Perhaps the main objective of all great nature- and wildlife photography is trying to shorten the distance between people and nature, make them feel, think, and see what is around. Reconnect with what is truly important. Amazing things and incredible beauty is everywhere. In the Arctic, in our backyard and the park. We just need to keep our eyes open. A hedgehog or a squirrel in our garden at home in Sweden, can fill us with just as much joy and awe as a polar bear on the ice.

 

The more often we see the things around us, even the beautiful and wonderful things, the more they become invisible to us. We tend to take the beauty of this world for granted... the flowers, the trees, the birds, the mountains, the light –— even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.

 

A couple of hundred years ago we were part of nature. Now we’ve moved to cities, watch Netflix and have the entire world in our smartphones. At some point, we lost sight of the fact that to harm nature, is to harm ourselves. We disconnected from nature and over time, nature has become something we watch on TV, or plan a vacation to. It is time to reconnect. If not for the sake of nature, then for the sake of ourselves. But we say that’s the same thing. 

 

If nature isn’t kept healthy, humans will not survive. It is as simple as that.

 

We share Earth with so much life, so much beauty that wants nothing but living and being part of the natural world, and part of ecosystems which are in perfect balance until we step in and mess it up. 

 

We are all a part of this, big or small, we all have a role to play. Everything we do matters and all our actions have consequences. Not only for ourselves, but for life far, far away.  

 

The greatest threat to the future of life on our planet is not politicians with shortsighted agendas or money hungry big corporations. It is indifference. Quoting our dear friend Paul Nicklen: “We have to break down the walls of apathy.”

 

The question is not how we feel about all of this. The question is what we do. Words, like these, are just words.