural Germany, his photography style has been influenced by his surroundings early on. These days he is inspired by the north and Hannes is drawn to the remoteness faraway. To inspire the viewer and showcase his experiences in a realistic manner, he does not only document his travels, but makes part of his personal interpretation come to live within his photographs, by emphasizing composition and lighting.

Jean-Simon Bégin is a professional painter and wildlife photographer from Quebec City. Active in these two disciplines for more than 15 years, he has participated in some sixty solo or group exhibitions and has received more than fifty awards in Canada and internationally. In 2022, he was named Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year by Canadian Geographic.To date, over 1250 paintings and photographs bearing his signature have been acquired from collectors. Jean-Simon reaches tens of millions of subscribers annually through his various platforms. He acts as a content creator and shares all of his adventures free of charge to the greatest number of people.With his work, he tries to raise awareness and educate the population about the fragility of biodiversity and the importance of saving it.

I am a wildlife photographer and cinematographer based in San Diego California. I own the whale watching company Gone Whale Watching and spend over 300 days a year on the Pacific Ocean. I specialize in using drones to capture intimate images of dolphins and whales in their natural environment.

I am a Melbourne-based photographer who balances time between editorial, documentary, and unit stills photography.
With roots in Southern California and Australia, I have a deep appreciation for nature. Over the past few years I’ve developed a wide selection of clients, including groups like Parks Canada, Visit Greenland, Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism, Conde Nast Traveller, and Broadsheet.
In addition, I have also work on a number of independent and IATSE film and television productions, including 3 seasons on Citytv’s ‘Hudson & Rex’.

I am Maru Brito, I was born in Mexico City, but life was leading me to live near the sea. The sea is my passion and I love to observe everything that lives in it. I love photographing from small animals to the largest on the planet. I am lucky to live in Baja and be able to explore and get to know the Sea of ​​Cortez.

Taylor is a freelance photographer who specializes in adventure travel work with a sharp focus on landscape imagery. He creates impactful images that ignite a passion in the viewer to get outside, travel and gain a better understanding of the natural world around them.

Chris Burkard is an accomplished explorer, photographer, creative director, speaker, and author. Traveling throughout the year to pursue the farthest expanses of Earth, Burkard works to capture stories that inspire humans to consider their relationship with nature, while promoting the preservation of wild places everywhere. Burkard is known for images that are punctuated by untamed, powerful landscapes. Through social media, Chris strives to share his vision of wild places with millions of people, and to inspire them to explore for themselves.He is happiest with his wife Breanne raising their two sons Jeremiah and Forrest in his hometown of Pismo Beach, California

Kori Burkhardt is a shark ecologist, underwater photographer, and ocean expedition leader based in French Polynesia. With a methodology of researching and documenting shark by completely immersing with them, her mission is to show sharks in a beautiful, yet still powerful, perspective. As co-founder of conservation and research organization Mao Mana Foundation, her mission commits to protecting sharks and furthering research initiatives. As an ocean wildlife expedition leader, her mission is to immerse others into the marine ecosystem in a sustainable, ethical, and awe inspiring way that promotes stewardship of our oceans. Her work as a shark scientist and underwater videographer has been featured on various documentary specials across major media platforms such as National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and more.

Lucas Bustamante is a passionate biologist and a conservation photojournalist from Ecuador. His primary objective is to use photography to promote wildlife conservation. He co-founded Tropical Herping and Savia Fund, an Ecuadorian Nonprofit that works in the legal defense of nature, environmental and cultural conservation, and visual storytelling.

Chris Byrne is a nature and landscape photographer from the United States. Since 2015, Chris has been working as a full time photographer, selling his work and teaching photography workshops. His  portfolio includes landscapes, abstracts, and wildlife photographs. 

His aerial photography of icelandic glaciers has been recognized in the International Landscape Photographer of the Year Competition and the Epson Pano Awards.

Luciano Candisani is adocumentary photographer dedicated to water biodiversity and conservation stories. He started his career underwater in his backyard on the Southeastern Brazilian coast and has now been telling the world ocean stories for 30 years.

I am a professional wildlife photographer, videographer and co founder of conservation movement Protect What You Love. I am based on the Word Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef, in remote Western Australia. I currently work full time as an underwater photographer on the Ningaloo and spend most of my time capturing images of marine megafauna such as Whale Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Manta Rays and Humpback Whales. Growing up I had always dreamed of having my photography recognised on the international stage and most recently I was fortunate enough to have one of my images featured in the National Geographic July 2022 edition. I would love to use this opportunity to encourage anyone who has aspirations to protect our planet to use their courage and find voice in their local communities.

Emma Casagrande is a talented underwater photographer who has gained recognition for her stunning images of sharks. . Her love for these majestic creatures has inspired her to dedicate her life to documenting their beauty and advocating for their conservation. Along with being a talented photographer, Emma is also a loving mother to Ace & Nova and wife to Emmy award-winning shark cinematographer Andy Casagrande. Emma hopes that by exposing her children to the wonders of the ocean, they will develop a lifelong passion for marine conservation and become advocates for the protection of our planet.Her passion for the ocean has led her to not only capture its beauty but also to protect it. Emma is a fierce advocate for marine conservation and believes that it is our responsibility to care for our beautiful world. She hopes to inspire others to appreciate and protect the ocean and its inhabitants. Her work and advocacy are a true testament to her love for the world beneath the waves.

Jason Charles Hill is a landscape & travel photographer based in Queensland, Australia. With a dedication to meaningful storytelling, Jason’s work has lead him to explore many off beat destinations including all 7 continents. From the rugged peaks of Southern New Zealand to the remote isolation of the Arctic & Antarctic his imagery aims to document and immerse the viewer in the wild & unknown parts of our world

Jimmy Chin is a professional mountain athlete, National Geographic photographer, Academy Award-winning film director, and New York Times Best Selling author. His dual career as a world-class adventure athlete and artist is without precedent - he's equally respected for groundbreaking climbing and skiing achievements in the mountains as he is for his stunning photography and filmmaking. His travels have taken him to all seven continents and he has led cutting edge expeditions around the world. As a photographer, Jimmy's work has been featured in National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Outside Magazine and others. His first book of photography, There and Back, became a New York Times Best Seller in 2021. Jimmy lives in Jackson, Wyoming, with his wife, filmmaker Chai Vasarhelyi, their daughter, Marina, and son, James.

Jodi Cobb’s trailblazing career spans four decades as a National Geographic staff field photographer, the only woman to have held that position in its history. She has traveled to one hundred countries, breaking gender and cultural barriers to document cultures in some of the world’s most impenetrable environments. Cobb was one of the first photographers to cross China when it reopened to the outside world, the first given permission by the king to photograph the women of Saudi Arabia, and the first to be welcomed inside the secret world of Japan’s geisha her book Geisha: the Lives, the Voices, the Art. Cobb was the first woman named White House Photographer of the Year, has won many World Press and National Press Photographers Association Pictures of the Year awards, was named a “Nikon Legend” and a U.S. Presidential Delegate to the Olympics in Nagano, Japan. A popular speaker for the National Geographic Live global series, her photographs have been widely exhibited worldwide—and one is on the Voyager spacecraft out in the universe forever.

Claudio has dedicated the last 30 years to bring awareness to the public of the importance of nature and conservation related themes both in Mexico and abroad in magazines such as National Geographic Latin America and Spain, BBC Wildlife, Nature's Best Magazine and Audubon and Terre Sauvage. His images have been published and exposed both on a National and International level, he has also worked as a picture editor for conservation related books, and has received numerous awards for his photography in the World's most prestigious nature related competitions like the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Nature's Best, Asferico, Por el Planeta and Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year. For his work he has received Full Fellowship in the prestigious International League of Conservation Photographers. He is a founding member of the Mexican Conservation Photography Aliance. He is committed to the protection of all living forms, big and small. Claudio works together with several scientists and organizations with the aims of helping projects dedicated to the conservation of our natural heritage.

I am a surfer, photographer, shark attack survivor and shark advocate. Born and raised in Hawaii, and travel often photographing sharks around the world.

I'm a marine biologist, wildlife photographer and expedition guide. For the last 20 years I have been photographing and studying our worlds marine life. I spend around 100 days a year exploring the ocean wildernesses and am passionate about bringing the beauty of our oceans to a wider audience, hoping to inspire change and even the slightest sense of care to a part of our world that is mostly unseen and rarely thought of.

I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and from an early age the African bush was my place of solace. My affinity for numbers, however, led to a career in the reinsurance industry as an actuary, or as I like to call it: an inaccurate fortune teller.

Despite the trappings of an office job, or perhaps because of it, my passion for nature, wildlife and art remains at my core. I received my first DSLR in 2012, and this gift unlocked a way for me to combine art and nature in my life. So when I can escape the office for a while, I ensure that I visit the remote places of Earth where I can capture the landscapes and wildlife while they’re still wild.

Drew blends ethnography and fashion photography, his work weaves together the extraordinary stories of the most unique people, places, and cultures. He is fueled by “the excitement of the discovery of a new angle, an untold story, or an iconic image, the search for [his] subjects [are] endless.”

David duChemin is a photographer and writer based on Vancouver Island. Formerly a humanitarian photographer, David now focuses on conservation believing that the greatest threat to our planet, humanitarian and otherwise, is a lack of love and respect for the home in which we live, and those with whom we share it.

I specialize in photographing bears and other wildlife of the North. I live in the Pacific Northwest but spend much of my time in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic. As a photographer for over 25 years I am passionate about capturing moments and creating images that tell a story. My objective is to help people connect with the environment by understanding the stories and history behind my work. I believe that together through knowledge and awareness we can help to protect and save our world and the incredible wildlife that we share it with.

Since I was a child, my life has been linked to the sea and the world of underwater photography, learning and traveling with my father, who has also been an underwater photographer for more than 30 years.

My life is the sea, my passion is the sea and my obsession is the sea.
My main is to show this incredible and unknown world to create awareness in order to protect it. Travelling and being able to capture the beauty of the most incredible corners and stories of the oceans to get that aim is the dream I work on

Despite being from Madrid, far from the sea, and an engineer specialized in renewable energies, now I am fully dedicated to underwater photography and videography.
I am a professional diver and a diving instructor, but being a National Geographic Storyteller in Spain and having won several of the most important underwater photography competitions since 2012 (being the youngest to win the World and European Championships CMAS, the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2022 or Wildlife Ocean Photographer of the Year), have allowed me to keep working on this and making the most of this beautiful way of living trying to do my bit to help the ocean life.

Craig is best known for his film "My Octopus Teacher" and is the co-founder of Sea Change Project, a community of scientists, storytellers, journalists and filmmakers who are dedicated to the ocean.

Ken Geiger is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and former Deputy Director of Photography at National Geographic magazine. Before that he was Director of Photography at The Dallas Morning News. Ken's career as a photojournalist ranged from China to Mexico, war in Burma and Bosnia, terrorism in the Punjab, and four Olympic games. His awards include Society of Newspaper Design, National Headliners, and NPPA and POYi magazine picture editor of the year.

Daisy Gilardini is a conservation photographer who specializes in the Polar Regions, with a particular emphasis on Antarctic wildlife and North American bears. She is from Switzerland originally, and is now based in Vancouver, Canada. She has devoted most of her time to photographing the Polar Regions. She has joined more than 90 expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic, and she has skied the final degree to the North Pole. She is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) and the SeaLegacy Collective, a fellow of the New York-based Explorers Club, and member of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Daisy’s images have been published internationally in leading magazines such as National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Canadian Geographic, Nature’s Best and Outdoor Photography. Her images have also been used by high-profile NGOs such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, among others.Since 2018, she has been a photographer in residence with Canadian Geographic and she is has been nominated Greenpeace Antarctic Ambassador.Her childhood passion for the natural world has evolved into a lifelong commitment to spread the message of conservation and the need to preserve what's left of the world’s remaining wild places.

I am a Wildlife Biologist, Expedition Guide and Photographer based on Vancouver Island. When I first arrived on the Island, I was immediately drawn to the lush rainforests, dramatic coastlines and ominous peaks that combine to form one of the most spectacular ecosystems on the planet. It didn't take long for me to become infatuated with the wildlife that inhabits this Island ecosystem, and the way that everything is interconnected in, some way or another. I now focus my time on guiding in remote areas across the globe and documenting the interconnected Island ecosystem and its inhabitants, hoping to use my imagery to help raise awareness about the many issues these animals are facing in our modern world.

Leading expert on field work and production in the polar regions. Since 2001 he has been working around the Arctic on his own projects, and also as a producer and adviser for other film- and photographic projects in the Arctic. He has assembled a unique expertise of working under the most extreme conditions and is specialised in polar bears. He has published the books “Vanishing World” and “Polar Tales”, both photographic works about the Arctic and polar bears. Since 2016 he works with his partner, Melissa Schäfer. Their focus is on documenting the life and future of the polar bear.

Born and raised in Bratislava Slovakia, and currently living in Vancouver, Canada; Martin is an internationally awarded wildlife photographer, cinematographer, drone pilot and guide with over 19 years experience. Martin’s passion for photography started when he was 8 years old, when he moved to Canada with his family. From the first moment, he was captivated by the endless Canadian nature and the people around him; his camera becoming his closest friend and constant companion.Over the years the breathtaking beauty of Martin's photographs has attracted the attention of world-renowned magazines like National Geographic, Canadian Geographic, GEO, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Washington Post and many others; while his story “33 days among the bears” has become an international sensation, winning the Rising Star Portfolio Award at the 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition - the most prestigious wildlife photography competition in the world. This wasn’t the first win for Martin, since 2008 he has taken home various other prizes and nominations across Europe and the United States. Today Martin is a a full member of the ICG 699 where he works as a DOP and drone pilot; operating drones and working as a researcher on various landmark natural history films in some truly remote and spectacular places across the Arctic, Antarctic, Europe, and the South Pacific.

Bertie Gregory is a British wildlife filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer. His career began when a childhood obsession with nature led to winning the title of ‘Youth Outdoor Photographer Of The Year’. After graduating in Zoology from the University of Bristol in 2014, he began assisting legendary National Geographic Magazine photographer Steve Winter. 

He has since produced and hosted 6 projects for National Geographic (‘Leopards at the door’, ‘Jaguar Vs Croc’, ‘Wild_Life’, ‘Resurrection Island’ and ’The Big Freeze’). Resurrection Island won best Television host at the Jackson Wild Awards 2019- Nature film’s equivalent of the Oscars. Alongside his projects for National Geographic, he films for the landmark BBC David Attenborough Series. He became one of BAFTA’s youngest cinematography winners for his work on ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’. He has launched a show for Disney+ titled 'Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory'.

I'm a conservation photographer, writer, and educator striving to highlight the beauty, intelligence, and necessity of wildlife. I love to capture the stories of wild lives as they unfold, from the squirrels in my backyard, to pumas in Chile, to snowy owls in Alaska. Some of my assignment work can be found here. I’m an Associate Fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers, a columnist for Outdoor Photographer magazine, and a photography consultant to the National Audubon Society.

Shane Gross is a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist based on Vancouver Island and he lived in The Bahamas for a decade resulting in his book Bahamas Underwater. He is a multiple winner in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Underwater Photographer of the Year, Master of Underwater Photography among many others. He has shot assignments for Greenpeace, The Nature Conservancy, WildAid, iLCP, Save Our Seas Foundation and more.

Isabelle Groc is a writer, conservation photographer, documentary filmmaker, book author, and speaker based in Vancouver, Canada. She focuses on environmental science, wildlife natural history and conservation, endangered species, marine mammals and ecosystems, climate change, and the changing relationships between people and the natural world. She aims to create stories that increase our understanding and awareness of conservation issues and inspire change.

Jason Gulley is a photojournalist, writer and geology professor based in Tampa, Florida. Jason’s research and journalistic interests emphasize human impacts on the environment, climate change, caves and the underwater world. Jason combines his science and journalism backgrounds to tell informed stories about our planet. He’s most at home working in difficult-to-access environments, such as underwater caves, high altitude glaciers, the arctic and the deep ocean. Jason is working on a long-term documentary project about the conservation challenges facing Sirenia, the order of organisms that includes African, Amazonian and West Indian manatees as well as dugongs. When not on expeditions, Jason teaches courses in geology and scientific diving at the University of South Florida and spends time with his partner, Pati, and their rescue dogs, Peacock and Olsen. His work has been published by a variety of international publications, including National Geographic, GEO, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and WIRED.

Underwater photographer, award-winning film producer, and eco-tourism activist, Jorge has been sharing his love for the ocean and its creatures for the past decade. He has worked hand in hand with fishing communities in Baja to develop open ocean tourism as an alternative to fishing and produced the award-winning documentary film México Pelágico. Jorge founded a major liveaboard and ocean safari operation where he also envisioned & designed one of the top liveaboard vessels in the world.

As an underwater photographer, Jorge has documented unique, never before seen marine behavior. Swimming along orcas while they hunt pelagic rays in the Sea of Cortez, lurking amongst crocodiles and anacondas alike, or freediving with great white sharks in Guadalupe Island are only some of the moments that he captures in his images. His work has been featured by National Geographic, Wired, Ocean Geographic, Apple and Samsung campaigns, among many others.

Morgan "Mo" Heim is a conservation photographer, filmmaker and adventurer focusing on coexistence and the ways human-influenced environmental changes impact wildlife. With a background in ecology and journalism, her goal is to find the beauty, humor and perseverance in stories about wildlife, and how those stories teach us about who we are and what we might become. Morgan is a Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, a mentor for Girls Who Click and founder of Neon Raven Story Labs — a storytelling and strategy platform for conservation. In 2020, she co-launched Her Wild Vision Initiative aimed at raising the voices of diverse women in the craft of conservation visual storytelling. She has been recognized in Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Big Picture Natural World Photography competitions and was a recipient for the Fund for Environmental Journalism and Philip Hyde grants for her project on the impacts of trespass marijuana cultivation on public lands. Her work appears in outlets such as Audubon,  Smithsonian, National Geographic, Newsweek and The New York Times. 

Esther Horvath is a contributor photographer for National Geographic and photographer for the German Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research. Since 2015, her work focuses on documenting climate research and scientific expeditions in the polar regions with behind the scene science stories. By documenting the work of multiple science groups and life of scientists who deliver important climate data, Esther hopes to help make a difference in how people understand what actually is occurring in the polar regions, and in collaboration with scientists, help raise public awareness regarding these fragile environments.

For as long as I can remember, wildlife conservation has been my greatest passion. Growing up at Australia Zoo and traveling the world supporting wildlife preservation causes gave me a huge respect for our natural world. When I was very young, I discovered photography as a way to spread important messages by telling stories of our environment from the frontline. I believe in creating imagery that can help an audience connect with an individual animal, or draw attention to the importance of valuable ecosystems.

I am an underwater photographer. I was born in New Zealand and have been living and working on the Ningaloo reef, Western Australia since 2011. I have been fascinated by the ocean and all of its creatures for as long as I can remember and started taking photos as a hobby and way to hold onto special encounters. Since 2011 I have been working on the WhaleShark boats and in 2015 I started as an underwater photographer, taking photos for people to take home from their experience out with the WhaleSharks, Humpback Whales and this year starting with Sperm Whales. I am still blown away every day by the beauty that lives under water and seeing people light up after special underwater encounters is the best! I love traveling and getting to experience different cultures and photograph different animals all over the world. I hope that with my photos I can help other people fall in love with and appreciate the Ocean, the animals and all the beauty in the world and want to look after it. My proudest achievement was being awarded Ocean Photographer of the year 2021 with Oceanographic Magazine.

I am originally from Brazil, based on Vancouver Island, BC. I've been exploring and documenting the underwater world for over a decade now. Inspired by the the smallest marine organisms and incredibly passionate for nocturnal behaviour. My work has been featured on Netflix and ADEX video of the year 2019.

Acacia Johnson is an artist and photographer from Alaska. Drawn to painterly light and otherworldly landscapes, her work focuses on the environment, climate, and the connections between people and place. She has made over fifty expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica as a photographer and a guide—an effort to inspire wonder and compassion for these regions during a time of dramatic change. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and are housed in collections at the Anchorage Museum and the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, the New York Times, TIME, and the Guardian, among others. In 2020, she was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for Art and Style, and in 2021 received the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant. She was the 2022 recipient of the ICP Infinity Awards for Documentary Practices and Photojournalism.

Dmitry Kokh is an IT entrepreneur and an award- winning wildlife photographer specialising in large marine animals.It all started with a serendipitous underwater shot in 2017, since then his travels have taken him to Antarctica, Norway, the Red Sea, Cuba, Africa, South and Southeast Asia as well as remote corners of Russia (Kamchatka, the Solovetsky Islands, Baikal, Chukotka). His passion started in childhood, but it was scuba diving that opened up a whole new curious world, which he continues to explore through his work. The goal is to capture images that reflect energy and full immersion, focusing on storytelling and bringing awareness of our planet’s natural heritage.Dmitry’s work has been published in The Guardian, BBC, Euronews, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, The Telegraph and many more. He was recently awarded the title of Nature Photography of the Year, and is the recipient and finalist of awards like: Wildlife Photographer of the Year, National Geographic, Ocean Geographic and Siena Drone Awards. He is a regular participant of the Golden Turtle, Wild Underwater World, and Moscow Dive Show exhibitions. Dmitry has gained global recognition for his photographs of polar bears on Kolyuchin Island, which have taken the news and social media by storm.

Nature is my inspiration, with all the beauty and variety of colors and compositions. I live in the world today and currently based in Bali, Indonesia. But there are places on Earth, I attached with by my soul. It’s villa Gaia in Tuscany I lived for few years. I love Lofoten islands, with their remarkable atmosphere of fishing villages, sailing adventures, incredible hikes and northern lights dances during the winter time.

The world can’t live without testimonials, so I should place here a few words on awards and publications. I have publications in such magazines as Digital SLR Magazine, UK, Photography week, Photography Master Class, National Geographic, Discovery, Photoworld China, Digital Photo (Bauer Media) magazines. My key clients are Apple, Gazprom Neft’, S7 Airlines, RedBull, HSBC. I am spending most of his time in Norway at Lofoten islands and in Tuscany at our villa Gaia, guiding groups from Europe, UK, US, Asia . I am official Nikon, Gitzo and Lucroit ambassador.

Steven Kovacs was born in Canada and has had a fascination for the underwater world from a very young age. He started diving in the cold, rich waters surrounding Vancouver Island in 1999, and bought his first camera and underwater housing in 2001. A couple of years later he moved to Florida to pursue his passion in a more tropical setting. From there he quickly developed a passion for macro photography, with a special emphasis on underwater behaviors. Recently he has become an avid enthusiast of blackwater photography which entails drifting near the surface at night in very deep water to photograph rarely seen pelagic and deep water species that migrate to the surface under the cover of darkness.

Mattias Klum has worked full time as a photographer since 1986, and as a cinematographer and director on numerous film and television projects since 1994. Mattias Klum is internationally recognized for describing and portraying animals, plants, and natural and cultural settings in the form of articles, books, films, lectures and exhibitions.

His artistic photographic language has rendered him success not only in the world of documentaries but also in the art scene. Mattias Klum has undertaken numerous major projects and expeditions to Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guyana, Thailand, Mozambique, South Africa, China, Iceland, Ecuador, Botswana, Panama, Mongolia, Kamerun, Tanzania, Peru, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Congo DRC, Fiji, Hawaii and Antarctica, among other locations.

Keith Ladzinski is a National Geographic Photographer and Emmy nominated director. His work primarily focuses on natural history, climate change, extreme sports, fine art and advertising campaigns, sending him to the furthest reaches of the 7 continents multiple times over on photo and film assignments. Keith is the co-founder of Triage Creative, a founding member of the Sea Legacy Collective and has worked for clients globally including Apple, Disney, Google, Nike, Toyota, Adidas, Oprah Network, Canon, Discovery, Subaru, Red Bull, The North Face, OPPO, The New York Times, and National Geographic TV.

Known for his intimate and aesthetically aerial compositions, Ledoux's distinctive fine art photography is born out of his passion for the wilderness and its preservation, specifically of the Arctic. His cameras are the portals through which he communicates with the world. Florian’s artworks celebrate the beauty of the frozen continents, the incredible wildlife inhabiting the ice edge, powerful but yet so fragile, and the enormous importance they bear for the survival of our entire planet and all living species, by continually producing exceptional immersive visuals that draw the viewer into his sustainable development journey. The Arctic is more than a passion in Florian's heart. It's a commitment in its own right, a lifestyle choice that has become a polar obsession. Florian documents the polar region as a photographer and cameraman spending most of his winter out on the ice. He has been filming aerial images for several natural history documentaries including “Frozen Planet II – BBC” and “Polar Bear – Disney+”.

David Liittschwager is a freelance photographer from Oregon. He had once worked in advertising but soon turned his skills to portraiture, focusing primarily on natural history. In doing so, he has produced multiple successful books, including Skulls and X-Ray Ichthyology: The Structure of Fishes. He has continued to create various books in collaboration with Susan Middleton, including Archipelago, Remains of a Rainbow, Witness, and Here Today. He is also a contributing photographer to National Geographic and other magazines.

He has received an Endangered Species Coalition Champion Award for Education and Outreach and a Bay & Paul Foundation Biodiversity Leadership Award. He now lectures and shows his work in the context of both fine art and natural history. His photographs have been exhibited at many museums across America, including the American Museum of Natural History, the National Academy of Sciences, the Honolulu Academy of Art, and the California Academy of Sciences.

Johan Lolos is a Belgian-Greek travel photographer also known as lebackpacker. He originally got famous for his landscape photography, featuring some of the wildest and most remote places on Earth. Although he still loves photographing the outdoors, he now also focuses on wildlife and travel documentary photography, while being a very active member within the NFT Photography community.

His debut book 'Peaks of Europe' was published in 2018. 10,000+ copies have been sold worldwide.

Nate Luebbe is a self taught photographer and lifelong explorer of the outdoors. Avid environmentalist, conservationist, and raconteur of experiences, his passion for photography started as a way to catalog all his outdoor experiences and to live in the moment. A member of the Sony Alpha Imaging Collective and Creative Director for The Journal Of Lost Time, Nate now uses his art to inspire and encourage people to seek new experiences and protect these beautiful lands that we all call home.

An award-winning photographer, Jody MacDonald is no stranger to adventure and exploration in the last untamed corners of the planet. Having spent her formative years in Saudi Arabia before sailing around the world twice over the span of a decade on a kiteboarding, sailing, surfing and paragliding expedition onboard a 60ft catamaran, she has traveled to over 100 countries in search of the unknown. From train hopping in the Sahara to paragliding in the Himalayas at 17,000 ft, she is passionate about stepping off the beaten path in pursuit of documenting issues that blend insightful storytelling, big adventure expeditions, and social change inspiration in the hopes of promoting the preservation of wild places.

Andy Mann, cofounder of SeaLegacy is an experienced climber, diver, arctic explorer and award-winning filmmaker whose imagery is helping tell the story of our rapidly changing planet. Having documented expeditions on all seven continents for National Geographic Magazine, SeaLegacy and more. His imagery is remarkably memorable, reminding us how the emotion of an image can touch our spirit.

Coloradan Pete McBride has spent two decades studying the world with a camera. A self-taught photographer, filmmaker, writer, and public speaker, he has traveled on assignment to over 75 countries for the National Geographic Society, Smithsonian, Google, The Nature Conservancy and spoken on stages for TEDx, The World Economic Forum, USAID, Nat Geo Live and more. In 2016, McBride hiked the entire length of Grand Canyon National Park—over 750 miles without a trail—to highlight development challenges facing this iconic landscape. After completing the journey, National Geographic named him and his hiking companion, writer Kevin Fedarko, “Adventurers of the Year.” His latest project explores the power and fragility of natural sounds and quietude. Smithsonian and The Week magazines named the accompanying book, Seeing Silence, one of the top photo books of 2021. McBride holds a BA from Dartmouth College, was a Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford and resides in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Ben Moon is an adventure, lifestyle, and portrait photographer whose vibrant images have graced the pages of Patagonia catalogues for the past 18 years.  In recent years, he has shifted his focus to filmmaking. In 2015, he founded his production company, Moonhouse as a platform for collaboration with friends and creatives to bring a wide range of thought-provoking, impactful and cinematically beautiful stories to life on-screen.

As a director, Ben’s unique ability to connect with his subjects paired with the talent and experience for visual storytelling allow him to bring a high level of emotional and visual depth to his films.  

Surviving colorectal cancer in his 20s inspired Ben to develop a deeper connection to others and the natural world and gradually shifted his artistic focus from capturing the pursuit of adventure to telling nuanced human stories that have inspired and impacted millions worldwide.  Most notably, he told his own story about his journey with colorectal cancer and his special relationship with his dog, Denali in the viral short film, Denali.

Jon McCormack is a conservation and natural history photographer based in Northern California. His work spans the globe and is widely used by leading conservation organizations. Jon’s hope is that his images convince humans that nature is worth fighting for.

Steve McCurry has been one of the most iconic figures in contemporary photography for more than three decades. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McCurry studied cinematography at Pennsylvania State University and has gone on to create unforgettable images over six continents and numerous countries. His body of work spans conflicts, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions and contemporary culture alike - yet always retains the human element that made his celebrated image of the Afghan Girl such a powerful image.McCurry has been recognized with some of the most prestigious awards including the Robert Capa Gold Medal. He has published nineteen books, and his works have been exhibited around the world including the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Modern of Contemporary Art in Rome, the CerModern in Ankara, Turkey, and the Rubin Museum in New York amongst dozens of others.

Her heart has a dedication to all wildlife and wild things. She was born in Missouri and moved to the west coast. Besides running small photographic tours In Alaska, Svalbard, and Africa she also works as a naturalist/photographer on expedition ships at both poles, Arctic and Antarctic. The most important thing she wants to help people understand, is to not only show them how to photograph wildlife, but to respect it as well. One of her passions is helping elephant and rhino orphanages in Africa that care for babies left motherless from poaching. She hopes her photography can show the climate is changing rapidly and document some of what we are losing. Maybe then, the power of the photographic image, can make people aware of what is happening. And one of the most precious things we are losing, is our ocean, and within the water, all animals and plants that depend on it. Without the oceans, life can not continue. Her favorite quote is “if at 1st you don’t succeed, try doing what your guide told you do in the first place”

After living on four continents, Laura finds that nature is the most grounding, unifying aspect of life around the globe. She is passionate about conservation, culture, and access to clean water - and she uses her photography to give back to projects that lift up communities while protecting wildlife.

Nearly all of her photographs are captured with her children in tow - and she is thrilled to teach them about cultures and nature conservation wherever they go.

Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier, "Mitty", is hailed as one of the most influential conservation photographers of our time, she has dedicated her entire life to protecting the World's oceans - inspiring millions of people to do the same.

In 2005 Mittermeier founded the prestigious International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) to provide a platform for photographers working on environmental issues and coined the phrase "conservation photography".

​In 2014 she co-founded SeaLegacy, a non-profit organization using strategic communications at the intersection of art, science, and conservation to protect and rewild the ocean for the benefit of biodiversity, humanity, and climate within our lifetimes. 

André Musgrove is an Underwater Filmmaker, Photographer and Freediver, born and based in The Bahamas. He's worked on a variety of productions with international brands including National Geographic, the BBC, Rolex, Discovery Channel and GoPro. He is best known for his unique style of shooting creative concepts underwater in unique underwater environments while freediving (on breath-hold), allowing closer, less invasive, and more intimate interactions with large megafauna. Growing up diving in The Bahamas gives him a vast knowledge of the country's best underwater locations.

Paul Nicklen is a Canadian photographer, filmmaker, and marine biologist who has documented the beauty and the plight of our planet for over twenty years.

In addition to being one of the world’s most acclaimed nature photographers, Nicklen is a sought-after speaker, author, and National Geographic Fellow, who has shared stories from his adventures in several TED Talks. In the past two decades, Paul has collaborated with scientists, filmmakers, conservationists and explorers to create awareness and inspire action for global issues like climate change.

As a co-founder of the non-profit, SeaLegacy, Paul Nicklen is opening a fresh, progressive chapter in the story of ocean conservation through visual storytelling.

Lianna Nixon is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker, wildlife guide, and climate science educator. She is a Research Associate at CIRES Education and Outreach at the University of Colorado, Boulder supporting scientists in communicating their knowledge through public outreach and in the classroom. Lianna works in conservation photography as a contractor for storytellers all over the globe, including GEO Germany, GEO France, PM, and Stern. Her storytelling works explore the relationships of the natural world, wildlife, technology, and identity development as agents for change. She aspires to bring people closer to nature through powerful storytelling narratives and create deeper connections with our planet and people.

Zak Noyle, an outdoor photographer with a truly unique perspective on surf and sea. Based on the Hawaiian island of O‘ahu, Zak spends countless hours in the water, creating dramatic imagery and artful interpretations of the world’s most magnificent ocean environment. He captures an insider’s view, seldom seen, of the beauty and raw power of this offshore world from his perspective besides navigating the waves with just his camera and fins. Zak has taken his work beyond the waves and his clients range from Apple, Audi, Aqualung, Instagram, Chanel, Lululemon, RedBull and various other global clients. Zak's work has appeared on the cover of Surfer magazine over 10 times as well as a cover of National Geographic in Europe.Zak is a part of a small elite group of photographers that represents Canon cameras globally called the Canon Explorers of Light. For Zak, being in the water with his camera when the next big swell rolls through is a lifestyle; it's an art, and it's a passion.

Francis Pérez, born in Tenerife, Canary Islands, he is a professional underwater photographer, conservationist and economics degree from La Laguna University, Canary Islands, specialized in regional development economy. He began diving in 1994 and underwater photography in 2001. Ocean lover and enthusiastic diver, he focuses the underwater world with a unique style.Regular contributor of National Geographic Spain in biodiversity issues in the marine environment of the Canary Islands.Member of the SeaLegacy Collective 2019.Member of the steering committee of Whale Heritage Site 202 (Tenerife). He is a Member of the international steering committee of Tenerife- La Gomera World Biological CorridorFounding member of Pelagic Life Canarias 2017. World Press Photo 2017, First prize in nature category, Wildlife Phototgrapher of the Year 2020 from the Natural History Museum, London. and "Highly Commended" in the Nature Photojournalism Category.

My name is Terence Pieters, I am an ocean photographer from the seaside town of Margate in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. I have been an Ocean baby since the age of 7 and In 2013, when I was 22 I suffered a shoulder injury while surfing which caused it to dislocate. Although it didn't happen again for a while, it started happening more frequently in 2015 and I eventually had to undergo surgery. After a long recovery period, I returned to the ocean but found that surfing was no longer the same for me. I couldn't do the things I used to and it was physically and emotionally draining.Before my injury, I was already interested in traditional photography, taking pictures of everything and anything. However, it wasn't until my surfing abilities were compromised that I combined my love of the ocean with my passion for photography. I started taking pictures of the waves instead of surfing them. The ocean has always been a special place for me and I have always been fascinated by the way waves form and the precision with which they move. As a young surfer, I used to make a small opening with my hands to look at interesting parts of breaking waves and I always wanted to capture those moments in a more permanent way, which Is why I think it manifested into what I am doing today

After growing up in a small market town in South England, a yearn for adventure lead Jack Plant to British Columbia, Canada. The Great Bear Rainforest is where he found his true passion - photography. Jack has spent the last 9 years exploring the ecosystems of this incredible place, specifically, the territory of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais. It is here where he has learned from the elders and chiefs how to be around wildlife like bears, whales and wolves.

Scott Portelli is an international award-winning wildlife, nature and underwater photographer and film maker. Scott is based in Sydney, Australia, and has spent thousands of hours in remote locations across the globe filming and photographing wildlife, the natural environment, and wild places with a focus on conservation, education, and awareness. He has been highly awarded, including Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2021, Wildlife Photographer of the Year in London in 2016 and 202, National winner of the Sony World Photography awards 2016 and GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2021. Working in extreme conditions, Scott’s practices take a high quality, low impact, approach to filming wildlife in their natural environment in a non-invasive way to capture natural behaviour. His continued work to highlight the environmental issues in these regions and document the ongoing plight of climate change and human impacts on inhabitants of these regions is a key aspect of his work and various accolades.

Matt Porteous is an accomplished environmental portrait photographer born and raised in Jersey, UK. With a passion for storytelling and capturing the beauty of our planet, Matt has made a name for himself as a talented photographer who uses his work to bring attention to important issues and inspire change. Matt is a private photographer to the Prince and Princess of Wales and is also the founder of Ocean Culture Life, an organisation dedicated to capturing stories of positive change both above and below the surface. Through his work, Matt shares the story of those making a difference in the world, including those working towards shark conservation, sustainable fishing, mental health awareness, waste management, and combating child labour and human trafficking.

Joel Reyero is a diver, photographer, drone pilot, climber and mountaineer. Since 2014 he has been dedicated to generating content about nature and conservation. Starting from night photography, he toured Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina giving workshops, to later settle in Ushuaia, where he decided to make the end of the world his home. The combination between the Andes mountain range and the Beagle Channel provides many opportunities for those who are passionate about the mountains and the ocean at the same time. He currently participates in different communication and awareness projects for the preservation of the environment and also makes documentary content for scientific research projects. His main interest is to share powerful images that generate empathy in people to motivate community actions for environmental resilience.

I am a cinematographer, photographer, and conservationist. I am most at home in the mountains, but deeply connected to the sea. I was raised in a small town in Oregon by a great Mom, and have since been traveling the world telling stories and seeking adventure. Through my experiences I have honed my skills as a diver, director of photography, and photographer. My passion is visual storytelling- ocean conservation gives my work purpose. I love spending time in the ocean. I have had the privilege of exploring eight countries in the past two years creating short films for clients, as well as self producing two ocean short films.

Jesse Roos is a photographer and content creator based in Portland, Oregon. He specializes in outdoor sports, lifestyle, landscape, conservation, travel imagery, and adventure storytelling. Jesse’s creative approach is fueled by a passion for bold exploration and an unwavering dedication to his craft. Whether it’s through excursions across the globe or simply off the beaten path, Jesse strives to capture authentic moments and glimpses of the intrepid human spirit.

International award-winning photographer Dave Sandford’s viral waves paved the way for a lifelong dream, a meaningful career in conservation & wildlife photography. Sandford, a native of London, Ontario, Canada studied photography at Toronto Metropolitan University - early on channeling himself into professional sports photography. Sandford’s storied career in professional sports brought him international recognition, establishing Sandford early on as an industry leader. Still involved with pro sports, these days you are more likely to find Dave face to face with a polar bear on frozen tundra or, dancing with whales under the sea. Canadian to the core, and similarly to his spirit animal, the polar bear - Sandford is right at home when the mercury dips well below the freezing mark. Sandford has also taken his photographic skills into the world’s oceans, swimming alongside natures gentle giants (whales) or finding himself face to face with another of Sandford’s favourite subject’s, the great white shark. Claws, paws or jaws, wide open spaces or tiny places, Sandford enjoys showcasing the beauty of our natural world, blended with exciting and insightful storytelling from his adventures both near and far. It is Sandford’s hope that by sharing what he loves, others will share in that love - promoting positive change in the preservation of our wild spaces and those wonderful creatures who inhabit them.

Joel Sartore is an award-winning photographer, speaker, author, conservationist, and the 2018 National Geographic Explorer of the Year. He is a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine, and an Eagle Scout. His hallmarks are a sense of humor and a Midwestern work ethic.

Joel specializes in documenting endangered species and landscapes around the world. He is the founder of the Photo Ark, a 25-year documentary project to save species and habitat.

“It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity,” he says. “When we save species, we’re actually saving ourselves.”

Joel and the Photo Ark are the subjects of the television series RARE, in which he documents some of the most endangered creatures left on Earth.

In addition to National Geographic, Joel contributes to Audubon, Geo, the New York Times, and Smithsonian. He has several books, including Photo Ark: A World Worth Saving, The Photo Ark Vanishing: The World’s Most Vulnerable Animals, Birds of the Photo Ark, and RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species. 

He and his work have been the subject of many national broadcasts, including National Geographic’s Explorer, NBC Nightly News, the CBS Sunday Morning Show, ABC’s Nightline, NPR’s Weekend Edition, PBS Newshour, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, 60 Minutes, and the Today Show.

Joel is always happy to return from his travels around the world to his home in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Enric Sala is a former university professor who saw himself writing the obituary of ocean life and quit academia to become a full-time conservationist as a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. He founded and leads Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, and media to inspire country leaders to protect the last wild places in the ocean. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 25 of the largest marine reserves on the planet, covering an area of more than 6.5 million square kilometers.

He has earned numerous honors for his work, including 2008 World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader, 2013 Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award, 2013 Environmental Media Association Hero Award, 2016 Russian Geographical Society Award, 2018 Heinz Award in Public Policy, 2021 Prince Albert I Grand Medal, and 2021 National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Sala earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Barcelona and a Ph.D. in ecology from Aix-Marseille University, France.

Charly Savely is a British photographer, videographer, & conservationist who has documented the beauty & the plight of our planet for over a decade. As a Sony Alpha Collective member, she captures the imagination of a global audience.Charly currently resides in the beautiful state of Alaska where she is focused & passionate about capturing the disappearing Arctic & conservation of its wildlife, as well as minimalist moments that invoke a sense of calm.

As a wildlife photographer and storyteller with a focus on the high Arctic, Melissa has a deep love for our natural world and a strong commitment to Mother Earth. Together with her partner, producer Fredrik Granath, she spends several months every year in the field in the Arctic, mostly working with polar bears, documenting their lives and environment. They recently published their book “Polar Tales”. Melissa is also the creator of the forthcoming “Mother” magazine, and has been published in The New York Times, GEO and many other publications around the world. Melissa comes from Germany, and now lives in Stockholm, Sweden.

Photographer Camille Seaman believes in capturing images that articulate that humans are not separate from nature. Born to a Native American father and African American mother, Camille’s sense of connection with nature was influenced by her grandfather. She has spent the last two decades documenting the rapidly changing landscapes of Earth's polar regions—from South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and below the Antarctic Circle to Greenland, Canada, and beyond. Her photographs have been published in National Geographic magazine, Outside, TIME, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, American Photo, and German GEO, among others. Camille has been a TED Senior Fellow since 2013, and was also named a Stanford Knight Fellow and Cinereach Filmmaker in Residence Fellow. She leads photographic workshops all over the globe, and enjoys inspiring others to develop a unique visual voice.

Douglas Seifert learned to swim in the ocean off Singer Island, Florida, USA when he was two and a half years old

and has been in the ocean ever since.  He progressed to snorkeling a few years later and was instantly, irrevocably enchanted by the water world of fish, invertebrates, corals and big animals of the sea. This ocean obsession led to scuba diving and more and more time underwater.

The unexpected gift of a Nikonos underwater camera and a few rolls of Kodak film began a lifelong odyssey to use wildlife photography as an indispensable tool to focus on and to study the ocean environment and all the myriad creatures living within.  His photography, in conjunction with extensively researched, experience-derived, in-depth, long-form natural history writing for magazine publication, has enabled him a career of three decades and taken him and his cameras, his curiosity, his passion and his drive to explore everywhere there is living ocean and animals to encounter. 

His photography has appeared in The New York Times, Australian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Forbes FYI, National Geographic Traveler, Esquire, Outside, Sports Afield, BBC Wildlife, National Wildlife, Nature’s Best, Terre Sauvage, Oceans Illustrated, Dive International, and Ocean Realm, as well as in books and newspapers around the world.

He lives in Vancouver and the Caribbean with his lovely wife when not on adventures and photographic expeditions, and has a limitless enthusiasm for nature in all its forms.

His first book: “Wild Mustique” is being published this month.  Features on the Mustique coral restoration project are in the current issues of DAN Alert Diver and DIVE Magazine.

Andrew Semark is a born and bred South West Australian Photographer who’s focus is Landscape, Travel and Ocean Art Photography. Growing up in the south west region, his photography has been moulded by the amazing beaches and coastline the south west has to offer. Sharing this life with his wife and two children, his drive is to encourage them to have an open, creative mind and a sense of adventure through his Photography style. Andrew aims to capture the ocean in its true and natural form and without the need for heavy post-processing. He uses his deep knowledge of Oceanography and wave patterns along with his seasoned knowledge of camera techniques, the right ocean conditions and ideal natural lighting to simultaneously showcase the ferocity, unpredictability and calming purity of the ocean.

Brooke explores the darkness and light in people, and her work looks at that juxtaposition. As a self-portrait artist, she photographs herself and becomes the characters of dreams inspired by a childhood of intense imagination and fear. Being the creator and the actor, Brooke controls her darkness and confronts those fears. Brooke works from a place of theme, often gravitating toward death and rebirth or beauty and decay. While her images come from a personal place of exploration, the goal in creating is not only to satisfy herself; her greatest wish is to show others a part of themselves. Art is a mirror for the creator and the observer .Brooke's passion is storytelling, and her life is engulfed in it. From creating self-portraits and writing to international adventures and motivational speeches, she wants to live a thousand lives in one. She keeps her curiosity burning to live a truly interesting story.

Cath Simard is a Canadian-born photographer, digital artist, and a central figure in the NFTcommunity. Simard blends reality and imagination in her landscape composites. Collectors instantly recognize her aesthetic – surreal, cold, blue, mountain nights. Her innovative style and willingness to take bold risks are a result of her desire to be unique andthe freedom she enjoys in the backcountry. A self-professed introvert, Cath feels she produces her best work when she’s alone in the mountains. Through mental and physical exhaustion on her expeditions, in isolated areas, Cath elevates her consciousness and quiets her mind, allowing her to get into a deep flow state that can last days. Due to her lengthy creative process, Cath only creates and releases a few images a year.

Harry Skeggs is a multiple award winning wildlife photographer, considered one of the leading fine artists in the world. Represented by top galleries internationally, his fine art pieces are sought after across the globe and have been described as “some of the most iconic of the 21st century”. The key principle of Harry’s work is his ethos of Wild and Free - every subject in his work is in its natural habitat showing natural behaviour, being strongly against any form of human impact. His Harry is determined that his work should be more “for wildlife than it is of wildlife” and for that reason conservation is the lifeblood of his work. A founder and board member of GenerationTusk, as well as a host of other charities, Harry works closely with efforts to protect wildlife across the globe. 

Pete Souza is a freelance photographer based in Madison, Wisconsin. He is best known for his work as Chief Official White House Photographer for President Barack Obama. His book "Obama: An Intimate Portrait" debuted as #1 on the New York Times best seller list, and is one of the best selling photography books of all time. A 2020 documentary film on Souza, "The Way I See It," was nominated for an Emmy. Prior to his tenure in the White House, Souza worked on assignment for National Geographic and Life Magazines, and served as the Washington-based photojournalist for the Chicago Tribune, in which he covered stories around the world including the war in Afghanistan, the refugee crisis in Kosovo, and national politics. Souza was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame in 2021.

Emmett Sparling is a photographer and director based out of Vancouver Canada. His photography work covers a wide range of subjects from Landscapes, Wildlife, Underwater, Portraits, and the travel adventure content he shares every day on instagram. Emmett has been travelling full time around the globe since 2016, capturing the beauty of our planet and telling the stories within the landscapes he explores. With an audience of almost 1million people on social media, Emmett uses his platform to tell positive impact stories as well as teaching up-and-coming photographers to do the same.

My name is Karthik Subramaniam, and I am a photographer in San Francisco. I work as a software engineer full-time and photograph in my free time.

I mainly photograph wildlife and landscapes. For years, I was photographing landscapes, cityscapes and travels, but in 2020, I started photographing wildlife and quickly fell in love with it.

I grew up watching nature documentaries that continue to have an influence on me. I’m so excited and passionate about being able to observe and photograph wildlife ethically.

My wildlife images have won me some awards, notably the grand prize in National Geographic’s Pictures of the Year 2022, Fstoppers Photographer of the Year 2022, first place in wildlife category in 500px and Neil Dankoff Photography Competition 2022, third place in Outdoor Photographer Wildlife 2022, and runner-up in PetaPixel’s Wild Personalities 2022.

Chase Teron is Canadian conservation photographer, wildlife guide and educator specializing in the Polar regions of our planet. Chase works with the leading conservation media organizations in the world to help drive change. Chase is also the co-founder of 100 for the Ocean with Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier. Chase is a digital marketing specialist for photographers and conservation organizations.

Jenni is a photographer, artist, and environmentalist. She has traveled the world telling stories of conservation and animal rights advocacy. Jenni photographs scenes above and below the surface. Her favourite moments have been swimming with Orcas in the Norwegian Arctic, swimming blue whales in the Indian Ocean or spending time helping farm animal sanctuaries on Vancouver Island. Jenni is the co-founder of Artica Studios which is an organization that works with conservation groups including SeaLegacy, Prints for Wildlife and beyond.

I'm an ocean photographer based in Tahiti. Originally from the south of France, my passion for the ocean and watersports took me around the world and introduced me to Tahiti 15 years ago.I fell in love with the place right away, because of the people, the culture, the waves and the amazing waters surrounding the island. After shooting surfing for many years, I decided to explore different things in photography.I started a body of work on the waves and the underwater world beneath the waves. I discovered an amazing new world down there that inspires me everyday. I published 2 books Surface and Turbulences and I'm happy to be part of this campaign alongside inspiring photographers .

Martina Trepczyk is an award-winning filmmaker, born and raised in Austria, with Polish heritage but feels European rather than identifying with one Nationality and place. As a digital nomad she works remotely as film projects bring her to all sorts of corners around the globe. During her PhD studies at Roehampton University London, she researched to what extent the act of filmmaking, using the camera as an eye and voice could lead to female empowerment in an area such as Kibera slum in Kenya. She has directed and edited for high end clients such as Renault, RedBull, UN Climate Change Conference,for the British Government, as well as conservation NGOs. Her passion for the oceans, wild life conservation and social justice distinguishes her work from others, as everything is at it‘s heart empoweringand poetic. Art and activism - always both.

Michelle is an award-winning photographer whose quest to capture the beautiful and unique on camera has taken her to all corners of the world. She is particularly celebrated for her passion and work in Canada’s Arctic. Michelle was honoured to be appointed to the Order of Canada in 2022. She is a Nikon Ambassador and her images appear on magazine covers, in numerous publications, exhibitions and embassies worldwide. Her iconic images appear on a Royal Canadian Mint coin and Canada Post stamps. Michelle received the Louise Kamookak Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographic Society in 2019, she won the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers in 2021 and was the wildlife category gold medalist at the World Photographic Cup in Rome 2022. Besides her achievements as a photographer and entrepreneur, Valberg is a tireless philanthropist and community leader and has published four books. Michelle is a Canadian Geographic Photographer-in-Residence and an International Fellow of the Explorer's Club in New York City.

John B. Weller is a writer, photographer, filmmaker, and media strategist who works to drive marine conservation around the world. In 2004, he and Antarctic ecologist David Ainley founded The Last Ocean – a campaign that ultimately lead to the creation of the first large-scale international Marine Protected Area and the world’s largest MPA.

Weller has helped spearhead the conception, creation and delivery national-level media campaigns supporting marine conservation initiatives through education in other important regions of the world’s ocean. Weller was named a 2009 Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation, and served as a Safina Center Fellow 2014-2017. He has received multiple international awards for his work, including a Boat International Award and a Scuba Diving Magazine Sea Hero Award. He continues to work for ocean conservation with close collaborators across the globe and his wife, Cassandra Brooks.

Mark Williams works as a captain and wildlife guide, taking him worldwide, including Antarctica and the Canadian High Arctic. As an avid conservationist, he shares his passion and knowledge for the ocean with his local and global community, inspiring others to love and protect it. 

Through sharing the images from his expeditions, Mark learnt that photography can be a powerful tool. He shares his photos to inspire and educate his audience and encourage social change around how humans engage with the natural world.

Through his work, Mark wants people to realize that individual choice could lead to collective change that will move humanity closer to a more sustainable and symbiotic relationship with ecosystems. “I feel grateful to be able to spend time in these wild and remote regions of our planet and I realize they are not accessible to everyone. Through my images, I invite you all on a journey to not only enjoy the beauty of wildlife but also hopefully create a connection with and become closer to nature.”

Steve Winter has been a photographer for National Geographic for over two decades. He specializes in wildlife, and particularly, big cats. He is a Nat Geo Explorer and he’s been named BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and BBC Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year. He was a two-time winner of Picture of the Year International’s Global Vision Award and won 1st prize in the nature story category from World Press Photo in 2008 and 2014. Steve feels that he has a great responsibility not only to show and excite readers about big cats and the natural world, but about its fascinating people and cultures as well. In 2022 Steve and his partner Sharon Guynup started Big Cat Voices - a non profit, to create world-class media that gives wild cats a platform. The intent is to bring public awareness to the most pressing threats big cats face, highlight successful conservation solutions, inform public policy—and help secure their futures. In 2022 National Geographic published The Ultimate Book of Big Cats by Steve and Sharon.

Steve is a passionate photographer using a camera and a voice to document and publicize the wonders of the natural world as well as the threats that it faces. Having a 20 year career as a photographer based on 3 different continents he has been able to support conservation efforts and funding drives as well as numerous magazine articles with subjects ranging from Wolves to Whales, above and below the surface of the ocean. Born in the UK, Steve now resides on the west coast of Canada bringing up a family and lending his voice to subjects that matter. Recently having cover stories in Canadian Geographic and Oceanographic magazines, published in Nat Geo and BBC Wildlife as well as winning the Ocean Photographer of the Year ‘Human Connection’ category, Steve continues striving to create engaging imagery around the natural world.

Sony Ambassador Michael Yamashita has shot for National Geographic for more than 40 years, combining his passions of travel and photography with his love of history and culture. An Asian Studies major at Wesleyan University and fluent in Japanese, Michael has followed his roots to become a Far East expert. In addition to his work throughout Asia, which has included intensive concentrations in China, Japan, Korea, and India, his assignments have taken him to six continents. Michael’s specialty has been in retracing the journeys of iconic explorers, such as Marco Polo and the Chinese admiral Zheng He, along their historic routes to illuminate the legacy of the Silk Road and to help us understand China’s sweeping The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Michael has won a host of industry awards, and his exhibits include installations in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Italy, Germany, and closer to home, at The Carter Center, LACMA, and the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art. Along with two documentary feature films, Yamashita has published 16 books in multiple languages, including his latest, the Silk Road Journey.When not speaking or on assignment, Michael can be found with his family at his home and photography studio in rural New Jersey, where he is an active volunteer fireman.