Do you ever wonder where some of the world’s best salmon comes from?
Copper River Aerials – Images by Art Wolfe
I’ll be photographing in Bristol Bay, Alaska all week, but on the way got some nice aerials of the St. Elias Range and the Copper River.
Can’t see the slideshow? Click HERE
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Amazon aerials & primates – Images by Art Wolfe
Can’t see the slideshow? Click HERE
Malaysia #2 – Images by Art Wolfe
More images featuring the seas off Semporna, a small town on the east coast of Sabah State, Malaysia. I was continuing to photograph the amazing Bajau ‘sea gypsies’. These children don’t go to school, or speak Malay, and the families are not even counted as Malaysian. They are off the grid in every sense- living in stilted houses atop coral reefs. These people will be among the first to permanently lose their homes (and most likely their way of life) as sea levels rise. I found some villages of sea weed farmers, and you will notice their method, particularly in the aerials. Speaking of which- I was finally able to get a helicopter after waiting in limbo for four days. But the timing was the best possible window of weather for the entire five days! I continued to shoot from my plane’s window seat on my way to Sydney, via Kuala Lumpur. The huge cumulus clouds are typical of the tropics. They contain an amazing amount of energy, and as night falls provide spectacular lightning shows. You will notice a river flowing red with sediments from inland- obvious signs of further rainforest clearing to make way for palm oil plantations.
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Malaysia #1 – Images by Art Wolfe
After a few hiccups in getting here, I finally landed in Tawau, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Following an early breakfast and a 45-minutes boat ride to Sabah Park’s jetty at Bohey Dulang, my journey to observe and photograph the unique culture of the oceanic Bajau people was coming to fruition. The islands of Maiga and Bodgaya serve as home to not more than 30 families of Bajau sea gypsies who adapted themselves to settle in stilt houses- though some still prefer to spend more time out in the sea!
Mendocino, California native Justin Lewis was nurtured in the raw and rustic Pacific Northwest, where he honed a keen eye for capturing images that instill wonder and inspire action. Having traveled to over forty five countries and featured in many major global magazines, Justin has woven his photography career seamlessly into his lifestyle of exploration and conservation. As an artist, Justin finds inspiration in beauty, and finds beauty in nature.
Justin has spent the last two years dedicating his life to an eight phase photo-documentary project called 70 Degrees West. The project follows a single line of longitude from Greenland to Antarctica, illustrating the impact our modern civilization has on fragile eco-regions and cultures who dwell there. His photography hopes to expand global awareness of environments at risk by capturing the extreme landscape while also giving a voice to the battles each region faces both environmentally and socially. For more information, including slide shows and two video shorts, visit www.70degreeswest.com For more of Justin Lewis’s photography, visit www.justinlewis.com
Here are a few images from Phase I – Greenland: Thule Hunter
It is said that Greenland’s Inuit name, Kalaallit Nunaat, means “The Land of Man.” To the Greenlandic natives, it is home, where the dark days and sunlit nights demand the human spirit to endure at all costs. Here, a sled driver and dog team rest for a moment under the arch of a looming translucent blue iceberg frozen in the sea ice.
The life of a dog sled driver is one of patience and discipline. Nine Greenlandic Arctic dogs rest during a long trek across the ice. Greenlandic Arctic sled dogs are only exist north of the Arctic Circle and found no where else in the world.
The magic of Northern Greenland’s midnight sun is filled with stunning beauty and extreme isolation. This image was taken at 3 o’clock in the morning where a tidal pond formed on the surface of the sea ice. Salt water was forced up through cracks in the sea ice as the oceans tide came up.
Spring time comes to Ilulissat, Greenland and the fisherman begin to venture out into the recently broken chunks of looming sea ice. Eager to get out fishing, some fisherman launch their boats into the Arctic waters, delicately navigating through chunks and sheets of ice.
Thomas Martika Qujaukitsoq was born in Qaanaaq, Greenland, one of the northern most municipalities in the world. He wears a reindeer jacket his grandmother hand-stitched for him when he was a young man. Although he has hunted extensively through the surrounding landscape, he has never traveled to any other part of the world. His home is Qaanaaq, his life is that of hunting, fishing, and driving his dog sled. He says, “I drive my dog sled because it is my culture and my life. It will always be like that.”
During the warmer months, massive icebergs calve from the glacier head and slowly drift through vast fjords. Certain icebergs can float for many years, very slowly melting and breaking into smaller chunks of ice.
I had the chance to take a chilly dive under the sea ice during our photo expedition in Ilulissat, Greenland. Dressed in a dry suit and specialized arctic gear, it was ethereal and thrilling. Having a ceiling of ice above me and no sight of a sea floor, it felt other-worldly.
All images ©Justin Lewis
Italy 2013: Roma – Images by Art Wolfe
Just a little travelog on the way to the PODAS workshop.
Rome embraces ancient and modern together in a beautiful dance of architecture, plants, art, graffiti, and culture with the unique verve of life in its people.
Today is Earth Day, 2013. I love this planet!
Get out to your National Parks the week of April 20-28, 2013 for a dose of reality, a breath of fresh air and a good view of our tax dollars at work. Entrance fees are waived from Monday, April 22 to Friday, April 26. The parks are inviting you to experience all they have to offer.
Here are a few places I’ve been to that can give you some ideas.
Glacier National Park
Smoky Mountains National Park
Lake Clark, Alaska National Park
After your visit, share your experiences, photos and videos here:
Jim Whittaker is all about this place. Growing up in Seattle gave me the good fortune to be in the same neighborhood as the Whittaker family and I delivered newspapers to their home. Jim was an early model for me when I began discovering the majesty of the mountains and landscape of the Northwest. To watch him go on to Mt. Everest was a huge inspiration and stuck with me. I was eventually given an opportunity to travel to the Himalayas, which changed my life. Congratulations on 50 years! Thank you, Jim!
>>Jim Whittaker (Seattle Times)
Mountaineers is hosting two events for legendary climbers Jim Whittaker & Tom Horbein. Both men were huge inspirations for me. These events raise vital funds for Mountaineers conservation and stewardship programs. I am donating a place in my upcoming Seattle Art of Composition workshop and a copy of my book “THE HIGH HIMALAYA”” for their auction.
This event is sold out: http://www.mountaineers.org/everest50/default.cfm
But tickets for the presentation and book launch on May 22 with Tom Hornbein and author Jon Krakauer are still available: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5431034370#
Last weekend I was given the Lifetime achievement award by the North American Nature Photographers Association (NANPA). These are people that believe in the things I hold dear and we recognize that preserving the beauty of nature is a labor of love.
Countless thank yous to the members for their support and for recognizing my work. It was a great honor and a lot of fun.
>>CLICK HERE for a great post by colleague Daniel J. Cox about all the weekend’s events. Thanks, Dan!
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India 1/2013 #2 – Images by Art Wolfe
Day 2 in Bandhavgarh National Park. When you are here, it is always about the tigers, but there are many other inhabitants that populate this beautiful landscape.
