A YEAR LONG PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY OF ALASKA FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & CULTURAL PRESERVATION

The Great Alaska Project is a year long documentary and fine art photography project I am undertaking to create a visual record of Alaska at a critical moment of its ecological and cultural history.  Spurred by the accelerating effects of climate change and the recent opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration, this project aims to create a large body of photographs that functions both as a work of fine art and as a catalyst for wilderness conservation & cultural preservation.

The mission is the creation of a museum quality exhibition, a large format book, and a public digital archive for educational & research purposes that will underscore the need to protect a fragile corner of our country.

POSITIVE ACTION

Alaska is at the front line of climate change.  An effect known as Arctic amplification is warming Alaska at rates up to four times the global average resulting in permafrost melting, coastal villages eroding into the sea, glaciers retreating mile by mile, and the seasonal rhythms upon which both animal habitat and human community depend to shift in ways that are already irreversible.

Adding to the urgency is the recent federal authorization to open the ecologically sensitive coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration, despite decades of hard fought protection, placing one of the last pristine wilderness ecosystems in the Western Hemisphere at risk.

THE PROJECT

Seasonal structure:  The project employs an immersive, seasonal approach with four phases of field work in Alaska over the course of one year.  Each phase will last a minimum of four weeks, allowing for deep engagement with locations and communities.  The structure is designed to allow familiarity with the terrain in addition to granting the time to build trust & understanding necessary for in-depth documentary work.

Tranportation:  Travel to remote regions will conducted through a hybrid of intra-Alaska flights, bush flights, ferries, and fishing boats.  Wilderness guides and Indigenous consultants will be employed.

Landscape photography:  This project aims to capture the shear scale, breadth, and stunning beauty of the state ... from the mountains of the Brooks Range to the glacial bays to the tundra of the North Slope.  The photography will not shy away to show industrial development and mineral extraction as both a detriment to the natural environment but also a necessity of modern life & an economic life line.

Portrait Photography:  Subjects to include the Inuit communities such as the Inupiat & Gwich’In people whose culture is tied to the caribou of the North Slope and the fishing industry of Bristol Bay; both groups survival will be impacted by a warming climate.  Photography of Indigenous subjects will be conducted with explicit permission and cultural sensitivity.

Phase One Achromatic camera system:  To enable images of the highest visual impact, a specialized medium-format monochromatic camera will be used.  The100+mp sensor captures luminosity, texture, and tonal range beyond the capacity of any conventional camera system large scale allowing highly detailed images that engage viewers on an emotional level.

SUPPORT THE PROJECT

Your contributions will support the project from concept to fieldwork in Alaska and the showcasing of the work as an exhibit, a digital educational tool, and a monograph. Donations will be used towards the production of this project, including travel expenses, wilderness guides & Indigenous consultants, and operational expenses.  

Regular dispatches from the field will keep supporters of the project up to date with stories & images from Alaska. For full details of the project, including the budget, please email klein@joshuatreestudio.com.

ONE TIME or MONTHLY contributions can be made through link above.

If you are interested in more information about the project, please inquire at klein@joshuatreestudio.com