A tired world: images of climate change

For the past four years, New York Times photographer Josh Haner has documented the effects of climate change around the world with the help of photographs and videos. A selection of his work on Climate Change and UNESCO World Heritage Sites Affected by Climate Change will be exhibited at Photo London, Somerset House, May 16-19. Many of the images were taken with a drone, but his most recent work at the Galapagos Islands required him to work underwater. In this interview with James Estrin, he talks about his cover.

What have been the biggest challenges in this work on climate change?

The effects of climate change occur on a time scale so slow that it is often difficult to document them visually. As a result, I think that many images of climate change that we have become accustomed to have focused on polar bears floating on pieces of sea ice or separating glaciers. This kind of repetitive photos has made people indifferent to many important stories about how our changing climate affects people and places around the world.

A great deal of research is being done on climate change and we tend to write our reports based on the scientific evidence from these reports. However, it is difficult to create dynamic images of scientists in a wild environment. We are always looking for important and visually appealing projects.

I've been documenting climate change caused by drones worldwide over the past four years, and I've observed an increasingly stringent regulation of the use of these devices around the world. whole, which has complicated the production of dynamic aerial images.

Now, I spend most of my time completing license applications and license forms to get permission to use drones in some of the most fragile places in the world, such as lorries. Easter Island and the Galapagos Islands. First, I have to study the particular laws of each country on the use of drones. Then I work with lawyers, governments, airspace regulators, customs officials and sometimes with the air force of the country to use drones to take pictures and record videos.

You were at the Galapagos last year.

We realized that the islands were important for our series on how climate change is affecting natural and cultural heritage sites around the world. When we began to badyze the surveys conducted there, it became clear that most of the effects were occurring under water. So I quickly realized that I had to take many underwater photos and videos.

Was the use of a drone under water the solution?

Well, we plan to use submarine vehicles operating remotely with embedded cameras, but because of the connection cable, they are not allowed to be near the animals in the Galapagos. That meant that I had to learn to dive. It had always seemed scary. I had set the limit for using snorkeling, which I like very much.

I spent several weekends for a few months learning to dive off the Californian coast at Monterey Bay. I was fortunate to be able to rely on an instructor who was also a submarine photographer, as there are many unique problems related to the maintenance of your equipment, the prevention of leaks. water and the treatment of reflection and sun exposure.

In addition, after months of discussions, they also allowed us to fly drones to the Galapagos. One of the stipulations was that I had to be accompanied by a national game warden all the time while we were on land and in the water – just to make sure none of our recordings were in the water. had a negative impact on animals in their natural habitat. Forest rangers have examined all effects on animal behavior and have also been careful to limit their impact on these extremely fragile lands.

All our equipment and clothing had to be quarantined before we went to these islands, many of which are closed to visitors. We had to wear different clothes, including shoes and new hats for each island. The reporter, Nicholas Casey, and I had to undress and put all our belongings in plastic bags so we could transport them directly to quarantine upon our return to the main island.

What was the feeling of being in these islands so famous for their history?

Being there was an amazing experience. We had to commit ourselves in advance in our itinerary and wait for the weather to cooperate. As there are many restrictions to visiting these sites, we had to stick with the planning, which is difficult when you have never been to a place before.

Very few people have visited these places and many bays do not have real names on the maps, so it's very difficult to search them on Google. Trying to do a previous survey was almost impossible and we just had to trust our contacts there.

What is truly unique among the Galapagos is that there are very few super predators out there. The animals are not usually surprised by your presence. As long as you maintain a very calm behavior, they do not change behavior.

That's also why they restrict access to these places – they do not want animals to get used to humans too much.

What is the effect of climate change in Galapagos?

So much is happening. It's in the sight of three currents. El Niño and La Niña hit them with more force. We badyze the effect of warmer temperatures affecting coral, which affects smaller fish such as sardines and in turn affects sea lions and the birds that depend on them.

What are the differences in underwater photography and what are their challenges?

Skill becomes a problem under water because you wear gloves and try to handle small buttons in a gigantic plastic shell that protects your precious camera. And when you go to the Galapagos, you do not have a ton of relief equipment, because you have to be agile when you move between sea and land and change islands.

You must plan the depth to which you will arrive to be able to choose your case. Some only work a few meters deep and others can go much further.

So you really have to compromise on your focal length before diving because there is no easy way to change the lenses under water. It's always a challenge, especially when you're not completely sure what you'll see at each location.

If you do not plan properly, you will have to go to the surface, then clean your equipment with fresh water, wait for it to dry, change your lenses, re-lubricate the rubber seals that separate the different parts of your case, and then bademble everything. as well as clean any sand residue. It's just to change the lens, battery or memory card.

It takes a lot of planning and practice to decide how to approach different situations. In fact, I learned as I went.

So, is it quiet when you dive? Perhaps, being so aware of everything, there are fewer distractions.

I'm not sure that there are less distractions. The main challenge in diving is that my field of view is limited because you use a mask that does not allow you to see from a distance, neither left nor right.

Nick and I were always together – in the company of the ranger – so when someone saw something in the peripheral vision of the other person, he was touching his leg. We also had whiteboards on which we could write under the water, so we would not have to surface to talk and spend time adjusting ourselves when we were submerged again.

Most of the places we dive were near the coast. So we had waves that hit the shore. However, there were very few motorized vehicles in the vicinity, and it was very quiet under the water. The loudest sound was that of the air bubbles of our regulators when we exhaled.

How is it different from other environments you have photographed?

Under water, visibility is reduced and animals are often camouflaged. You must therefore do a great research to locate the animal and plant life you want to document. It's a bit like a treasure hunt, but over time, because you have little oxygen when you're under water.

How long does oxygen take under water?

We had between thirty and forty minutes of oxygen and, during one of our dives, we spent a lot of our time trying to find a marine iguana at the bottom of the water during the brief period spent feeding 'algae. They are camouflaged and hard to see!

Did you use a strobe light?

I did not use strobe light because I was recording video, but I used lights under the water. And that is one last thing you have to handle when you are under water. So in addition to the focus, exposure, and switching between photography and video, then you have to adjust the intensity and direction of the lights that are in those articulated arms of the camera and do all that when there is power.

What is the next challenge?

A combination of drone images with possibly a 3D modeling and interactive graphics allowing you to use the movement of the drone to create a narrative effect in the room. That's what I would love to live in the future.

I've also been trying to create parts with a fast camera in Yellowstone because drones are banned in US national parks. I've been really enthralled by the fast camera images and hope to be able to use it a lot more in the years to come.

Have you always been a lover of outdoor activities?

My dad was a lover of outdoor activities and each of my parents worked part time when I was growing up. When my father took care of me, we were often in contact with nature for hiking and, from a very young age, I was impressed by the importance of being at home. 39; outside. And I kept doing it. I took some of my first photographs in forests around San Francisco and in the Yosemite Mountains.

In the middle of each year, I make long trips with only one backpack. I feel really comfortable when I'm away from any technology and sitting on a lake in the mountains.

One of the main reasons that my wife and I recently decided to move to northern California was to get closer to nature, the places we visited, and the campsite where I camped in. my childhood. We really want to share this with our daughter as she grows up.

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