CRISTINA MITTERMEIER AND PAUL NICKLEN
Growing up in the small , landlocked Mexican town of Cuernavaca , Cristina Mittermeier was enthralled by the ocean when her dad first took her to the coast . Going on to study marine science , Mittermeier soon realized the critical challenges faced by the planet ’ s oceans . To draw attention to the urgent changes needed , she moved into visual storytelling and became an influential leading figure in the field of conservation photography .
Across her multi-award-winning career , Mittermeier has documented many
40 PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE of the untold wonders of the oceans . She founded the International League of Conservation photographers to provide a platform for those working on environmental issues , and was named one of National Geographic ’ s Adventurers of the Year .
Paul Nicklen is an acclaimed wildlife photographer , author , and filmmaker . His passion and respect for nature was cultivated during his childhood amongst the Arctic Inuit community on Baffin Island , in the Canadian territory of Nunavut . This early experience gave Nicklen a rare understanding of some of today ’ s most threatened ecosystems , and how it is possible to live in harmony with the oceans . Like Mittermeier , Nicklen began his career scientifically studying marine life before becoming a photographer and has since spent his time documenting the breath-taking beauty of some of the Earth ’ s most extreme environments . His work is celebrated for illuminating the link between biodiversity loss and climate change , and depicting how our precious ecosystems are being pushed to the brink of destruction .
Together with photographer and filmmaker Andy Mann , Mittermeier and Nicklen founded SeaLegacy , a non-profit organization that uses photography and