International League of March 2010Conservation Photographers Newsletter
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The history of conservation photography did not begin with the creation of the iLCP. Although it is true that as a collective of concerned photographers we coined the term and gave the concept new impetus, the idea has been around almost since the advent of the camera
There is a long legacy in conservation photography that has blazed the trail for the way we currently use photography for environmental advocacy - William Henry Jackson, Ansel Adams and Eliot Porter are among earlier photographers whose advocacy work, in one way or another, translated into the protection of special landscapes. Jackson's 1871 photographs of Yellowstone, for example, provided the visual argument that convinced legislators to create America's first national park, and since then, photographers all around the world have used images for advocacy.
How we use conservation photography today demands a higher degree of urgency, as the issues challenging our planet are ever more complex, pressing and devastating. Addressing these issues by simply making pictures and hoping they reach the right audiences is not enough. Photographers today must take on a very active role in finding ways for their images to impact the right people. Sometimes the audience consists of legislators and other decision-makers, others it is made up of influential people whose opinions and recommendations move attitudes; more often than not, we are trying to educate end users, corporations and extractive industries on the impacts of their activities and how to mitigate them. Rarely is the image made by a conservation photographer used as mere entertainment.
Today's conservation photographers must strive to be visual activists - activism here defined as "the use of strong actions in opposition to or in support of a cause" - because if we fail to be activists, we will inevitably be merely "inactive". The difference between making great images and making great images that work hard to protect our planet is what really defines conservation photography.
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Cristina Mittermeier
President
International League of Conservation Photographers
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PHOTOGRAPHER of the MONTH - Robert Glenn Ketchum
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Every one of the iLCP photographers has an inspiring conservation story to
share and we want to give them as big an audience as possible. This is
why we will be highlighting the work and commitment of these amazing
photographers throughout the year.
This month we are featuring a photographer whose
career in conservation and environmental activism spans three decades. His
work has had such a profound impact on conservation issues that American Photo
recently dubbed him " the most influential photographer you've never heard of" ....yet. They squarely place him among the great luminaries like Avedon, Newton
and Cartier-Bresson.
The author of the article on Masters of Photography, Russell Hart, goes on to
say that "Unlike most photographers, Ketchum can measure the effectiveness of
his work in acres saved - and, if such calculus were possible, species pulled
back from extinction." That is indeed the metric by which all conservation
photographers should strive to measure their work. Robert Glenn Ketchum is one
of America's Masters of photography and one of the most active conservation
photographers of our generation. We are proud to feature the work of one
of the iLCP's Founding Fellows that best exemplifies the mission of our
organization.
 Over the last 40 years, Robert Glenn Ketchum's
imagery, writing, exhibitions, numerous books and personal activism have helped
to define photography's successful use in conservation advocacy. At the same
time, Ketchum's decades of color printing are one of
the most unique bodies of work in contemporary color photography, and the
textile translations of his photographs created in China since the early 1980's
are among the most beautiful and complex textiles in contemporary art.
Ketchum was named by Audubon magazine as one of
the 100 people "who shaped the environmental movement
of the 20th Century." American Photo magazine listed him one of the 100 most
important people in contemporary photography in the 1990's, and then in 2010,
named him 5th in their very select American Masters series. Henri
Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, and Annie Leibovitz, were the
four previously selected. Recent work in new technologies has further prompted
Digital Photo Pro magazine to name Ketchum one of the new digital masters.
Ketchum's work is in numerous
collections including the Museum of Modern Art (NY), The Metropolitan Museum of
Art (NY), The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the High Museum (GA), and the
Houston Museum of Fine Art (TX). Large study collections (over 100 images) have
been established at the Huntington Library, Museums and Garden (CA), and the
Amon Carter Museum (TX).
Ketchum received his B.A. cum laude from UCLA where he studied
with Robert Heinecken, Edmund Teske and Robert Fichter. Ketchum was one of the
first M.F.A's from California Institute of the Arts, where he taught briefly,
and he has also received an honorary MS from Brooks Institute of Photography.
Ketchum was a founding board member
of the Los Angeles Center for  Photographic Studies. As a curator he discovered,
developed and toured the historic archive of the seminal color photographer,
Paul Outerbridge; assembled a life retrospective of eminent black photographer,
James Van der Zee; and, was the first to show notable contemporary color
photographer John Divola's "Zuma" series. For 15-years, Ketchum also served as served as the Curator of
Photography for the National Park Foundation for whom he organized the exhibit
and wrote "American Photographers and the National Parks"the defining history of conservation photography in
North America.
Ketchum is a founding Fellow of the
International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), and a lifetime
Trustee of the Alaska Conservation Foundation. He is also distinguished
lecturer and teacher whose
public engagements have included everything from small high schools to large
colleges, multi-national corporations and the National Academy of Sciences.
View Robert's website HERE
Learn more about the Bristol Bay Project HERE
Read the PDF of the American Photo Article, Voice in the Wilderness, HERE
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| RAVEs (Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition) |
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12SHOTS!
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Stories are powerful because they become shared experiences. Images, though
motionless, move; though silent, they speak, and we are all gifted with a
larger vision of the world. Storytelling is an art and an ever more
important part of conservation photography. Being able to introduce an
issue, set the scene, bring ideas to light and inspire people to effect
change in 12 shots is not an easy feat. Can you do it?
12SHOTS at Telluride Mountain Film Festival
12SHOTS at Blue Ocean Film Festival
What: a showcase of emerging photographer conservation stories. 24conservation stories will be shown during the 12SHOTS reception. The
theme is OCEANS.
Location: a very cool bar or pub in Monterrey, CA
(TBD)
Check out the submission process for Blue Ocean Film Festival here!
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RESOLUTION 41
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The most important outcome of the Conservation Communications Symposium that was co-convened by the iLCP and WildScreen, was the approval by the 9th World Wilderness Congress (WILD9) of Resolution # 41. This resolution, which was drafted and signed by participants to the symposium, encourages the philanthropic community to scale up their investment in communications for conservation. The current level of funding for communications, outreach, education and awareness is grossly insufficient and we most recognize that until more funding is available we will fail to succeed on our conservation efforts.
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iLCP UPDATES
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A revised version of the multi-media piece for A Climate for Life is up!
Watch it HERE
iLCP is continuing our support of the NANPA Foundation's Conservation Photography Outreach Event and Fundraiser. iLCP Fellows Piotr Naskrecki and Staffan Widstrand did a great job as an Outreach Event speaker this year. iLCP Fellow Joel Sartore was a great co-emcee and Keynote speaker, and iLCP President and Fellow Cristina Mittermeier gave a wonderful presentation about the iLCP! Cristina was also awarded the NANPA Missions Award, which is given to the NANPA member that best represents the mission of the organization.
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EARTH IN FOCUS EDITIONS
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"Our National Parks, Americas Natural Heritage" is the first  complete book published by Earth in Focus Editions. It was created in partnership with The National Park Foundation, and is available exclusively in the trade through Borders Group In, and being sold throughout the National Parks system. As of today we have sold almost 16,000 books and it is the second largest selling National Parks book, behind Ken Burns's monumental work, "The National Parks-Americas Best Idea".
Read more about "Our National Parks, Americas Natural Heritage" and place orders HERE
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| CONSERVATION PHOTOGRAPHERS in ACTION
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Indonesia's KOMPAS News Features Indonesian Conservation Work Of iLCP Fellow Connie Bransilver
Indonesia's major newspaper, KOMPAS, the equivalent of the New York Times, featured an interview with ILCPFellow, Connie Bransilver, 2 January 2010, on her conservation work with UNESCO-Asia. Entitled "Cahaya Dan Konservasi," The article by Ojeh Brigitta Isworo Laksmi, Board Member of Al Gore's conservation organization, The Climate Change Project, focused on the planned exhibition and lecture "Loss and Hope and climate Change in Indonesia." The entire article, in Bahasa Indonesia, appears on Connie's website.
iLCP Fellow Phil Borges announces a new website for Stirring The Fire, a global movement to empower women and girls. Stirring The Fire: a global movement to empower women and girls, is a call to action and a celebration of women and girls -- mostly in developing countries -- who have broken through barriers of tradition and oppression to become catalysts for change in their communities. Their stories shed light on specific gender issues worldwide while revealing practical pathways for women and girls to achieve gender equality.
View the website HERE
The Legacy Institute for Nature & Culture (LINC), founded by iLCP Fellow Carlton Ward Jr, deployed a team of Florida photographers to showcase some of the state's highest priority conservation lands which are in danger of being lost. Florida Forever, the state land conservation program which has protected millions of acres, went unfunded in 2009 for  the first time in its 20 year history. LINC's photography, prominently featured in the St. Pete Times Legislative Preview, is helping drive a public awareness campaign for why funding for Florida Forever must continue. iLCP emerging photographer Eric Zamora helps manage the Florida Forever photography project for LINC and is work is featured in their 2009 and 2010 calendars.
Florida Forever has been preserving natural Florida for more than two decades. Yet more than a million acres of sensitive land and water are still in desperate need of protection. This year, the state's leading conservation photographers joined forces to showcase what remains to be saved, revealing stunning vistas, endangered shorelines and forests that could all too easily be replaced by houses, shopping malls and asphalt parking lots.
For more information click HERE
iLCP Fellow Amy Gulick launches a new web site to accompany her upcoming book "Salmon in the Trees: Life in Alaska's Tongass Rain Forest." The book is being used by a coalition of conservation organizations working to preserve the most biologically productive areas of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.
View the website HERE
iLCP Fellow Micheal Forsberg is featured on the Nature Conservancy  magazine cover and feature article The Great Plains: Wide-open spaces and wildlife up close- a photographer reveals the mysteries of America's Heartland. Spring 2010 issue of Nature Conservancy Magazine. Michael
is also featured in a multi-media piece created by the Nature
Conservancy. The video is posted on TNC's website and YouTube.
Read the article HERE
Watch the video HERE
iLCP Associate Tom Peschak's photo essay, SHARK: Saving the most important fish in the Sea, is part of the Livebooks IMPACT online exhibition which explores the internet as a venue for insightful photographic work.
Sharks are the lions and tigers of the sea; they throne on the apex of the
food chain and are crucial for maintaining a healthy balance of life in th e ocean. Scientists estimate that worldwide up to 73 million sharks are killed every year and as a result 50 species are listed as vulnerable or in danger of extinction. Photographs are one of the most powerful weapons in the marine conservation arsenal and it has become my life's work to create images of sharks that will inspire people to help protect and save them from extinction. Every person who gains an understanding of and love for sharks will bring us one step closer to putting a permanent end to the destructive activities of long-liners, trawlers and shark nets that are collectively killing millions of sharks and ultimately destroying two thirds of our planet in the process. The ocean is our planet's switch of life and in more ways then we care to acknowledge, we too, just like sharks depend on a healthy marine realm for our own survival.
Check out the photographs, read the captions and think about what you can do today to help ensure that sharks continue to roam our oceans in perpetuity.
The April issue of Smithsonian Magazine will feature iLCP Associate  Kevin Schafer's picture story on this critically endangered lemur - one of the world's top 25 endangered primates. At the same time, Kevin is helping to create a non-profit "Silky Fund" to raise money for sifaka conservation in northeastern Madagascar, supporting much-needed habitat protection efforts, monitoring and patrols. The recent political turmoil in Madagascar has resulted in the spread of illegal logging, which now threatens Marojejy National Park, the last refuge for the Silky Sifaka.
For more information click HERE
On February 21, 2010 there was a symposium titled "Land-Ocean Linkages  and Dynamics of High-Productivity Ecosystems in the Sea of Cortes", organized by Exequiel Ezcurra from University of California Riverside, in the annual meeting of The American Association for the Advancement of Science. The slideshows with iLCP Emerging League photographer Octavio Aburto's pictures were highly praised; and the entire event was covered by several international media organizations, including notes released by Science Daily, Consortium of Ocean Leadership, and others media agencies. Some of the objectives of these talks were to show the successful conservation stories in the Gulf of California, such as the marine reserve of Cabo Pulmo.
For more information click HERE
iLCP Emerging League photographer Daisy Gilardini of  Switzerland was presented with the 5th Annual Black and White Spider Awards 3rd Place - Honor of Distinction in the category of Wildlife at a prestigious Nomination & Winners Photo Show attended by 35,000 online viewers who logged on live from 154 countries to see the climax of the industry's most important event for black and white photography.
Thousands of images were received from 68 countries worldwide. The awards international Jury included captains of the industry from Magnum Photos, The Armory Show, Fratelli Alinari, Contrasto to Tate and Hamiltons in London who honored Spider Fellows with 84 coveted title awards in 28 categories. The judges reviewed the entries online for eight weeks before making their final nominations and Daisy's "The Messanger," an exceptional image entered in the wildlife category, received a high percentage of votes overall.
"The Spider Awards celebrates photographers who operate at the highest levels of their craft," said Basil O'Brien, the awards Creative Director. "Daisy's work represents black and white photography at its finest, and we're pleased to present her with the Honor of Distinction."
To view the winners gallery click HERE
iLCP Emerging League Photographer Keith Ellenbogen will join  Conservation International on a one-month expedition to Madagascar. Keith will work with a team of scientists to conduct a Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) and biodiversity survey in the undocumented areas in the North Eastern Coast of Madagascar. One of Keith's goals is to develop a comprehensive portrait and visual narrative of the underwater environment that includes corals, fish, invertebrates, seagrass, algae etc. to showcase both the beauty and environmental issues / threats.
Keith Ellenbogen is an underwater photographer specializing in the marine environment. His online portfolio can be viewed HERE
In February, iLCP Emerging League Photographer Morgan  Heim launched Eco Leads, a story source for conservation photographers. This is a free monthly newsletter that gives photographers the scoop on fresh science news just begging to become a photography project. These projects cover the globe, and provide a jump start for key sources, while breaking down information usually available through subscriptions to scientific journals.
To view the newsletter and subscribe click HERE
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UPCOMING EVENTS & EXHIBITS
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iLCP Fellow Balan Madhavan has been invited by Canon India to conduct  photography workshops for professional photographers of Kerala, India. The first workshop, of the series planned, will be held in Changanassery, in central Kerala on the 12th March 2010. More than 60 professional photographers will take part in the full-day workshop where Balan will share his vast experience in various branches of photography including wildlife & conservation, travel and indoor studio lighting.
For more info click HERE
iLCP Fellow Art Wolfe, host of the acclaimed public television series Art Wolfe's Travels to the Edge, has created a comprehensive curriculum based on over 35 years of experience as a professional photographer. Wolfe has tuned this curriculum into an intensive 5-hour seminar,"The Art of Composition," exploring specific and critical facets of photographic composition. Using his superlative imagery of wildlife, natural landscapes and the world's diverse cultures, he will lead participants on an artistic journey of insightful discovery. For dates & cities visit www.artwolfeworkshops.com
iLCP Fellow Michael Forsberg will be in San Francisco, California at  the California Academy of Sciences for their Pritzker Lecture series on the work he did for his Great Plains book, published in 2009. Dates: Tuesday March 23rd at 12:15pm & 7:00pm. Call 800-794-7576 for reservations or go online HERE. The Pritzker lecture series features engaging speakers from the Bay Area and beyond. Topics cover a wide range of subjects related to the Academy's mission to "explore, explain and protect the natural world." Micheal Forsberg also has an exhibit opening at JOSLYN ART MUSEUM in Omaha, Nebraska; Feb 6 - May 16, 2010. Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild presents 60 photographs from the new book by Nebraska native Michael Forsberg, an internationally known conservation photographer. Forsberg's spectacular images provide unparalleled encounters with the wild creatures and the breathtaking landscapes of one of the world's great grasslands, a 1-million-square-mile network of ecosystems stretching from Canada to Mexico. The exhibition, however, offers more than a collection of beautiful  pictures. It grapples with essential questions of how we will preserve what remains of our Great Plains natural heritage. The once vast diversity of wildlife and plants perseveres today only in isolated fragments that Forsberg painstakingly photographed during several years of travel across the length and breadth of the immense region at our nation's center. For more information click HEREFrom 13th February to 11th April 2010, the Naturum Värmland  Mariebergsskogen (Karlstad, Sweden) will be presenting
iLCP Associate Stefano Unterthiner's new exhibit "The ambassadors of springtime". "The ambassadors of springtime" exhibition brings together some of Stefano images on crane and whooper swan; particularly, the photographs presented are a selection from Stefano's latest mission in Sweden for the "Wild Wonders of Europe" project. ASMP presents iLCP Fellow Boyd Norton at the Denver Press  Club. Boyd will give an overview of his documentation of
certain areas worldwide that are facing important environmental issues.
These areas include Antarctica, Borneo, Siberia, and Africa. In some of
these regions he has played a role in raising public awareness and the
need for action to preserve threatened wildlife and wilderness. For more information click HERE
iLCP Emerging League member Chris Linder
will be the keynote speaker for the Climate Change and its Impacts
on the Environment conference that will be held in March at Hobart and
William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. His address will focus on
how photography can be used as a tool to educate the public about
climate change.
For registration information and schedule click HERE
SAVE THE DATE
August 25th-29th, 2010
Monterey, California  BLUE's 2010 festival will take place in picturesque Monterey, CA from Wednesday August 25th through Sunday August 29th
Building on the successes of 2009, BLUE 2010 promises to be an even bigger and better not-to-be-missed event featuring a robust agenda of entertaining and empowering festivities. visit the website here
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BOOKS!
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iLCP Fellow Joel Sartore presents "Rare: Portraits of America's Endangered Species"
Rare: Portraits of America's Endangered Species by Joel Sartore features portraits of some of the country's most endangered creatures from flies to wolves. Some of them are likely to go extinct without people ever knowing they existed, and the goal of this book is to give them a voice. Part of a multi-year project documenting Earth's vanishing biodiversity, Rare shows what we stand to lose if we don't act now. The good news is that there is still time, and this book highlights what each of us can do to save these unique creatures -- and ultimately, ourselves.
More info and video HERE
Urban wildlife - New Book by iLCP Fellow Florian Möllers
Take a walk on the wild side of Europe's greenest capital: Berlin. What's it like to share your neighbourhood with 5.000 wild boars? How come that common cranes breed within the city borders now? Why do foxes and songbirds reach higher numbers within our cities than outside in the so-called "wild nature". After hundreds of years of persecution and destruction of their habitats in central Europe, wild animals now turn the tables and show up at our doorsteps! Our cities are far more than just second choice habitats, they are like paradise for many species and provide citizens with excellent chances to observe wild animals up close and personal - too personal for some... (All book texts are in German!)
For more info click HERE
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| PHOTO COMPETITIONS & AWARD |
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PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
For the second year running, Orne Council will be participating in 'The Photographs of the Year'. The prize-giving
ceremony will take place in Alençon on 26th March. From the following day, for nearly three months, the 36 finalists will be exhibited in the Hôtel du Département; a real treat for photography lovers.
Read more about the competition HERE
Do not hesitate to look at the Photo Europe website, which is supporting 'Photographs of the Year', and to register for free in their directory!
CIWEM (The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management) runs the Environmental Photographer of the Year, which is one of the fastest growing photographic competitions in the world. In 2009 we received nearly 2,500 entries from photographers in over 60 countries.
This is a serious competition that seeks to celebrate photographers who use their ability to raise awareness of environmental and social issues. It is open to all professional and amateur international photographers of any ages and encourages entries that are contemporary, creative, experimental, resonant, original and beautiful.
Enter at www.ciwem.org/arts/photographer . This is for professional and amateur photographers, so we actively encourage those with a general interest in the environment to enter as well. The competition is open until 5pm on 31st July 2010.
PDN 'CURATOR AWARDS' AND 'FACES' PHOTO COMPETITIONS
Read about The Curator Photo Competition HERE
Read about Faces Photo Competition HERE
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Thanks for your support!
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 Thanks also to our corporate conservation partner
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