Paul Nicklen

Paul Nicklen (born July 21, 1968) is an acclaimed Canadian photographer, film-maker, author and marine biologist.
Early life.
Paul Nicklen was born on July 21, 1968, in Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada. By the mid-seventies, Paul's family - made up of his parents, a teacher and mechanic, and his brother, moved to the tiny Inuit town of Baffin Island in Canada’s Arctic Circle. The Nicklen family was one of three non-Inuit families in the area. The island in which he grew up had no access to television, radio, or cell phones, forcing Paul to more deeply appreciate the nature of his surroundings and learn crucial skills to surviving Arctic temperatures.
It was this lifestyle alone flung Paul Nicklen toward the career path that he pursues today. Nicklen claims to have always felt a "deep connection to nature" and developed an awareness "of the patterns of the wildlife around him". By his twenties, he began studying marine biology at the University of Victoria. It was around this time that the idea to photograph the wildlife that he grew up with was sparked within himself. Nicklen went on to pursue this idea in an attempt to "bridge the gap between science and people, using the power of visual storytelling.”
Career.
Since the beginning of his career in conservation photography, Nicklen has quickly become the only Canadian photographer for "National Geographic" Magazine, and has published eleven stories for "National Geographic". Along with these feats, he is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP). He has written several books including "Born to Ice" (2018) and "Polar Obsession" (2009). Major exhibits of his work include "Extreme Exposure" at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles, California in 2009 and most recently, he opened the Paul Nicklen Gallery in Soho, New York City, New York in April 2017 as a space for conservationist photographers and other artists to participate in the fine art scene.
In 2011, Nicklen has was a speaker at TED2011. His talk, "Tales of Ice-Bound Wonderlands", focused on disappearing sea ice as a result of climate change and global warming, further pushing toward his mission to generate global awareness of climate and wildlife issues. Along with writing books and speaking publicly about his goals of bettering out environment, he also produces documentary photography that "informs and creates an emotional connection with wild subjects in extreme conditions." On more occasion than one, Nicklen has come inches from death due to these extreme working conditions such as below hypothermic temperatures and coming face-to-face with deadly wild animals, but no altercation with death has ever halted him from attempting to deliver important messages about the fate of our planet.
In 2014, Nicklen co-founded SeaLegacy, an organization that uses visual storytelling and photography to further the cause of ocean conservation with modern conservation photography pioneer Cristina Mittermeier. The foundation is a non-profit inspiring "millions of people to stand up and have a voice for the pristine places threatened by climate change." Since being founded, the organization has paired up with Emmy Award winning cinematographer and conservation photographer, Shawn Heinrichs and his foundation, the Blue Sphere Foundation in 2019. SeaLegacy aims to pave the way toward a greener planet by bringing "together the world’s top photographers, conservationists, scientists, storytellers and strategists to lead a bold new movement to engage one billion people in ocean conservation."
Awards.
Nicklen has been awarded over thirty of the most notable awards given to photographers in his field "including the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the prestigious World Press Photo for Photojournalism." He has also received awards from Pictures of the Year International, Communication Arts, and the Natural Resources Defense Council BioGems Visionary Award. Along with this short list of the many he has been awarded, he is also recognized as a part of the International League of Conservation Photographers.
A short list of awards includes:
Magazine articles.
4 other stories by Paul Nicklen can be found on the National Geographic website.