Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The Reality Campaign

If you're not really a fan of coal technology, you need to check out the "Reality Campaign". Start by watching their most recent video ad here: http://action.thisisreality.org/smudge Then send the link to everyone you know that cares about TRULY clean energy.

Monday, December 15, 2008

A Climate for Life

Fine Print Imaging and Art For Conservation are excited and honored to be working on the production of a traveling exhibit of images from the new book A Climate For Life: Meeting the Global Challenge . Sponsored by the Dean Witter Foundation, the exhibit will open in January, 2009 at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

"A CLIMATE FOR LIFE: Meeting the Global Challenge examines the impact of climate change on biodiversity and focuses on the most important challenges currently facing life on our planet.
With a foreword co-authored by eminent Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson and actor Harrison Ford, and a comprehensive introduction by Conservation International scientists led by president Russ Mittermeier, A CLIMATE FOR LIFE examines the enormous impact of climate change on biodiversity and focuses on how nature itself might provide some of the solutions to this challenge.


A lavishly produced volume, CLIMATE FOR LIFE celebrates the diversity of life on earth, and is a call to action and a blueprint to preserve it. With additional text throughout written collaboratively by leading Conservation International scientists, a nonprofit organization that applies innovations in science, economics, policy and community participation to protect the Earth's biodiversity around the world. the book’s ten chapters cover the most important and urgent issues concerning climate change and biodiversity today.

From intense pressure on already stressed flora and fauna, to the implications of polar meltdown, the book explores the effects of rising temperatures on both the land and in oceans across the globe. That said, the book is not all doom and gloom as A CLIMATE FOR LIFE also examines potential and practical solutions and devotes a number of chapters to exploring existing answers. Illustrated with over 175 photographs by esteemed members of the International League of Conservation Photographers, a nonprofit organization that uses the power of photography to help educate the world and to further conservation goals, A CLIMATE FOR LIFE features images from world-class talents including noted wildlife photographer Frans Lanting, glacier photographer James Balog, and endangered species photographer Joel Sartore.

The book includes eleven photography "features" in which the photographers, as eyewitnesses in the field, are interviewed about their first-hand experiences recording the effects of climate change on the environment. Frans Lanting reports in the book that after photographing the same spot in Africa that was shot 100 years ago “…it’s one of those rare instances where you can see extinction in progress before your eyes.”

Powerfully combining both images and offerings, A CLIMATE FOR LIFE, is the result of leading scientists and veteran photographers contributing their talents to showcase the topics, issues, and challenges that society must urgently face, and the book’s lasting impression is that ultimately the responsibility is literally and figuratively in our hands."

Watch A Climate for Life Multimedia piece HERE!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Mark Lukes to give presentation on the work of ILCP

Photographs That Tell the Conservation Story

A presentation by Mark Lukes on the International League of Conservation Photographers at The Center for Fine Art Photography

“The concept of conservation photography has been proposed out of the need to make a distinction between the creation of images for the sake of photography and the creation of images to serve the purpose of conserving nature,” said Cristina Mittermeier, founder and executive director of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP).

Conservation photography is born out of purpose. Rather than simply showing us the beauty of nature – which it can do - its mission is to protect nature.

Join Mark Lukes, ILCP Executive Committee member, president of Art for Conservation and Fine Print Imaging, on Tuesday, November 18, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m., for an evening of conservation imagery and the stories behind the images.

Lukes will share images of ILCP and National Geographic photographers like Art Wolfe, Frans Lanting, Florian Schulz, Joel Sartore, Beverly Joubert and many others.

The Center for Fine Art Photography is currently hosting an Exhibit entitled “Our Environment; the Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. There is an additional display of images from internationally renowned ILCP photographers in the South Gallery.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Hunter Nichols and the Alabama Water Agenda

We recently received a note and a new video from Hunter Nichols, a rising force in the quest to protect the integrity and health of our nation's waterways.

Hunter's home turf is Alabama and he is doing his utmost to call attention to the urgent issues surrounding Alabama's rivers.

Any time you doubt your ability to make a difference as an individual, just check in and see what Hunter and others like him are doing.

Start small. Dream Big. Don't stop.

Please click the link below to watch a short film on The Alabama Water Agenda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uASodyrC4tQ&fmt=18

The Alabama Water Agenda is a proactive, citizen-driven campaign for improving water policy in Alabama. The Agenda targets the biggest threats to our waters by ensuring lasting protections through improved state policy.

This film and the printed brochure available at www.AlabamaWaterAgenda.com highlight the numerous values of our waterways, the major threats to our waters, and the steps we can take to ensure healthy waters for generations to come.

To endorse and find out more information about the Agenda please visit www.AlabamaWaterAgenda.com.Inform your elected officials about the Agenda.

To find your state representatives visit www.legislature.state.al.us.You can also help by joining, volunteering, or making a contribution to the Alabama Rivers Alliance. For more information please visit www.AlabamaRivers.org.

Friday, October 10, 2008

NANPA Student Molly Steinwald Receives International Recognition

Molly Barger Steinwald, a 2008 NANPA College Scholarship winner, has received honorable mention from the prestigious Pilsner Urquell International Photography Awards Competition.
Her photo was selected from among 22,000 entries from 124 countries.

To read more about Molly and this award, go to http://www.miami.muohio.edu/news/article/view/6050

To see Molly's work, go to mollysteinwald.etsy.com

She's a positive force in the universe. Keep your eye on this young woman!

Friday, October 3, 2008

Voices Behind the Camera - ILCP Photographer Annie Griffiths Belt

Born and raised in Minneapolis, National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths Belt earned her bachelor of arts in photojournalism from the University of Minnesota.


Since then she has photographed dozens of magazine and book projects for the National Geographic Society, including magazine stories on Fiordland New Zealand, Baja California, Israel's Galilee, Petra, The San Pedro River, Barrier Islands, England's Lake District, and the Badlands, as well as having her work featured in the book National Geographic Women Photographers.


She has donated photographs to numerous environmental causes and fundraisers. She speaks and teaches regularly on environmental topics. In one year alone, Belt spoke to more than 10,000 high school and college students on the subject of "Compassionate Conservation". Belt also produces an annual set of pictures to help raise funding and awareness for aid organizations including Habitat for Humanity.


With a grant from National Geographic Society's Expeditions Council, Belt and author Barbara Kingsolver created Last Stand: America's Virgin Lands, a book celebrating the last pristine wilderness in North America. Proceeds from the book have raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for land conservation grants.

www.anniegriffithsbelt.com

www.ilcp.com


Thursday, September 25, 2008

Voices Behind the Camera - ILCP Photographer Florian Schulz

This week's Voice Behind the Camera is Florian Shulz

Born in Germany, Florian Schulz (32) is a professional nature and wildlife photographer with a vision of broad horizons. Through skillfull and artistic photography, he is in the constant search for breathtaking images that inspire individuals to take action in the protection of large endangered ecosystems.

Schulz has dedicated years of his life to documenting the drama and beauty of North America’s most critical wildlife corridor: “Yellowstone to Yukon”. Sponsored by the Blue Earth Alliance, his first book —Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam (2005) received an Independent Book Publisher Award as one of the “Outstanding Books of the Year” singled out as “Most Likely to Save the Planet.”

Images carefully selected from his book, produced a traveling exhibit by the Burke Museum in Seattle. Schulz’s photography has also been displayed in important museums like the American Museum of Natural History, and in 2009 The Field Museum (Chicago) will be hosting Y2Y-Freedom to Roam. Exploring the concept of wildlife corridors and the need for ecosystem connectivity, Yellowstone to Yukon-Freedom to Roam is a beautiful and unique tribute to the North American wild.

As the youngest founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), Florian uses his photography to instill in viewers a greater interest in both the natural and cultural diversity of the planet.

Together with four international renown photographers, Schulz took part in “El Triunfo” RAVE (Rapid Visual Assessment Expedition in Chiapas, Mex) organized to document in depth, a very rich and severely threatened ecosystem in the Clouded Forest of Sierra de Chiapas. The images were used in the media to strongly promote this Biosphere Reserve and were fundamental elements to help raise funds in order to ensure it’s protection.

Twice, the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) has awarded Schulz for his dedicated work on conservation. In 2006 he received the Philip Hyde Environmental Grant and in 2008 he was announced as the first recipient of the 2008 NANPA Vision Award.


Recognized as an outstanding speaker, Schulz has devoted months to promote the idea of creating wildlife corridors. Since the publication of Yellowstone to Yukon, Florian has been featured internationally as a speaker in many prestigious venues from universities, book and film festivals to National Geographic and Microsoft.

Florian’s work has been published by internationally recognized magazines including Nature’s Best, Outdoor Photographer, The Nature Conservancy, The New York Times, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Natur & Kosmos, Airone and TERRA. His photographs have won awards in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, the Nature’s Best International Photography Awards, the Banff International Mountain Photography Competition and the European Nature Photographer of the Year competition.

As part of his continuous conservation work, Florian has committed to a second photography conservation project, which will be part of the series “Freedom to Roam”. It will follow the same line as the past project: connecting wildlife corridors for sustainable wilderness. The new project, under the title “The Wild Edge, from Baja to Beaufort” will lead Florian from the warm waters of Mexico all the way up to Alaska, along the Pacific Northwest coast line.

“… The vision of Y2Y is a gift that future generations will be able to cherish forever. Through my work, I hope to fuel the new conservation movement of connectivity and perhaps, sharing my photography will move people’s heart to get involved in saving North America’s greatest treasure.” -FS

Now, let's listen to the voice behind the camera of Florian Schulz ...

To find out more about Florian visit his website http://www.visionsofthewild.com/

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Want to make a difference with your photography?

If you are one of those people who wants to make a difference in the world with your photography, you might want to check out the activities of a friend of ours, Joe Riis.

We met Joe a few years ago when he was still a student at the University of Wyoming and he was selected as one of 10 scholarship students to attend a North American Nature Photography Summit. Since then Joe has been verrry busy. With a network of people and organizations, Joe developed a media campaign to raise awareness of the conservation needs of the Missouri River ecosystem. The conservation photography project titled "Missouri River EXPOSED" focused on the Missouri River as well as the three federally listed endangered species that depend on the river.

This quote from Joe will give you a good feel for what motivates him in his work:

"I feel the duty to protect the places I love, for my future generations, for the entire planet; through the lens of a camera I believe I can accomplish this feat. Photography can be used to change societal thought and action by combining captivating images along with credible science. I want to use my knowledge in Wildlife Biology and Environment & Natural Resources and combine it with my passion for nature photography.

With my photography, I believe I can link the public to credible science with photographs through popular publications, exhibitions, and presentations. I believe that I can change the ideas and actions of everyone from the general public, to religious leaders, to our policy makers with my images. In the end, if I can help protect the natural environment and its processes through my photography, I will essentially be protecting the health and future of the human species."

For more details on the project (and on Joe), check out his website at www.joeriis.com

In his current project, "Pronghorn Passage", Joe partners with writer Emeline Ostlind to bring attention to the growing threats to the critical migration corridor for the pronghorn herds which migrate 170 miles from Grand Teton National Park to the Red Desert in Wyoming.
The website for this project is worth a visit and take some time to check out their blog as well as audio and video pieces. http://www.pronghornpassage.com/

If you don't come away from visiting Joe's sites with renewed inspiration for the power of your own photography, then you're not paying attention!

Friday, September 5, 2008

Voices Behind the Camera - ILCP Photographer Cristina Mittermeier

Please meet a fearless woman, wonderful photographer and a true friend of the earth and all of it's peoples :

CRISTINA GOETTSCH MITTERMEIER
The relationship between nature and humans is where Cristina Mittermeier’s photography finds its true mission. The idea that people and nature are not isolated from each other, but are inexorably connected, lies at the heart of her work. This relationship is particularly poignant when it comes to indigenous people and this where Cristina’s images truly shine.
Her work has taken her to 54 countries, including some of the most remote and beautiful areas of our planet.

As a photographer since 1996, Cristina has help produce 8 books, including a series published with Conservation International and Cemex. Megadiversity: Earth's Wealthiest Countries for Biodiversity (1996), Hotspots: Earth's biologically richest and most endangered ecoregions (1998), Wilderness Areas: Earth's Last Wild Places (2002), Wildlife Spectacles (2003), Hotspots Revisited (2005), and Transboundary Conservation: A New Vision for Protected Areas (2005), and Pantanal: South America’s Wetland Jewel (2005) are all part of that series.

Her latest book project, The Human Footprint, was produced with the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York in conjunction with her own organization, the ILCP. Cristina serves as Executive Director of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), a prestigious group of photographers which she founded in 2005.

From the popular to the scientific, her work has appeared in major magazines around the world including Nature's Best, Latina, Elan, National Geographic, National Geographic Explorer and American Photo in the United States, Rumbos, Escala and Sale la Foto, in Mexico, Explorador and Terra in Brazil, Man and Biosphere in China, among others.Cristina serves in the Advisory Board of Nature's Best Foundation and is a Board Member of the WILD Foundation.
Visit Cristina's Website


Cristina's images may be purchased at
Digital Railroad or Fine Print Imaging

Listen now to the voice behind the camera of Cristina Mittermeier:

Friday, August 22, 2008

A Photographer and a Human Being you should know about

Rescue Apes Take To The Skies In Cover Story
Conservation photographer Joe Zammit-Lucia's images featured in the cover story of the August edition of Southwest Airlines' Spirit Magazine.Rescued Apes Founded by Patti Ragan, The Center for Great Apes provides a shelter for orangutans and chimpanzees most of whom come from the entertainment industry after they have been discarded because they have grown too big and strong and are no longer 'cute' - a requirement for them to appear in movies or commercials.Joe Zammit-Lucia visited the center and created portraits of the rescued apes for the I AM portfolio of images. Besides the cover image, portraits of the animals appear in the magazine as a gallery entitled "Great Apes" (download here). The gallery follows "Back To Nurture" an article on the work of Patti Ragan and her staff at the Center for Great Apes (download here). Founded in 1993 in Miami, the Center moved to central Florida in 1997 and now cares for over 40 apes providing them with care and attention and a comfortable lifestyle."It is hard to imagine that these and many other animals are used for entertainment for a short period of their lives and then discarded", said Joe Zammit-Lucia. "What I was trying to capture in my images was the fact that these are individuals with different personalities and emotions. They are creatures with feelings, not products that we should be using to market a health drink and then discarding when they become inconvenient."Donated FeesThe photographer's fees for use of the images in Spirit Magazine will be donated to the Center. The article has also already resulted in sales of fine art photographic prints of the ape portraits. All proceeds will also be donated to the Center for Great Apes.About The CenterThe Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, FL has an annual budget of $800,000 excluding capital expenditures. Each ape costs $14,000 to $15,000 to maintain. The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations are tax deductable.
Make A Donation


______________________________________________________________________________Joe Zammit-Lucia is a photographic artist whose work focuses on Heritage, Conservation and the Environment.He is currently working with environmental organizations on multiple projects around the world.Download Bio

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Good News (for some ....)

Judge Restores Protection for Wolves

July 18, 2008, 5:19 pmJudge rules gray wolf be returned to federal protection http://www.lmtribune.com/breaking-news/636/ A federal judge in Montana has ruled that gray wolves in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming be returned to federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.Judge Donald Molloy of Montana ruled Friday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner when it removed wolves in the Northern Rockies Region from the endangered species list in March.He agreed with arguments made by environmental and animal rights groups that wolf populations in Yellowstone National Park do not yet interbreed with wolves in Idaho and western Montana to an extent that ensures genetic diversity. He also ruled the agency approved Wyoming's state wolf management plan last year despite previously saying the basic tenants of that plan that allow wolves to be killed without regulation in 90 percent of the state, was inadequate to protect wolves. Lastly, Molloy ruled the groups proved that wolves were likely to be harmed by public hunting seasons planned in each state this fall.Molloy granted a preliminary injunction reversing the delisting of wolves while the entire case is being heard and also said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in a majority of their claims.The ruling is a setback for the Fish and Wildlife Service that has said wolves are biologically recovered and decided earlier this year that adequate state regulations were in place to keep the wolves from becoming imperiled. There are estimated to be about 2,000 wolves in the three states and about 800 in Idaho.

Noted Photographer Tom Vezo Dies

Tom Vezo, a widely known and admired professional wildlife photographer, died Friday, July 18th while hiking with a friend in the Rincon Mountains near his Arizona home. Tom was 61 and is survived by his wife Dorothy and 2 stepdaughters.

Tom is widely known for his superb bird photography but has amassed an impressive photo collection of over 40,000 images featuring a wide variety of subjects and has been widely published in both the US and Europe.

He has been an ardent supporter of the preservation of the Madera Canyon near his home in Green Valley, Arizona. His wife, Dorothy, has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Defenders of Madera Canyon. http://www.friendsofmaderacanyon.org/default.htm

To find out more about Tom and his lifetime of excellent photographic work, visit his website.
http://www.tomvezo.com/

He will be missed.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Outcomes of ILCP's Wyoming "Rave"

World Class Photographers Focus Lenses on Threatened
Upper Green River Basin and Wyoming Range

June 2, 2008

Twelve preeminent nature photographers from all corners of the globe converged at a critical environmental crossroad in Wyoming's Upper Green River Valley, May 19th through May 21st to create a visual statement about beauty and the beast of energy development.

The International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) took their cameras and packs on a 72 hour expedition called a Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition (RAVE), scouring the region by air and by ground capturing images that told the story of the good, the bad, and the ugly of a landscape on the brink of further industrialization.


Wyoming's Upper Green River Basin has recently seen some of the most intense pressure for gas exploration and development in the United States. Current development has already diminished air and water resources, wildlife, and the very health of local citizens. Among other disturbing effects, drilling has resulted in a 46 percent decline in the mule deer herd in places in the region, and sage grouse have seen breeding population declines due to displacement from natural gas fields. But this landscape still contains areas of high scenic and ecological value, including the Wyoming Range, which the public is trying to safeguard from future exploitation.

"Citizens throughout Wyoming are beginning to question the no holds barred rush to industrialize everything in sight," said Peter Aengst of The Wilderness Society. "This RAVE can help fuel that opinion shift by showcasing the impacts of this rush and highlighting those signature areas which can still be spared."

The RAVE culminated Friday with the Rich Clarkson Photography at the Summit Workshops exhibit at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, WY. Students from the Summit had the opportunity to participate in the RAVE and exhibit their work along side ILCP photographers. ILCP photographers included Tom Mangelsen (USA), Jack Dykinga (USA), Balan Madhavan (India), Cristina Mittermeier (Mexico), Matthias Breiter (Germany), Daniel Beltra (Spain), Wendy Shattil (USA), and many others. ILCP partnered with Rich Clarkson Photography at the Summit Workshops, The Wilderness Society, The Upper Green River Valley Coalition, The Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, Eco Flight, Lighthawk and others on this effort.

"Photography is a witness to history and the RAVE is the tool that allows us to provide our joint testimony in the court of public opinion. As photojournalists, we are the bearers of that witness. Our hope with this Wyoming RAVE is not to judge or criticize, but to capture simple moments eloquently and to translate them visually so that universal human experience is recorded for future generations to see and judge for themselves one image at a time,"
said Cristina Mittermeier, Executive Director of ILCP.

RAVE is a trademarked initiative of the ILCP meant to address the challenge of modern conservation, which often needs an immediate supply of images, words and research to answer threats of imminent disruption. For more information on recent RAVEs, please visit the ILCP website (www.ilcp.com)

Contacts:
Cristina Mittermeier, Executive Director ILCP 703.341.2821
Jenny Nichols, Project Manager ILCP 703.341.2707
Peter Aengst, The Wilderness Society 406.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Action Alert! Save the Poudre

For those of you in the Colorado area and more specifically, northern Colorado - the information below will be of interest to you. The future of the Poudre River is in the hands of folks proposing dam construction as well as those opposing it. Get informed, get involved and decide for yourself what the appropriate course of action should be.

Quoting from a recent publication by the Colorado chapter of the Nature Conservancy:

"What we lose, we lose forever.
What we save depends on what we do.

ACTION ALERT
SAVE THE POUDRE
www.savethepoudre.com
Dear Save the Poudre Supporters and Friends,
The Poudre River needs your help NOW!
The public hearings on the NISP/Glade Reservoir Project are coming soon and we need you there! Please plan to attend, learn about the issues and
speak up about your concerns. Show the Army Corps of Engineers just how important the Poudre River is to you by attending.
The public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) ends on July 30th and these are the only public hearings scheduled.
You may never have another opportunity like this to speak up in such a meaningful way on behalf of the Cache la Poudre River.
Save the Poudre Coalition will provide handouts with talking points and speaking tips at each hearing. Just show up!
1. Mark your calendar now to attend a public hearing. (Get there early for good seats.)
Mon. June 16, 2008 ? Ft. Collins
4:00 ? 6:00 pm Open House, 6:00 pm Public Hearing
Hilton Hotel
425 West Prospect Road
Note: Ft. Collins? area residents are especially encouraged to attend on this date.
Map:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/425+W+prospect+fort+collins+co/
Tues. June 17, 2008 - Ft. Collins
4:00 ? 6:00 pm Open House, 6:00 pm Public Hearing
Fort Collins Senior Center
1200 Raintree Drive
Note: Parking is limited and the meeting room is small. Get there early for good seats.
Map:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/1200+raintree+dr+fort+collins+co/
Thurs. June 19, 2008
6 pm Open House, 7 pm Public Hearing
University of Northern Colorado University Center
2045 10th Avenue
Map:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/2045+10th+Avenue+greeley+co/
2. Contact the Army Corps of Engineers with your written comments.
· Send written comments to request that the Army Corps of Engineers extend the public comment period from 90 days to 180 days.
The EIS is about 1200 pages long including technical reports and took 3 years to prepare. The public needs/deserves more than 90 days
to study these documents.
· Send written comments on the draft NISP Environmental Impact Statement with your concerns about the impacts the project
will have on the Poudre River. For more information on the project and the draft EIS, please visit
www.savethepoudre.org and https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/od-tl/eis-info.htm.
· All written comments can be mailed, faxed or emailed and should be addressed to:
Mr. Chandler J. Peter
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Denver Regulatory Office
9307 South Wadsworth Blvd.
Littleton, CO 80128-6901
Fax: (303) 979-0602 / Email:
chandler.j.peter@usace.army.mil.
For more information and a packet on how to review and respond to the DEIS, please contact me at the address or phone below.
Sincerely,
Gina C. Janett
Save The Poudre Coalition
ginaciao@frii.com
www.SaveThePoudre.org
970-493-4677