Paul Nicklen
Paul Nicklen is a Canadian wildlife photographer, filmmaker and marine biologist who shares life above and below the water, and co-founded SeaLegacy to help protect the ocean.
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Latest
Paul’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Hemeria
Frances Lincoln
teNeues
Natural History MuseumOverview
- From
- Canada, with a childhood on Baffin Island
- Work
- Wildlife photography, filmmaking and ocean conservation
- Education
- University of Victoria, BSc, 1990
- Early milestone
- A spirit bear photograph on National Geographic’s August 2011 cover
- SeaLegacy
- Co-founded with Cristina Mittermeier in 2014
Mini bio
How it started.
Paul grew up among Inuit communities on Baffin Island, learning to read the weather, travel on ice and listen to stories. A fascination with his mother’s darkroom led to borrowing her camera as a teenager. At the University of Victoria, scuba diving opened up another world to photograph.
Finding a voice.
After graduating in 1990, Paul worked as a wildlife biologist before choosing photography. National Geographic brought those close encounters to a wider audience. A spirit bear reached the magazine’s cover in August 2011; the following year, Bubble-jetting emperors won Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Pictures with a purpose.
In 2014, Paul and Cristina Mittermeier co-founded SeaLegacy to put ocean storytelling to work for conservation. Alongside expeditions and films, Paul makes fine art prints and books, including Born to Ice, Reverence and a handbook sharing the craft behind the pictures.
Creditschronological, newest first
Books
- 2026ReverencePhotographer and author
- 2026Paul Nicklen: A Photography MasterclassAuthor
- 2018Born to IcePhotographer and author
Photography
- 2012Escape VelocityPhotographs for National Geographic’s November issue
- 2012Bubble-jetting emperorsPhotographer
Conservation
- 2014SeaLegacyCo-founder with Cristina Mittermeier; lead storyteller
Awards
Quotes
The art I create is always in service to the ocean as I attempt to do its beauty justice through my lens.Paul Nicklen, SeaLegacy’s Our Founders page
Trivia
- His mother lent him a Pentax K1000 on a trip to Italy when he was 15.
- A leopard seal once spent four days trying to feed him penguins through the mouth of his camera lens.
- Born to Ice includes a foreword by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Find Paul
Follow Paul’s wildlife encounters, field stories and ocean conservation work.
Are you Paul Nicklen?
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