FOREWORD
For the select handful of people that will ever have the privilege to traverse the last untouched corners of the Earth – the scientists, explorers, and of course, the nature photographers – there is a tacit agreement of awe and respect for the wild creatures that still roam, unbothered by man’s influence. Most people will never experience the chill of arctic air flapping through a tent pitched on the sea ice or see eye-to-eye with a blue whale, so the images created by nature photographers may be the closest humanity will ever come to experience the majesty and beauty of Earth. In a perfect world, there would be places where nature and animals are held sacred, where they can be truly wild, and humans only enter to feed the spirit. These untouched places would be the natural capital set aside and entrusted with sustaining life on Earth. Unfortunately, this dream is far from reality, and as a society, we are nowhere close to achieving this goal. For photographers, images become a bridge between the realm of humanity and that of nature. We build awareness and empathy to create a greater understanding and generate awareness of the responsibility of what it means to be human. Every living thing that exists now or has ever existed on this planet also lives within us. It is an ethical imperative – an urgent reminder of the inextricable link we share with all living beings on this planet. We must act as the keepers of our fellow life forms, especially after all the harm our species has inflicted upon them. The desire to share our passion comes with the urgency to ensure that all the creatures and pristine places we encounter and photograph remain the way we found them – wild. As nature photographers, we strive to present our work as a celebration of nature – a humble tribute to the life that serves as our inspiration. Storytelling and conservation fuel our passion and invigorates our commitment to journalism. Media, education, culture, and society are all steeped in the complex relationship between man and nature. But the balance has never been in favor of our planet. It is time for a cultural shift in our relationship with nature in our everyday lives. Encouraging initiatives that promote the development of human consciousness and its identity toward a respectful approach to our environment and its inhabitants is essential. An image is worth much more than a two-dimensional experience of our planet. It is a piece of our spirit and a window to our soul. With this first volume of “Mother”, we hope these images act as ambassadors for the wild and give humanity a higher sense of what is worth protecting.
Cristina Mittermeier
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