Partner Profile: International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP)
(And some of the best underwater images you’ll ever see)
At KSLOF we strongly believe in the value of a powerful image. Perhaps because it helps make an emotional connection to a creature many of us will never meet, or it illustrates a concealed threat to our coral reefs, or it inspire us to take a moment to reflect and appreciate all that the oceans can offer us. For these reasons and more we use images in our education materials, our outreach and conservation presentations, our scientific reports and on this website, many of which have come from our partnership with the International League of Conservation Photographers. We highly value our partnership with the iLCP and want to take an opportunity to feature them in this ‘Partner Profile’.
International League of Conservation Photographers
By Gaston Lacombe, iLCP
Established in 2005, the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) is a U.S. based non-profit organization whose mission is to further environmental and cultural conservation through photography. Our programs are built on the participation and contributions of our Fellows, an elite group of the world’s top wildlife, nature and culture photographers who, in addition to displaying top-notch photographic skills, have each demonstrated a deep commitment to conservation efforts around the globe. As a collective body, our goal is to use the art of high-quality photography to encourage people, organizations and governments to take action in support of tangible and meaningful conservation measures.
Our work with KSLOF allows our marine photographers the distinct privilege of cooperating with an important organization focused on marine science and conservation. Already iLCP Fellows have climbed on board the M/Y Golden Shadow several times. Michele Westmorland joined the science team in French Polynesia, Jürgen Freund went aboard with the researchers on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and most recently Keith Ellenbogen just returned from the expedition to Palau. This furthers their ability to tell the story, to a global audience, of why ocean health is so important to us all.
Explore and enjoy Jürgen Freund’s images of the Great Barrier Reef:
(Click-thru on images for stunning detail!)
Dive into Michele Westmorland’s images from French Polynesia:
(Click-thru on images for stunning detail!)
Keith Ellenbogen, a photographer with iLCP, joined us for the Global Reef Expedition’s mission to Palau and shares tales of his adventure in an article in National Geographic Voices and in the travel magazine, Seven Seas. Here are some of his best photos from the trip:
(Click-thru on images for stunning detail!)
We believe that strong imagery has the unique power of changing minds. Since very few people will ever see coral reefs and marine life with their own eyes, we aim to create images that impress, educate, and inspire action. But none of these images can be created unless the photographer has access to these often hard to reach locations, something only a partnership with a dedicated partner like Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation can help us achieve.
For iLCP, it is of crucial importance that our images are put to work, and reach a wide audience, from scientists, to politicians, to school children. KSLOF’s commitment to advancing literacy on ocean conservation issues is one of the key reasons we proudly continue to organize expeditions with them. Through consultations with KSLOF, images from our joint expeditions have been, or are planned to be used, in various publications, exhibits, conference presentations and educational outreach programs.
One of our main focuses in the last few years has been the protection of the world’s oceans, and our work with Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) has been a crucial partnership in furthering this goal. As the Chair of the iLCP Board of Directors, Shari Sant Plummer, said in a recent interview: “At the end of the day, ocean conservation is not just about saving a particular fish, it’s about saving ourselves. […] If we don’t have a healthy ocean, we won’t survive.”
Our partnership with KSLOF has proven valuable to building up our unique library of images from the world’s threatened hot spots, and in providing resources to multiple stakeholders who work to protect our oceans. We look forward to continuing and evolving our relationship with KSLOF, as we work together to bring striking images of the world’s marine environments to the eyes of the public.
