I’m not entirely sure what I expected from Michael “Nick” Nichols, National Geographic’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the publication’s Editor-at-Large of photography, but it certainly was not a kind-hearted, down-to-earth man standing proudly, but not pompously, in front of the dwarfing images of larger-than-life elephants, lions and trees.
Nichols began his presentation with a quick National Geographic clip in honor of the magazine’s 125th anniversary, jokingly describing National Geographic photographers as, “standing in front of more interesting stuff for 125 years.”
Instead of jumping straight into conversation about his recent works, Nichols instead told a brief, tear-jerking story about having to put his mother in hospice care.
“We’ve forgotten how to die,” Nichols said. “In tears I drove to the hospice office. I left in tears, tears of joy. I wish elephants had hospice.”
Through these emotionally-charged few minutes, Nichols presented himself not just as a talented and accomplished photographer, but also as a compassionate and relatable human. This theme continued throughout his presentation, as Nichols showed genuine care and respect for the natural elements he has photographed and for the people who interact with these elements on a daily basis.
Nichols relayed his seemingly ridiculous venture of climbing up 250-foot tall trees to capture the image of an entire sequoia tree for the December 2012 National Geographic article, “The World’s Largest Trees.” Somehow, Nichols succeeded in this feat, withstanding blizzards to capture nearly 100 composite images that were all pieced together to form one giant photograph.
Nichols willingly jumped at the opportunity to photograph elephants for his recently published his book, “Earth to Sky: Among Africa’s Elephants, a Species in Crisis.” He fell in love with elephants, he told the crowd, after seeing an elephant mother teaching her baby how to use its trunk, showcasing the care and thoughtfulness of the species.
The conversation turned grave, however, as he went on to discuss the brutal impact of poaching on the African elephant population. The team of researchers escorting Nichols attached a GPS collar to one of the elephants, affectionately named Annie, and tracked her for three months. One day her trail stopped, and when the squad searched for her, their plane was shot at, and they discovered her body shot down, her tusks stolen by malevolent poachers.
“The new wealth in China has devastated elephants for this useless commodity,” Nichols said.
Nichols is adamant about halting this process — all proceeds from this event went to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant orphanage in Kenya that he worked with during his journey.
“Elephants are like humans, if you love them, they will love you too,” he said.
Nichols’ deep understanding and appreciation for a world much bigger than he is highlighted the true power of photography. By making his images part of a narrative, he showed the possibility for art to truly move audiences and affect change.
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