Picturing Culture

iLCP Executive Director Cristina Mittermeier is at the forefront of the modern conservation movement

By Kim Castleberry, Photography By Cristina Mittermeier

Mittermeier is planning to go on a couple of RAVEs in the coming months. In February, the iLCP is heading to Patagonia to document the construction of a hydroelectric dam that would destroy one of the region’s oldest rivers. Another project is in the works in British Columbia.

“The role of photography in conservation is always evolving,” says Mittermeier. “And as photographers, we’re much more effective when we work together.”

Cristina Mittermeier Quick Facts
As a photographer and writer since 1996, Mittermeier has coedited nine books, including a series published with Conservation International and Cemex. Included in that series are:

Megadiversity: Earth’s Wealthiest Countries for Biodiversity (1996)
Hotspots: Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Ecoregions (1998)
Wilderness Areas: Earth’s Last Wild Places (2002)
Wildlife Spectacles (2003)
Hotspots Revisited; Transboundary Conservation: A New Vision for Protected Areas (2005)
Pantanal: South America’s Wetland Jewel (2005)
In 2009, A Climate For Life: Meeting the Global Challenge and The Wealth of Nature joined the series, with both examining the impact of climate change on biodiversity

Sony Artisans Of Imagery
Cristina Mittermeier was chosen as one of six professional photographers to launch Sony’s Artisans of Imagery program in 2008. The group also includes Andy Katz, Me Ra Koh, David McLain, Brian Smith and Matthew Jordan Smith.

“This is my second year with the program,” says Mittermeier. “I got involved because I love the Sony α900. For the kind of shooting I do, it’s the most wonderful piece of equipment—lightweight, steady, resistant to humidity, heat, cold and rough use. I also love the rest of the Artisan team. We’re like a little family.”

The group shares their expertise by lecturing and doing educational workshops at universities and photography festivals. In addition to providing instruction and motivation to future generations of photographers, they give Sony input on equipment development, enabling the company to better meet the needs of demanding pros.

“Sony asks me to try new equipment, review it and make suggestions for how to improve it,” Mittermeier explains. “As a woman shooter, I couldn’t recommend any other camera more than the Sony α900.”

Last October, to mark the program’s first anniversary, each photographer displayed work exclusively shot with the Sony α900 at the Aperture Gallery in New York. The images were taken all over the globe, including England, India, Madagascar, Thailand and the U.S. Additionally, their work can be seen in various books, advertising campaigns and worldwide exhibitions.

More information about Sony’s Artisans of Imagery program can be found at www.Sony.com/darkroom.

To see more of Cristina Mittermeier’s work, go to www.cristinamittermeier.com. Visit the International League of Conservation Photographers at www.ilcp.com.

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