Visualizing the Environmental Emergency: Empathy and Connection in Environmental Storytelling

The current global coverage of the environmental emergency and the climate crisis consists mostly of single images, often related to environmental photography. How can contemporary photography use its visual power to create stories that trigger empathy, closeness and connectedness, and inspire people to act?

The Anthropocene has radically and dangerously changed the relationship between humans and nature. This is forcing us to review the way we live our lives, and redress the negative impacts. Everyone is asked to do their bit in order to reduce their planetary footprint and live a more sustainable life.

How can contemporary photography have an important role in defining, inspiring and touching people’s emotions towards this goal? Are we asking too much of photographers, or do they have a responsibility in environmental storytelling? Now more than ever we need people to feel connected with nature, the issues, and other people across the planet. We need to understand how contemporary photography can have a very important role.

This event features Maria Teresa Salvati and Mattia Marzorati, and is moderated by Dr Paul Lowe.

This event is supported by the Photography and the Archive Research Centre, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, and Everything is Connected.