I fell through the ice for the first time when I was five years old the ice
time when I was five years old the ice
time when I was five years old the ice and the snow were my sandbox it was
and the snow were my sandbox it was
and the snow were my sandbox it was winter 11 months a year as we’re out on
winter 11 months a year as we’re out on
winter 11 months a year as we’re out on the sea ice traveling on the ice
the sea ice traveling on the ice
the sea ice traveling on the ice navigating thin ice snowmobiling
navigating thin ice snowmobiling
navigating thin ice snowmobiling building igloos pitching tents waiting
building igloos pitching tents waiting
building igloos pitching tents waiting all blizzards
all blizzards
all blizzards you know catching seals living on raw
you know catching seals living on raw
you know catching seals living on raw seal meat living on raw caribou meat I
seal meat living on raw caribou meat I
seal meat living on raw caribou meat I didn’t realize that I was learning all
didn’t realize that I was learning all
didn’t realize that I was learning all these survival skills that would go on
these survival skills that would go on
these survival skills that would go on to make me comfortable in this
to make me comfortable in this
to make me comfortable in this environment I found photography through
environment I found photography through
environment I found photography through frustration I was a biologist and I got
frustration I was a biologist and I got
frustration I was a biologist and I got tired of watching you know these big
tired of watching you know these big
tired of watching you know these big bears walk across the ice I was watching
bears walk across the ice I was watching
bears walk across the ice I was watching white wolves catch bearded seals and eat
white wolves catch bearded seals and eat
white wolves catch bearded seals and eat them on the ice and all I had to show
them on the ice and all I had to show
them on the ice and all I had to show for that that at the end of this
for that that at the end of this
for that that at the end of this incredible expedition was a stack of
incredible expedition was a stack of
incredible expedition was a stack of data sheets everything I’ve done in
data sheets everything I’ve done in
data sheets everything I’ve done in photography and storytelling has been to
photography and storytelling has been to
photography and storytelling has been to bridge the gap between the science that
bridge the gap between the science that
bridge the gap between the science that I loved and the public it wasn’t science
I loved and the public it wasn’t science
I loved and the public it wasn’t science it wasn’t the data do you need
it wasn’t the data do you need
it wasn’t the data do you need photography to connect people to that
photography to connect people to that
photography to connect people to that issue emotionally I always say heaven is
issue emotionally I always say heaven is
issue emotionally I always say heaven is here and now I mean when I am under the
here and now I mean when I am under the
here and now I mean when I am under the ice or I am on the ice I’m watching a
ice or I am on the ice I’m watching a
ice or I am on the ice I’m watching a big polar bear I’m in a rainforest or
big polar bear I’m in a rainforest or
big polar bear I’m in a rainforest or diving in the cenotes of Mexico you
diving in the cenotes of Mexico you
diving in the cenotes of Mexico you always pinch yourself I could never have
always pinch yourself I could never have
always pinch yourself I could never have envisioned anything more beautiful and
envisioned anything more beautiful and
envisioned anything more beautiful and intense and wonderful is what I’m seeing
intense and wonderful is what I’m seeing
intense and wonderful is what I’m seeing right now in front of me since I was a
right now in front of me since I was a
right now in front of me since I was a kid there was an Arctic that I I knew
kid there was an Arctic that I I knew
kid there was an Arctic that I I knew that Arctic is disappearing the ice is
that Arctic is disappearing the ice is
that Arctic is disappearing the ice is disappearing we’re gonna lose the entire
disappearing we’re gonna lose the entire
disappearing we’re gonna lose the entire summer extent of sea ice in the next
summer extent of sea ice in the next
summer extent of sea ice in the next five to ten years we ultimately are
five to ten years we ultimately are
five to ten years we ultimately are going to see the collapse of an entire
going to see the collapse of an entire
going to see the collapse of an entire polar ecosystem so there is an
polar ecosystem so there is an
polar ecosystem so there is an incredible urgency in the work that I’m
incredible urgency in the work that I’m
incredible urgency in the work that I’m doing I must shoot these pictures now
doing I must shoot these pictures now
doing I must shoot these pictures now these images have to be intimate they
these images have to be intimate they
these images have to be intimate they have to be current they have to be
have to be current they have to be
have to be current they have to be powerful enough to create behavioral
powerful enough to create behavioral
powerful enough to create behavioral change if people are gonna care about
change if people are gonna care about
change if people are gonna care about this planet before it’s too late and
this planet before it’s too late and
this planet before it’s too late and we’re at the turning point now then we
we’re at the turning point now then we
we’re at the turning point now then we need people to reconnect that is why I
need people to reconnect that is why I
need people to reconnect that is why I work 18 hours a day that’s why I take
work 18 hours a day that’s why I take
work 18 hours a day that’s why I take the risks that I do and that’s why I
the risks that I do and that’s why I
the risks that I do and that’s why I shoot as many stories that can in these
shoot as many stories that can in these
shoot as many stories that can in these polar ecosystems and get them back to
polar ecosystems and get them back to
polar ecosystems and get them back to this magazine that will reach 40 million
this magazine that will reach 40 million
this magazine that will reach 40 million people the biggest audience we could
people the biggest audience we could
people the biggest audience we could ever have in the line of work we do I’m
ever have in the line of work we do I’m
ever have in the line of work we do I’m an addict and I’m a wildlife
an addict and I’m a wildlife
an addict and I’m a wildlife nature storytelling addict I love the
nature storytelling addict I love the
nature storytelling addict I love the unknown of getting in the water with a
unknown of getting in the water with a
unknown of getting in the water with a leopard seal or a walrus or it could go
leopard seal or a walrus or it could go
leopard seal or a walrus or it could go south very quickly but to be vulnerable
south very quickly but to be vulnerable
south very quickly but to be vulnerable in the presence of an amazing animal and
in the presence of an amazing animal and
in the presence of an amazing animal and and being able to create art and change
and being able to create art and change
and being able to create art and change people’s perceptions all at the same
people’s perceptions all at the same
people’s perceptions all at the same time and to even translate what the
time and to even translate what the
time and to even translate what the scientists are trying to say and have
scientists are trying to say and have
scientists are trying to say and have people potentially care about things
people potentially care about things
people potentially care about things like climate change and disappearing sea
like climate change and disappearing sea
like climate change and disappearing sea ice that all collectively is the drug
ice that all collectively is the drug
ice that all collectively is the drug for me
”
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