Paul Nicklen: Photographer

A unique childhood among the Inuit in Canada’s Arctic and time spent as a biologist in the Northwest Territories enable Paul Nicklen to take on the most inhospitable places on our planet, often working in sub-zero temperatures, suspended in freezing water. His images reflect a deep caring for the creatures inhabiting these isolated and threatened environments. He endeavors to put a tangible face on climate change, making it impossible to ignore. NICKLEN received the first-ever BioGems Visionary Award, presented by Natural Resources Defense Council in 2012, in acknowledgment of the role he and his images have played in inspiring people to continue fighting for the planet’s last wild places and threatened wildlife. That same year he was also named Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his image of emperor penguins rocketing through icy waters. Presented in partnership with Five Rivers MetroParks.