A YEAR LONG PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF ALASKA
TO INSPIRE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & CULTURAL PRESERVATION
Join as I embark on a photographic journey across Alaska.
Having photographed Africa and across the American West, I am now committed to photograph our Great Northern Frontier. Prompted by the recent decision to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling and the accelerating effects of climate change, I am convinced of the importance of this endeavor for both conservation and education.
Over the next year, I will be photographing the landscape, wildlife and people of Alaska through four phases of field work. Each phase will cover a season and last 4 - 6 week to allow time to build trust & understanding necessary for in-depth documentary work.
The project’s goal is the creation of a museum quality exhibition, a large format book, and a public digital archive for educational & research purposes.
My goal is to create a sweeping, large scale body of work that will inspire the conservation of our great northern frontier and its inhabitants. All my lived experiences, both creative & professional, have prepared me for this undertaking.
A CALL TO ACTION
While we imagine Alaska to be rugged and infinite, in reality it is the canary in the coal mine for our planet. Climate change is affecting Alaska faster than the rest of the country due to an effect called Arctic amplification. Glaciers are receding, permafrost melting, animal habitats threatened, and Indigenous people are already being forced to retreat from their ancestral homes due to rising seas. Of pressing urgency is the recent announcement that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is being opened for oil exploration despite decades of effort to preserve this last great jewel of pristine wilderness. This is my call to action.
THE JOURNEY
Before Paris, New York and California …. before my years photographing for Ralph Lauren and putting my touch on the Malibu Pier, I was a kid growing up in woods of Connecticut with a deep appreciation for nature. Now, all these learned experiences - artist, project manager & adventurer - will unite for this all encompassing endeavor.
This project will be a journey take me to the most rugged & remote corners of the country with destinations accessible only by bush plane. Subjects include the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Brooks Range, the Inuit communities along the Bering Strait, the fisheries of Bristol Bay, and the glaciers of the Inside Passage.
CONTRIBUTE MONTHLY
This project is a marathon, small monthly contributions help keep the momentum.
This project will be supported by a mix of individual donations, grants, and sponsors. A full proposal & budget is available. Please inquire at klein@joshuatreestudio.com