Veil Between Worlds
Silver Bank, Dominican Republic, 2017

Archival Pigment Print

“Each time I get in the water with a humpback whale, I am struck by their curiosity, playfulness and the unmistakable intelligence of a species that has traversed the ocean long before the humans walked the Earth. There are few things more humbling than swimming beside them and feeling the featherweight of your own insignificance next to a true gentle giant. At the same time, they have a funny way of illuminating just how much we share with our fellow wild kin. Much like humans, humpback whales communicate and unite through music, pass down invaluable knowledge to their young, and experience a vast, complex spectrum of deep emotion.” – Paul Nicklen

Arc of Grace
Monterey, California, 2019

Archival Pigment Print

“The shroud of mist rising off the sea created the perfect blurred canvas for a humpback’s fluke, lifting above the surface with every barnacle sharply defined. Of all the whales I’ve photographed around the world, humpbacks are some of the most playful, curious and fearless . Every feeding frenzy is a study in texture and scale, fins slicing through the water, flukes arching skyward and the occasional explosive breach, mouth gaping, throat expanding as bristled baleen siphons out hundreds of gallons of sea water. They seem to revel in the spectacle, and I can’t help but be completely captivated every time” – Paul Nicklen

Antarctica, 2022

In a land of ice and water, the lines between what is real and what is illusion often becomes blurred. On calm days, when the winds are low, the entire sea becomes a mirror reflecting the colossal sculptures of drifting icebergs. The soft polar light refracting through the ice and scattering across the surface only adds to the ethereal feeling of the scene.

Legend – 2025

Archival Pigment Print

Wildlife photographer, filmmaker, and marine biologist Paul Nicklen has shot some of the world’s most remote and threatened environments for National Geographic, and is recognized by the global conservation community for his climate activism. Nicklen has received some of the highest honors for a photographer in his field, including the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the World Press Photo for Photojournalism. In 2018 he was named one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year, and he was made an International Photography Hall of Fame inductee the following year. A specialist in photographing polar regions, Nicklen produces compassionate images that express reverence for the fragile ecosystems and endangered species most affected by climate change. He is particularly adept at capturing underwater subjects.

Yukon, Canada, 2010

“Grizzly bears patrol the shores of the Fishing Branch River in northern Yukon during late October, keeping an eye out for spawning chum salmon. This time of year is imperative for bears’ health, as they must build fat stores to survive hibernation during frigid northern-Canadian winters. Thankfully, these majestic bears are protected in this region, leaving them with one less thing to worry about.” – Paul Nicklen

Antarctica, 2011

“Through their finely-tuned evolution and incredible athleticism, emperor penguins have more than earned their namesake and reign over Antarctica’s formidable icescapes.” – Paul Nicklen

Qaanaaq, Greenland – 2015

“I was four years old when my family moved to Baffin Island in Canada’s vast Nunavut territory and I first fell in love with sled dogs. They are not fast compared to their racing counterparts, but tough and resilient like little polar bears – the furry engines of the far north. This moment, shot in Qaanaaq, Greenland, is a tribute to the indispensable partners that make life in the Arctic possible.” – Paul Nicklen