“Doomscrolling” is the act of spending an excessive amount of screen time absorbing negative news. Sound familiar? Every day, we’re bombarded with devastating news of what we’re doing to our beautiful planet and it’s easy to feel despondent. To counter this, follow environmental photographers who are documenting the beauty that Earth has to offer and showing what many people are fighting to save. In celebration of World Photo Day on August 19, here are eight of our favourite environmental photographers.
Paul Hilton
Based in Hong Kong, Paul Hilton is a conservation photographer who focused on the manta and shark fin trade, deforestation and wildlife crimes. Through his photography, he says that he hopes to bring about urgent changes in how we treat our surroundings. He is also an Associate Director with Manta Trust and a WildAid consultant.
Paul Nicklen
Paul is a National Geographic contributor and co-founder of SeaLegacy, and he documents marine life and the effects of human development on the ocean. His Instagram feed is full of beautiful animals around the world, sprinkled with calls to action to care more about the environment.
Aaron Gekoski
Aaron is an internationally acclaimed photojournalist and filmmaker. His work has been featured in National Geographic, BBC, The Guardian, The Times, Asian Geographic and more. His new book, Animosity, chronicles life on the frontline of conservation and his new film, Eyes of the Orangutan, covers the use of orangutans in the animal tourism industry.
Cristina Mittermeier
Cristina is a photographer, marine biologist, writer and conservationist. Her work has appeared in National Geographic and TIME, among other publications. She is also the founder of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), which provides a platform for photographers working on environmental issues, and a co-founder of SeaLegacy along with Paul Nicklen. Her photos empower those who don’t have the chance to speak about their lives and their environmental problems.
Joseph Cook
Joseph’s fascinating work covers mainly the icy areas of the planet, and he shows how microorganisms in the ice are having an impact on the planet. In 2016, he was one of five Rolex Laureates awarded for his contribution to glacial research.
Michael Yamashita
Michael has been a National Geographic photographer for over 30 years, and retraces the paths of famous travellers like Marco Polo, with Asia becoming his area of focus after spending seven years living on the continent. He’s also a lecturer and teacher and holds his own workshops, and he’s published eleven books. His beautiful photographs show the history of our world and how it’s changing.
Keith Ladzinski
Keith is an Emmy-nominated director and contributing photographer for National Geographic. He aims to document our ever-changing planet, with the spotlight on natural history and climate change. He is a founding member of the SeaLegacy Collective and his work has been featured in more than 100 cover stories of different magazines, like the New York Times.
Brian Skerry
Brian is a photojournalist specialising in marine wildlife and underwater environments, with his photos showing the struggles that marine and ocean creatures face and the negative impacts of globalisation on animals. He is a contract photographer for National Geographic and has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award 11 times!
See also: International Youth Day: 8 Young Climate Activists in Asia To Know
