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Climate Visuals joins World Press Photo house livecast #2

By Toby Smith on June 5, 2020

Friday 5th June is World Environment Day, which encourages worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment. This year, the main theme is ‘Time for Nature,’ with a focus on its role in providing the essential infrastructure that supports life on Earth and human development.

Firefighters battle the Marsh Fire near the town of Brentwood in Contra Costa County, Calif. on Aug. 3, 2019.
Photo credit: Noah Berger / Associated Press

For the second edition of the World Press Photo House livecast, WPP invited photographers and organizations that are advocating for more impactful, engaging environment and conservation photography to talk about their initiatives and projects.

Toby Smith, Climate Visuals Programme Lead, will present an introduction to the 7 Climate Visuals Principles, an accessible evidence based guide to what makes not just illustrative but truly impactful imagery. This will be demonstrated with curated examples from the past Environment and Nature winners within the World Press Photo Collection. Finally, there will be a short reflection on the phenomenon of environmental photography during COVID and the challenges ahead as we emerge.

Moderated by Lars Boering, managing director of the World Press Photo Foundation, the program includes presentations from the following speakers, in addition to Toby Smith:

Cristina Mittermeier is the marine biologist and activist who pioneered the concept and field of conservation photography. Mittermeier founded the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) in 2005 to provide a platform for photographers working on environmental issues. In 2015, Mittermeier co-founded SeaLegacy, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the ocean.

In 2020, on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Mittermeier announced the most ambitious project of her career: Only One, a new collective of organizations that uses digital technology and visual storytelling to catalyze lasting cultural change, with the ultimate goal of conserving the world’s oceans from now into perpetuity. During her presentation, she will tell us more about this initiative and her work as a conservation photographer.

Cristina Mittermeier, Mexico, conservation photographer, co-founder of Sea Legacy.
Cristina Mittermeier / Sea Legacy

Esther Horvath is a Fellow at ILCP, member of The Photo Society and science photographer for Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany. Since 2015, Horvath has dedicated her photography to the polar regions, especially to the Arctic Ocean, documenting scientific expeditions and behind the scene science stories. She follows the work of multiple science groups that are working to better understand the changing polar regions.

In 2020, she was awarded 1st prize, singles in the Environment category of the 2020 Photo Contest for her photo ‘Polar Bear and her Cub’. During her talk, she will tell us the story behind her awarded image and discuss her work in the Arctic Ocean.

In addition, Jerzy Brinkhof, World Press Photo exhibitions manager, will tell the stories behind some of the awarded images in the Nature and Environment categories of the 2020 Photo Contest. Edie Peters, manager of the PhotoQ Bookshop, will present one of the nature and environment photo books to watch out for in 2020.

Josiah Olemaun, a young whaler, takes a break from stacking whale meat in the family ice cellar in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States, on 29 April 2018. Thawing permafrost undermines house foundations, makes the landscape more difficult to navigate and causes ice cellars to flood and provisions to spoil. A single whale can feed a community for nearly a year, if the meat is properly stored.
The Carbon Threat / Katie Orlinsky / United States / National Geographic

The World Press Photo livecasts showcase the stories that matter to a global audience. Through a rich and diverse program of presentations, talks and discussions, we encourage diverse accounts of the world that present stories with different perspectives, educate the public and the profession on the making of stories, and encourage debate on their meaning.

Learn more and re-watch the first edition below

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By Toby Smith

Toby was the Visuals and Media Programme Lead for Climate Outreach from 2019 to March 2023. He had the strategic goal of expanding our presence, influence and impact in the visual and media sectors.

Toby graduated with a Masters in Photography from London College of Communication in 2008 after spending 2 years working across Africa utilising his bachelors degree in Zoology and Environmental Science.

He joined us with over 12 years experience as an award-winning environmental photographer with a focus on building innovative and global stories through collaboration and publication in leading editorial outlets.

 

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