Daisy Gilardini is a conservation photographer who specializes in the Polar Regions, with a particular emphasis on Antarctic wildlife. She is from Switzerland originally, and is now based in Vancouver, Canada. She is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) and the SeaLegacy Collective, a fellow of the New York-based Explorers Club, and  member of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.  In 2018 Daisy has been nominated as Greenpeace Antarctic Ambassador.  Her childhood passion for the natural world has evolved into a lifelong commitment to spread the message of conservation and the need to preserve what's left of the world’s remaining wild places.

Many times I have tried to understand this irresistible attraction I have to the Polar Regions. I would define it as an addiction, almost, or obsession. The isolation from modern civilization, and all its distractions, makes me focus and appreciate the simple rhythms of Nature. As a conservation photographer, I feel it is my duty to capture the beauty of places and species at risk and raise awareness through the universal power of the images I capture. During the past 25 years, I have focused my work on documenting the polar regions. Both the Arctic and Antarctic hold a very special place in my heart, not just because of easily recognizable, iconic species like penguins and polar bears, but because these animals symbolize one of the most pertinent environmental issue of our time: climate change. While science provides the data that explains issues and suggests solutions, photography symbolizes these issues. Science is the brain, while photography is the heart.  We need both to inspire and influence behavioral changes and conservation actions. For Nature, and for us.

Languages spoken : French and English

Photo credit : ARR