Ocean Photography: Inspiring Conservation

Hello there!

Two days ago I got to attend a short conference lead by the acclaimed photographer Keith Ellenbogen in the Katie Murphy Amphitheater. The presentation was titled Ocean Photography: Inspiring Conservation. Basically Keith Ellenbogen, showcased his incredible images and talked to us about his various experiences and stories on his environmental and marine science expeditions. Going into this I didn’t really know what to expect, since I’m not much of an ocean lover or really at all interested in this particular subject. But seeing his photography and the way he was so passionate about this topic and what he did, struck me. The images he showed us were absolutely incredible, I never realized how much patience and thought goes into snapping an image (of an ocean creature/wildlife). He talked about how his images serve bigger purposes than just a simple image of an oceanic creature. It is really an art form to itself. I also never realized how much innovation goes into the art of photography. Everything is calculated and planned ahead (at least in his case). He will sometimes spend months and months in one spot, just to get the perfect shot, which might never happen. But that does not seem to bother him.

This made me realize that I shouldn’t restrict myself to subjects that only interest me, because like in this example it opened my eyes to a completely new world I was completely ignorant of, and showed me a new found love and interest. It also made me realize how little I know of my own planet, and has encouraged me to educate myself more. Sometimes going out of your comfort zones, can actually be beneficial and allow you to discover different sides of yourself you wouldn’t otherwise.

Hope this inspired a few of you!:)

xoxo

-Z