Cristina Mittermeier
Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier (born Cristina Sofía Goettsch Cabello: November 26, 1966 in Mexico City, Mexico) is a photographer, biologist, and author. She is founder, former President, and a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers.[1]
Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier | |
---|---|
Born | Cristina Sofía Goettsch Cabello November 26, 1966 Mexico City, Mexico |
Nationality | Mexican, American |
Citizenship | American |
Education | Biochemical Engineer/Fisheries and Marine Biology |
Alma mater | ITESM |
Occupation | Photojournalist |
Employer | Self-employed |
Known for | Founder and former presidentInternational League of Conservation Photographers |
Partner(s) | Russell Mittermeier Paul Nicklen |
Children | Michael Mittermeier, Juliana Mittermeier, John Mittermeier |
Relatives | Sony |
Website | http://cristinamittermeier.com/ |
Biography
Mittermeier received her undergraduate degree in marine biology from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, (ITESM) in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico in 1989.[2] She married Dr. Russell Mittermeier in 1991 and the two of them moved to Great Falls, Virginia.[3] It is with him that she has coauthored several books. Prior to becoming a professional photographer, she conducted fieldwork in the Gulf of California and the Yucatan Peninsula in subjects including marine mammals, fisheries, aquaculture, biodiversity research and conservation, resulting in publications in scientific journals.[4][5][6]
Mittermeier studied photography at the Corcoran College for the Arts in Washington, D.C. (no degree). Her images focus on demonstrating the important relationship between human cultures, especially indigenous people and biodiversity.
A good portion of her work centers on a tribe from the central Amazon called the Kayapo (see image on the left). The Kayapo continue to invite her back to photograph their way of life and their struggle to keep their territory and she said she "tries to bring that story out in the most dignified, compelling way"[7] she can. Mittermeier said that she's passionate about the lives and struggles of indigenous people and the important role they play to protect biodiversity, languages, culture, and landscapes.
In 2005, Mittermeier created the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), and in 2011 resigned from her position as the organization's President.[8] She sits on the Board of Directors of the WILD Foundation,[9] and the Chairman's Council of Conservation International (her ex-husband's organization).[10] Mittermeier also photographed, and was integral to the deliberations of, the Defying Ocean's End Conference[11] (Los Cabos, Mexico 2003), working closely with Dr. Sylvia Earle.
In 2008, she was named one of Sony's Artisans of Imagery.[12]
In 2014, Mittermeier, together with photographer and partner Paul Nicklen, co-founded SeaLegacy, an organization that uses visual storytelling and photography to further the cause of ocean conservation.
Books
Cristina Mittermeier has edited or coauthored twenty books, including the CEMEX Conservation Book Series.[13]
- Hotspots: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions, 1999. Conservation International, Washington, DC
- Megadiversity: Earths Biologically Wealthiest Nations, 1997. CEMEX, Mexico
- Wildlife Spectacles
- Hotspots Revisited: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions, 2005.[14] Conservation International, with a Foreword by Harrison Ford and Ed Wilson.
- Wilderness Areas: Earth's Last Wild Places, 2003. Conservation International, Washington, DC
- TransboundaryConservation: A New Vision for Protected Areas, 2005. Conservation International, Washington, DC
- The Human Footprint: Challenges for Wilderness and Biodiversity, 2006. CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers. Mexico
- A Climate for Life, Facing the Global Challenge, 2008.CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers. Mexico
- The Wealth of Nature, 2009. CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers. Mexico
- Freshwater; the Essence of Life, 2010. CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers.
- Sublime Nature: Photographs That Awe and Inspire, 2014 National Geographic.
Her first monograph, Amaze, was published by teNeues in 2018.
Awards
Nature's Best Conservation Photographer of the Year 2010[15]
Member of the World Photographic Academy[16]
North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) 2010 Mission Award
References
- International League of Conservation Photographers. "Meet ILCP Senior Fellow Photographer Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier". Archived from the original on 2011-06-24. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
- Klaus, Kari (December 8, 2009). "Cristina Mittermeier: Picturing a Hopeful World". Conservation International.
- Crawford, Beverly (February 5, 2003). "Who Is Cristina Mittermeier?". Great Falls Connection.
- Mittermeier, Russel; Mittermeier, Cristina; et al. (February 24, 2000). "Biodiversity Hotspots for Conservation Priorities". Nature. 403 (6772): 853–858. doi:10.1038/35002501. PMID 10706275.
- Mittermeier, Cristina; et al. (February 15, 2002). "Marine Biodiversity Hotspots and Conservation Priorities for Tropical Reefs". Science. 295 (5558): 1280–1284. doi:10.1126/science.1067728. PMID 11847338.
- Mittermeier, Russel; Mittermeier, Cristina; et al. (2003). "Wilderness and Biodiversity Conservation". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 100 (18): 10309–10313. doi:10.1073/pnas.1732458100. PMC 193557. PMID 12930898.
- YouTube user fineprintimaging (February 25, 2011). "Voices Behind the Lens". International League of Conservation Photographers.
- Manfredo, Michael J. (2009). Wildlife and Society: The Science of Human Dimensions. Washington D.C.: Island Press. p. 335.
- The WILD Foundation. "Members of the Board". Archived from the original on 2012-12-28.
- Conservation International. "Chairman's Council".
- VGuide. "Cristina Mittermeier Video Interviews". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2013-09-19.
- CreativeLIVE. "Cristina Mittermeier Biography".
- CEMEX Building the Future. "Conservation". Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
- Conservation International. "Hotspots Revisited: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Threatened Terrestrial Ecoregions". Archived from the original on 2011-01-02. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
- Nature's Best Photography. "Conservation Photographer of the Year Award".
- World Photography Organisation. "Cristina Mittermeier". Archived from the original on 2010-12-23.
External links
- Photographer's website
- ILCP website
- Kayapó Indigenous Nation
- Nature Journal experts