Saving the Environment – One Artwork at a Time

As mankind struggles to strike a balance between progress and its environmental consequences, an  unlikely hero shows us environment’s natural wonders and reminds us of the importance of making the right choice.  This guardian is the world of art, and fine art photography in particular.

The ability of art to capture beauty and inspiration, combined with photography’s strength of documenting its subjects, creates an influential force that makes us conscious of the world around us.  Sometimes you do not even notice that you’ve been inspired by an amazing landscape or nature photograph before your mind wonders.  Where is it taken?  A protected park?  A forest away from civilization?  Is the wolf in the wild or a zoo?

Documentary inspiration is a positive and powerful combination that influences us to think about that which is beautiful and natural.  It is much better than yelling “beware!” in a room of ears deafened by the constant negative warnings that environmentalists often employ.

The discussion of art and its relationship with the environment is even more fitting after last week’s highlight of Ansel Adams, a pioneer of documentary fine art photography.  After being inspired during his childhood by the beauty of Yosemite National Park, Adams became as much an environmentalist as he was an artist.  Since then, his amazing photography has inspired a large following and influenced many to think of the environment.

It is this simple and positive influence that makes art a natural champion of environmental protection and no cause is more noble.