Wildlife / Animals nominee

On my second day in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, a stranger started talking with me about my experience photographing the Japanese macaques. I mentioned that some of my favorite images from the previous day were of groups of the monkeys. He told me he wasn’t interested in photographing multiple animals and was only photographing isolated ones, as he found them to be more impactful. It was a statement that made me reflect on my own work.

I have sought out single subjects on many occasions, some of which have made for a few of my favorite images. But one of my biggest drivers for presenting a wildlife image is the hope of establishing a connection between the viewer and the animal. While a lone figure can certainly express a spirit, power, and resolve, some feelings aren’t conveyed as effectively with just one subject—feelings that strike a different chord.

Safety. Comfort. Trust.

Eric Kanigan is a Canadian-American photographer and storyteller who is driven to visit remote corners of the globe to highlight commonalities where others might initially perceive differences.

A degree in Biology solidified his affinity for wildlife and the natural world. However, it was a specific focus in ecology that left the largest impression. The core premise that organisms and species are intertwined, no matter how disparate in form and function, inspires much of his work today.

Eric brings his audience with him above and below the surface to bear witness to some of the world’s most striking scenes and beings. He seeks images with the intent to bring them to life as physical prints—a permanence and longevity he creates with the finished piece, but more importantly, wants to observe in the subjects through conservation and action. Through his artwork and writing, Eric ventures beyond a simple image—not to lecture, but to inspire individuals to develop their own thoughts on the environmental, social, and ethical questions that we face today.

He hopes that others might recognize some of themselves in the people and the animals with whom we are fortunate to share our planet.