The role of photography in shaping how people understand the climate crisis is becoming increasingly clear. Research into climate communication has emphasised the importance of visual storytelling, with studies suggesting that photographs often play a powerful role in making environmental issues feel immediate and emotionally resonant. Today, here are three visual storytellers brilliantly communicating the natural world and the pressures it faces.
Edward Burtynsky
Canadian artist and photographer Edward Burtynsky is known for his images of industrial landscapes, quarries, mines and sites of environmental extraction. He is globally renowned for his intricate work that spotlights landscapes permanently changed by human industry. Burtynsky’s work is inseparable from his advocacy for environmental conservation.
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Cristina Mittermeier
Mexican photographer, marine biologist and conservationist Cristina Mittermeier has spent decades documenting the relationship between humans and the natural world, especially in oceans and coastal ecosystems. In fact, she was one of the pioneers of conservation photography, and has also edited or co-authored twenty seven books.
Frans Lanting
Few wildlife photographers have shaped public perceptions of the climate quite like Dutch photographer Frans Lanting. Known for his work with National Geographic, he photographs animals and ecosystems with extraordinary clarity and emotional impact. In fact, his coverage of the Okavango Delta notably inspired a wave of international interest in conservation in Botswana.
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