“Wildlife in Wild Lands – Photography for Conservation in Southern South America”
Laura Crawford Williams traveled throughout southern South America for more than eight years, with her team of helpers and volunteers. They explored the most remote areas of countries such as Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia while helping public and private conservation efforts, such as the historic creation of Patagonia National Park. This book is the result of her journey and work with scores of conservation-minded individuals committed to protect wildlife and wild lands inside the Southern Cone.
Within the pages of this book, you will discover a thoughtful and breathtaking collection of images celebrating the beauty and diversity of life. The images are as rich and varied as nature itself. What makes this collection special is Laura’s ability to evoke an emotional response within a single frame. The most successful photography is accomplished with clear focus and the presence of mind to quickly and accurately consider multiple influences: aesthetics, behavior, light, story, and technique. This is her gift and these images prove her success.
Beautiful imagery is only a part of what this 240-page book has to offer. In its development, Laura kept one important goal in mind: that this collection be visually, as well as intellectually, compelling. Every beautiful image is captioned with descriptions regarding interesting behavior, conservation issues and status. An additional chapter, titled “Between Frames”, gives you a glimpse of the work and adventure happening behind the scenes. She shares stories from the road about life in the field and her experiences with so many special people working in conservation in southern South America.
Books about conservation often leave the reader feeling dis-hearted and powerless to effect change. In the afterword, Laura offers reason for hope; one simple suggestion for how one simple human may help grow appreciation and love for the natural world. She says, “For those of us that cannot live without wild things, we must inspire those who believe they can. You need not invest a lot of time. Simply remind them of the visual and emotional gifts that come from our natural world, and always share that wonder and excitement with a child.”
President Mauricio Macri of Argentina joins Laura’s call to action. In the foreword, he writes:
“The richness that surrounds us is changing at an accelerated speed, not only in our country, but around the world. The planet is suffering from significant changes due to human activities. This context of climate change and extinction crisis obligates us to think in new paradigms…it is essential to understand that ecology is not at odds with development or economic growth.”
Considering today’s political climate, this message has never been more important.