you know it’s a filmmaker I have to admit I’ve imagined being on the stage
admit I’ve imagined being on the stage
admit I’ve imagined being on the stage getting an Academy Award but this is
getting an Academy Award but this is
getting an Academy Award but this is cooler because I get more than 20
cooler because I get more than 20
cooler because I get more than 20 seconds I love making the invisible
seconds I love making the invisible
seconds I love making the invisible visible because there’s so much around
visible because there’s so much around
visible because there’s so much around us we can’t see and using the art of
us we can’t see and using the art of
us we can’t see and using the art of time-lapse and slow motion
time-lapse and slow motion
time-lapse and slow motion cinematography I can take people on a
cinematography I can take people on a
cinematography I can take people on a journey through time and scale have you
journey through time and scale have you
journey through time and scale have you ever imagined what it would be like to
ever imagined what it would be like to
ever imagined what it would be like to see the world from the point of view of
see the world from the point of view of
see the world from the point of view of a hummingbird or a butterfly if you
a hummingbird or a butterfly if you
a hummingbird or a butterfly if you could see life from their point of view
could see life from their point of view
could see life from their point of view it would expand your vision it would
it would expand your vision it would
it would expand your vision it would open your heart it would in Vail the
open your heart it would in Vail the
open your heart it would in Vail the mysteries of life and that would be
mysteries of life and that would be
mysteries of life and that would be truly transformational we are all born
truly transformational we are all born
truly transformational we are all born with a sense of wonder sometimes it’s
with a sense of wonder sometimes it’s
with a sense of wonder sometimes it’s triggered by astonishing feats
triggered by astonishing feats
triggered by astonishing feats monuments to mankind’s capabilities
extraordinary talents and gifts or
extraordinary talents and gifts or scientific discoveries that push the
scientific discoveries that push the
scientific discoveries that push the boundaries of comprehension
the more often we experience wonder by
the more often we experience wonder by truly seeing the world around us
wandering all allow us to transcend the
wandering all allow us to transcend the ordinary
ordinary
ordinary [Music]
[Music]
[Music] even to test our concepts of time and
even to test our concepts of time and
even to test our concepts of time and scale
we are overcome with a sense of being
we are overcome with a sense of being small and a grand universe
were unaware of past or future we are as
were unaware of past or future we are as they say in the moment
we use the word breathtaking to describe
we use the word breathtaking to describe it because it actually takes our breath
it because it actually takes our breath
it because it actually takes our breath away
[Music]
[Music] wonder inspires us to open our hearts
wonder inspires us to open our hearts
wonder inspires us to open our hearts and our minds to engender gratitude
so wonderin ah brings us into the
so wonderin ah brings us into the present moment and that unleashes our
present moment and that unleashes our
present moment and that unleashes our imagination
imagination
imagination it helps us are just our perception of
it helps us are just our perception of
it helps us are just our perception of time it influences our decision-making
time it influences our decision-making
time it influences our decision-making it makes us more patient more willing to
it makes us more patient more willing to
it makes us more patient more willing to help others and that makes life much
help others and that makes life much
help others and that makes life much more satisfying it makes us feel rich in
more satisfying it makes us feel rich in
more satisfying it makes us feel rich in time when was the last time any of you
time when was the last time any of you
time when was the last time any of you felt rich in time we need to bring
felt rich in time we need to bring
felt rich in time we need to bring nature into our lives because it helps
nature into our lives because it helps
nature into our lives because it helps us build resiliency people often ask me
us build resiliency people often ask me
us build resiliency people often ask me how did you get started swimming all
how did you get started swimming all
how did you get started swimming all these beautiful shots of nature well I
these beautiful shots of nature well I
these beautiful shots of nature well I didn’t grow up in the woods I actually
didn’t grow up in the woods I actually
didn’t grow up in the woods I actually grew up on the streets of Brooklyn I
grew up on the streets of Brooklyn I
grew up on the streets of Brooklyn I think my first whitewater experience was
think my first whitewater experience was
think my first whitewater experience was racing popsicle sticks down the gutter
racing popsicle sticks down the gutter
racing popsicle sticks down the gutter my parents were Holocaust survivors they
my parents were Holocaust survivors they
my parents were Holocaust survivors they met after the war in a relocation camp
met after the war in a relocation camp
met after the war in a relocation camp and after knowing each other for only
and after knowing each other for only
and after knowing each other for only two weeks they decided to get married
two weeks they decided to get married
two weeks they decided to get married and friends who they had just met stood
and friends who they had just met stood
and friends who they had just met stood in for their parents to walk them down
in for their parents to walk them down
in for their parents to walk them down the aisle they came to America a few
the aisle they came to America a few
the aisle they came to America a few years later with my sister and nothing
years later with my sister and nothing
years later with my sister and nothing more than the clothes on her back they
more than the clothes on her back they
more than the clothes on her back they were resilient but growing up under
were resilient but growing up under
were resilient but growing up under their roof I learned under that lens of
their roof I learned under that lens of
their roof I learned under that lens of gratitude that they appreciated every
gratitude that they appreciated every
gratitude that they appreciated every blessing that came their way like food
blessing that came their way like food
blessing that came their way like food on the table the roof over their heads a
on the table the roof over their heads a
on the table the roof over their heads a steady job and the miracle of having
steady job and the miracle of having
steady job and the miracle of having children and under that roof I also grew
children and under that roof I also grew
children and under that roof I also grew up wanting to make the world a better
up wanting to make the world a better
up wanting to make the world a better place so I headed off to UCLA as a
place so I headed off to UCLA as a
place so I headed off to UCLA as a history major but how could I study the
history major but how could I study the
history major but how could I study the French Revolution when it was a
French Revolution when it was a
French Revolution when it was a revolution happening right outside my
revolution happening right outside my
revolution happening right outside my door the students were protesting
door the students were protesting
door the students were protesting against the Vietnam War which turned out
against the Vietnam War which turned out
against the Vietnam War which turned out to be an unjust war and of course the
to be an unjust war and of course the
to be an unjust war and of course the police brutality stopped a protest from
police brutality stopped a protest from
police brutality stopped a protest from happening we didn’t have camera phones
happening we didn’t have camera phones
happening we didn’t have camera phones back then so I quickly had to learn how
back then so I quickly had to learn how
back then so I quickly had to learn how to use a camera and that camera
to use a camera and that camera
to use a camera and that camera protected me and other people from being
protected me and other people from being
protected me and other people from being beaten
beaten
beaten this is an FBI agent on campus that was
this is an FBI agent on campus that was
this is an FBI agent on campus that was taking photos and writing down names and
taking photos and writing down names and
taking photos and writing down names and arresting all the student leaders these
arresting all the student leaders these
arresting all the student leaders these were my first photographs
were my first photographs
were my first photographs I also learned it was a lot easier for
I also learned it was a lot easier for
I also learned it was a lot easier for me to hand in a photo essay done to
me to hand in a photo essay done to
me to hand in a photo essay done to write a paper and and then the time for
write a paper and and then the time for
write a paper and and then the time for experiencing right now it probably
experiencing right now it probably
experiencing right now it probably doesn’t hurt to take a look back and see
doesn’t hurt to take a look back and see
doesn’t hurt to take a look back and see that maybe there’s a connection the
that maybe there’s a connection the
that maybe there’s a connection the repression that happened back then
repression that happened back then
repression that happened back then spawned Earth Day and the liberation
spawned Earth Day and the liberation
spawned Earth Day and the liberation movements through women and people of
movements through women and people of
movements through women and people of color I continued to capture magic
color I continued to capture magic
color I continued to capture magic moments and I fell in love with
moments and I fell in love with
moments and I fell in love with photography and filmmaking and I
photography and filmmaking and I
photography and filmmaking and I continued to capture moments by chasing
continued to capture moments by chasing
continued to capture moments by chasing the light and that’s what I met my
the light and that’s what I met my
the light and that’s what I met my greatest teacher mother nature taught me
greatest teacher mother nature taught me
greatest teacher mother nature taught me everything about lighting and
everything about lighting and
everything about lighting and Composition texture color and movement
Composition texture color and movement
Composition texture color and movement she also taught me how to live a
she also taught me how to live a
she also taught me how to live a creative and sustainable life because
creative and sustainable life because
creative and sustainable life because mother nature isn’t greedy and will
mother nature isn’t greedy and will
mother nature isn’t greedy and will never waste a single molecule she also
never waste a single molecule she also
never waste a single molecule she also helped me connect to the deepest part of
helped me connect to the deepest part of
helped me connect to the deepest part of my soul so after I graduated and went to
my soul so after I graduated and went to
my soul so after I graduated and went to Northern California to a little town
Northern California to a little town
Northern California to a little town called Elk I didn’t have much money but
called Elk I didn’t have much money but
called Elk I didn’t have much money but I did have time in a sense of wonder and
I did have time in a sense of wonder and
I did have time in a sense of wonder and I imagined what if I could take these
I imagined what if I could take these
I imagined what if I could take these old cameras to shoot time-lapse built in
old cameras to shoot time-lapse built in
old cameras to shoot time-lapse built in the 1920s but they had this big AC motor
the 1920s but they had this big AC motor
the 1920s but they had this big AC motor attached to the back of them and
attached to the back of them and
attached to the back of them and obviously in my extension cord wouldn’t
obviously in my extension cord wouldn’t
obviously in my extension cord wouldn’t be long enough to go outdoors so I
be long enough to go outdoors so I
be long enough to go outdoors so I thought what if I could build a small
thought what if I could build a small
thought what if I could build a small little motor that ran on batteries so
little motor that ran on batteries so
little motor that ran on batteries so that I could take these cameras outdoors
that I could take these cameras outdoors
that I could take these cameras outdoors and capture the magic of fog rolling in
and capture the magic of fog rolling in
and capture the magic of fog rolling in and out and and in shadows moving
and out and and in shadows moving
and out and and in shadows moving through the forest and shafts of light
through the forest and shafts of light
through the forest and shafts of light through landscapes and flowers opening
through landscapes and flowers opening
through landscapes and flowers opening and closing I’ve had a camera rolling
and closing I’ve had a camera rolling
and closing I’ve had a camera rolling now 40 years non-stop 24 hours a day
now 40 years non-stop 24 hours a day
now 40 years non-stop 24 hours a day seven days a week
seven days a week
seven days a week capturing time-lapse flowers and I’ve
capturing time-lapse flowers and I’ve
capturing time-lapse flowers and I’ve squeezed that into 16 hours of film I
squeezed that into 16 hours of film I
squeezed that into 16 hours of film I want to share with you at life
want to share with you at life
want to share with you at life be like if you could see it from the
be like if you could see it from the
be like if you could see it from the point of view of a flower
point of view of a flower
point of view of a flower [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
so the flowers seduced me by their
so the flowers seduced me by their beauty color taste aroma and what I
beauty color taste aroma and what I
beauty color taste aroma and what I learned after shooting is flowers all
learned after shooting is flowers all
learned after shooting is flowers all these years is that beauty is nature’s
these years is that beauty is nature’s
these years is that beauty is nature’s tool for survival because we protect
tool for survival because we protect
tool for survival because we protect what we love and that’s why puppies are
what we love and that’s why puppies are
what we love and that’s why puppies are cute
cute
cute that’s why kittens are cute and babies
that’s why kittens are cute and babies
that’s why kittens are cute and babies are cute that’s why your kids are cute
are cute that’s why your kids are cute
are cute that’s why your kids are cute if they weren’t cute you throw them out
if they weren’t cute you throw them out
if they weren’t cute you throw them out for the bath water it’s called
for the bath water it’s called
for the bath water it’s called unconditional love and your grandkids
unconditional love and your grandkids
unconditional love and your grandkids are cute we’re hardwired to love because
are cute we’re hardwired to love because
are cute we’re hardwired to love because DNA wants to move forward and so does
DNA wants to move forward and so does
DNA wants to move forward and so does our living planet so I’ve always
our living planet so I’ve always
our living planet so I’ve always imagined what would it be like could I
imagined what would it be like could I
imagined what would it be like could I put a time-lapse camera in space in
put a time-lapse camera in space in
put a time-lapse camera in space in order to film the earth well thanks to
order to film the earth well thanks to
order to film the earth well thanks to breakthrough technology and using data
breakthrough technology and using data
breakthrough technology and using data we can simulate that image the movement
we can simulate that image the movement
we can simulate that image the movement of humanity on earth every blue dot you
of humanity on earth every blue dot you
of humanity on earth every blue dot you see is a plane taking off and using data
see is a plane taking off and using data
see is a plane taking off and using data we can create an image that’s invisible
we can create an image that’s invisible
we can create an image that’s invisible and above us constantly
and above us constantly
and above us constantly the vast network of air traffic over
the vast network of air traffic over
the vast network of air traffic over America
America
America [Music]
we can do the same thing but ships at
we can do the same thing but ships at sea we can use data to create a
sea we can use data to create a
sea we can use data to create a time-lapse image of a global economy in
time-lapse image of a global economy in
time-lapse image of a global economy in motion
and decades of data can show us the
and decades of data can show us the currents in the ocean clouds in the
currents in the ocean clouds in the
currents in the ocean clouds in the atmosphere
atmosphere
atmosphere lightning adorned by the aurora borealis
lightning adorned by the aurora borealis
lightning adorned by the aurora borealis this could be the ultimate time-lapse
this could be the ultimate time-lapse
this could be the ultimate time-lapse image
image
image the anatomy of earth brought to life
thank you so let’s come down to earth
thank you so let’s come down to earth but not all the way this is the sorne
but not all the way this is the sorne
but not all the way this is the sorne ride that I did for Disney themed parts
ride that I did for Disney themed parts
ride that I did for Disney themed parts and I was fortunate enough to be able to
and I was fortunate enough to be able to
and I was fortunate enough to be able to travel around the world and capture ease
travel around the world and capture ease
travel around the world and capture ease and credible wonders but sadly a lot of
and credible wonders but sadly a lot of
and credible wonders but sadly a lot of them on the verge of disappearing
them on the verge of disappearing
them on the verge of disappearing because of climate change in China two
because of climate change in China two
because of climate change in China two hours outside of Beijing we could not
hours outside of Beijing we could not
hours outside of Beijing we could not take off for two days because the
take off for two days because the
take off for two days because the visibility was so bad I literally could
visibility was so bad I literally could
visibility was so bad I literally could not see the Great Wall below me in
not see the Great Wall below me in
not see the Great Wall below me in Greenland the elders talked to me about
Greenland the elders talked to me about
Greenland the elders talked to me about the fact that the ice was too thin for
the fact that the ice was too thin for
the fact that the ice was too thin for them to hunt and that melting ice is
them to hunt and that melting ice is
them to hunt and that melting ice is raising the sea levels and in Fiji many
raising the sea levels and in Fiji many
raising the sea levels and in Fiji many of the small islands are already going
of the small islands are already going
of the small islands are already going underwater but the highlight for me last
underwater but the highlight for me last
underwater but the highlight for me last year was during the Paris summit a
year was during the Paris summit a
year was during the Paris summit a number of filmmakers were asked to go to
number of filmmakers were asked to go to
number of filmmakers were asked to go to Rome and project imagery on the Vatican
Rome and project imagery on the Vatican
Rome and project imagery on the Vatican in order to support Pope Francis’s
in order to support Pope Francis’s
in order to support Pope Francis’s encyclical to protect the environment in
encyclical to protect the environment in
encyclical to protect the environment in front of 20,000 people imagine how I
front of 20,000 people imagine how I
front of 20,000 people imagine how I felt the son of Holocaust survivors
felt the son of Holocaust survivors
felt the son of Holocaust survivors being able to project light and beauty
being able to project light and beauty
being able to project light and beauty on the Vatican given that they were
on the Vatican given that they were
on the Vatican given that they were silent during the roundup of Jews in
silent during the roundup of Jews in
silent during the roundup of Jews in Italy and throughout Europe times do
Italy and throughout Europe times do
Italy and throughout Europe times do change things get better
change things get better
change things get better I’ve got hope but I think we have to
I’ve got hope but I think we have to
I’ve got hope but I think we have to remain vigilant I wish I could have
remain vigilant I wish I could have
remain vigilant I wish I could have shared with my parents
shared with my parents
shared with my parents [Music]
thank you so in these times a breakdown
thank you so in these times a breakdown breakthrough we need to imagine that
breakthrough we need to imagine that
breakthrough we need to imagine that solutions are possible we can’t allow
solutions are possible we can’t allow
solutions are possible we can’t allow our political leaders to turn their
our political leaders to turn their
our political leaders to turn their backs on science and fear and denial we
backs on science and fear and denial we
backs on science and fear and denial we need to get them to work we need to
need to get them to work we need to
need to get them to work we need to compel them to work for solutions and
compel them to work for solutions and
compel them to work for solutions and partnerships that we need we also need
partnerships that we need we also need
partnerships that we need we also need to reach out to people that have
to reach out to people that have
to reach out to people that have different views than we do by finally
different views than we do by finally
different views than we do by finally common ground and being able to agree we
common ground and being able to agree we
common ground and being able to agree we want a healthy planet for our children
want a healthy planet for our children
want a healthy planet for our children these are these are difficult times and
these are these are difficult times and
these are these are difficult times and we’re facing big challenges but we can
we’re facing big challenges but we can
we’re facing big challenges but we can rise to the occasion we need to wake up
rise to the occasion we need to wake up
rise to the occasion we need to wake up and imagine that we can live in a better
and imagine that we can live in a better
and imagine that we can live in a better world we can’t waste a single day
world we can’t waste a single day
world we can’t waste a single day because this is our one and only home we
because this is our one and only home we
because this is our one and only home we need to protect what we love and
need to protect what we love and
need to protect what we love and celebrate life thank you thank you
”
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