FEATURES
EGG YOLK JELLYFISH Bridging the gap between above and below, this egg yolk jellyfish dances on the thin blue line; a symbol of how connected the two worlds are. (Salish Sea, British Columbia, Canada.)
that are their prey and where they will slowly starve to death.” When all was said and done, though, the most important achievement of the footage was to demonstrate the power of visual media in highlighting the plight of wildlife and broadcasting it to vast audiences across the world. As the old saying goes, “A picture paints a thousand words.” And thanks to the digital age, these days a picture can reach a billion people too. “One of the major lessons to come from this was how much work there is still to do. The volume of climate change deniers that are out there was revealed. It was a shocking glimpse into the depth and range of denial,” says Cristina. CRISTINA’S LIFE’S WORK A woman with an incredible and formidable life’s mission, Cristina’s achievements over the course of a lifetime are truly an inspiration. In 2005, she founded the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) providing photographers a platform to work on environmental issues. When she began her career as a professional photographer, she discovered that many nature photographers 26
DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | SEPTEMBER 2020
were not interested in using their images to promote conservation, but there were a handful, however, who did. She convened a meeting of photographers at the 8th World Wilderness Congress in Alaska and this is where they created the ILCP organisation which allowed them to raise money for conservation projects by focusing on imagery and storytelling. Cristina was the Executive Director and the President of the ILCP until 2010. In 2014 she co-founded SeaLegacy with her partner, Paul Nicklen. SeaLegacy is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting the protection of the world’s oceans through storytelling. Their mission is to create healthy and abundant oceans, for everyone and for the planet. It was during a SeaLegacy mission to the Canadian Arctic that Cristina shot her now-infamous polar bear imagery that was to resonate around the world. In 2019, SeaLegacy expanded their team with the Blue Sphere Foundation in order to bring the world’s top photographers, conservationists, scientists, storytellers and strategists together to engage one billion people into ocean conservation through a bold new movement still pursued under the banner of SeaLegacy.
The core of each SeaLegacy mission is built around an expedition. They travel across the oceans, telling powerful visual stories that move people from apathy to action. The Compass is their diverse expert council which guides them to select locations and issues in most need of conservation. Cristina says, “Extraordinary opportunities exist to restore and sustainably develop our oceans in order to protect them and sustain all life on this planet.” This year, in 2020, SeaLegacy co-founded Only One under Cristina’s leadership and guidance, in collaboration with other leading organisations. A soft opening was launched at the end of June, and the complete platform will be introduced later this fall. Only One is a streaming service showcasing relevant and beautiful content that provides an interactive experience to a global audience. Cristina and Paul recently did a podcast for PADI Dive Stories with Ocean Allison, who asked them about the phrase they commonly reference – “this thin blue line” that separates air from water and what it means to them to slip below it. Cristina’s response was, “One of the things that happens after you have been a diver for a while, is that diving is no longer the important thing. It’s just another tool in your tool kit for the best picture that you can
