BigPicture: Natural World Photography from the California Academy of Sciences opened to the public in September 2024 and will now travel globally with the American Museum of Natural History as touring partner.
This digitally distributed travelling exhibition will feature winning images from the competition and insights from leading scientists and photographers, allowing audiences to explore new landscapes and cultures from multiple angles.
The exhibition showcases the winners and finalists of the 11th annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition. It aims to foster a deeper connection between humans and the natural world.
Championing conservation
By highlighting the beauty and fragility of our planet, the exhibition inspires a sense of responsibility and encourages viewers to become advocates for conservation.
Rhonda Rubinstein, co-founder of BigPicture, says that the exhibition has a unique ability to help people connect with nature and to spark behaviour change. “Regeneration is our mission,” she says, “for the natural world, but we’re also regenerating the human/nature connection.”
The lens through which the images are chosen highlights the human/nature connection, showing the fragility of ecosystems and the urgent need for conservation efforts. The photographs, often capturing moments of vulnerability and beauty, evoke emotional responses, prompting viewers to consider their role in protecting the environment.
“Part of the challenge is how disconnected people are from the natural world,” says Rubinstein. “We’re spending less and less time out in nature. Seeing these images is an easy way to see what’s beyond your typical field of vision. And you get captivated by this charismatic animal or this unusual behavior.
“Then you start to care about the animal and see how everything is connected. Probably one of the changes in wildlife photography from a decade ago is that, in the past, it was all these new charismatic animals, these long shots out in the wild. Now, I think it’s much more about behaviors and interactions between animals or between the environment. And you see how the larger systems come into play in this particular moment.”
Showcasing talent
BigPicture seamlessly blends artistic expression with scientific observation. The images, often accompanied by detailed captions and narratives, provide valuable insights into the natural world, bridging the gap between artistic appreciation and scientific understanding, creating big wow moments for audiences and scientists alike.
The competition is also a platform for emerging talent and women photographers. BigPicture embraces both professional and amateur photographers, providing a platform for diverse voices and perspectives. This inclusivity fosters a vibrant community of nature photographers and encourages the discovery of new talent.
“One of the things that we’ve been focused on is trying to encourage is more women in wildlife and conservation photography and to showcase women photographers. Our jury is six photographers, and we’ve always had three male and three female photographers. In our 11 years of existence, we have had five women grand prize winners.”
The touring exhibition includes 48 images from 25 countries, selected from over 7,000 photographs. It features categories such as Aquatic Life, Winged Life, Human/Nature, Terrestrial Wildlife, Landscapes, Waterscapes and Flora, Art of Nature, and Photo Story.
BigPicture just completed its call for its 12th annual competition, which will be presented in the autumn at the California Academy of Sciences.
