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, visitwww.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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
It’s time to get out to the Elwha River and help Olympic National Park as Park Service staff begin the massive undertaking of revegetating the now empty reservoirs behind the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams with nearly 400,000 native plants. With only 6 full time staff members, NPS is going to need all the help they can get–cleaning, packing, transporting, and planting native plant starts! So if you are ready to get covered in mud and be instrumental in the recovery of the Elwha River ecosystem, join Olympic National Park this fall and winter and be part of this incredible project.
Event Details
WHAT: This is more than just planting–NPS needs volunteers for a variety of associated tasks. At the nursery, plants need to be cleaned and packed for their journey home. Once they arrive at Lake Mills or Lake Aldwell, they need to be transported (by foot) to planting areas throughout the 600 acres of dewatered reservoirs, and then planted!
WHEN: The park is looking for help beginning Monday, November 5, and planting season will continue through mid-March, 2013, with a break during the month of December. Weekdays are preferred, but a limited number of weekend work parties are available.
WHERE: Former Sites of Lake Aldwell and Lake Mills on the Elwha River, Olympic National Park
WHO: NPCA Volunteers Led by Jill Zarzeczny of the Elwha Revegetation Project, National Park Service
RSVP: If you would like to participate in this historic restoration project, please contact Jill Zarzeczny at Jill_Zarzeczny@nps.gov or 360.565.3047. Let her know what day or dates would work for you, and with what tasks you are interested in helping.
An annual tradition, the Greenway Trust is hosting a series of native tree and shrub plantings starting with the October 13th Kick-Off. Sponsored in part by REI, Carter Subaru & Carter Volkswagen, and KMTT- The Mountain the celebration will feature food (including free pizza from Papa John’s), music and vendors for the whole family to enjoy, plus plenty of trees to plant.
Planting events are excellent for individuals, families, groups, and work teams. No experience is required. The Kick-Off will be at Sammamish Cove in Issaquah. Sammamish Cove is a former dairy farm adjacent to Lake Sammamish State Park. It borders Tibbetts Creek, a salmon-bearing stream, to the Northeast. Boasting sweeping views of the Issaquah Alps, the area has been extremely degraded over time by invasive weeds. During the Kick-Off, we will be planting 2,012 native trees and shrubs along the banks of Tibbetts Creek to increase vital tree cover and improve salmon and wildlife habitat.
Join the Burke Museum at the Neptune Theatre for an evening of fast-paced talks on the enduring relationship between the human imagination and the natural world. Inspired by the International Conservation Photography Awards exhibit, Short Takes features a stellar lineup of artists, scientists, students, and scholars. Speakers include internationally-renowned photographer Art Wolfe, curators from the Burke and the Seattle Art Museum, and explorers of the seas and the stars. Ten short talks, each illustrated with 20 slides, will take us on a journey from humanities’ first artistic impulses to our latest glimpse into the far reaches of space.
>>CLICK HERE for Short Takes topics and more information.
• Art Wolfe, internationally renowned photographer, host of “Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe”, and founder of the International Conservation Photography Awards
• Katie Bunn-Marcuse, Assistant Director of the Bill Holm Center, and a Curatorial Associate of Native American Art at the Burke Museum
• Allison Fundis, Education and Public Engagement Liaison, Ocean Observatories Initiative/Regional Scale Nodes, University of Washington
• Shaun Peterson, a pivotal figure in the revival of Coast Salish arts
• Ellen Dissanayake interdisciplinary scholar and writer, Affiliate Professor in the University of Washington, School of Music
• Wendy Call, 2012 Writer in Residence for the North Cascades and Joshua Tree National Parks
• Dan Ritzman, Northwest and Alaska Regional Director of the Sierra Club
• Brad Rutherford, Executive Director of the Snow Leopard Trust
• Phil Rosenfield, Graduate Student, Astronomy, University of Washington
• Patricia Junker, the Ann M. Barwick Curator of American Art at the Seattle Art Museum
Celebrate and give back to your parks with the National Parks Conservation Association and the National Park Service for National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 29. National Public Lands Day provides us the chance to give back to special places in our own backyard like Mount Rainier National Park. Join hundreds of other park supporters and help repair park trails, clean up campgrounds and picnic areas, and plant native vegetation.
National Public Lands Day is a great opportunity to help Mount Rainier and spend the rest of the day recreating or relaxing in the park. With free admission, feel free to bring a friend or make it a family outing, and enjoy the experience together.
RSVP: Please RSVP to Sean Smith so we can plan projects accordingly.
OTHER INFO: There will be free admission at the park that day. Parking will be available at the White River Campground. Please bring warm clothes and be prepared for weather changes as this work day will take place rain or shine! Sturdy work shoes are also needed, as well as gloves, lunch, and water. Sunscreen and a hat are also recommended. Please note that pets are not permitted on park trails.
Please join us!
Sincerely, Sean Smith
Policy Director
Northwest Region
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.
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.
