Boyd Norton

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Boyd Norton (born April 8, 1936) [1] is an American photographer, known for his work in wilderness photography and his environmental activism. He is the photographer/author of 17 books covering topics such as from African elephants, mountain gorillas, Siberia's Lake Baikal and issues of Alaskan and Rocky Mountain conservation. [2] He contributed photographs to the Environmental Protection Agency's Documerica project in the early 1970s. [1]

Contents

Life and career

Rafting in Hells Canyon (1973) by Boyd Norton A LARGE (28 FOOT) RAFT RUNNING WILD SHEEP RAPIDS ON THE SNAKE RIVER DURING A CONSERVATION TRIP THROUGH HELLS CANYON - NARA - 549462.jpg
Rafting in Hells Canyon (1973) by Boyd Norton

In August 1960, during a cross-country trip to California, Norton fell in love with the Teton Range and took a job as a nuclear scientist with the United States Atomic Energy Commission in Idaho Falls, Idaho [3] so that he could live nearby. Hells Canyon, located at the border of Oregon and Idaho, was the first place where Norton used his photography to further an environmental cause. In 1969, his photographs of Hells Canyon were instrumental in convincing Oregon Senator Bob Packwood to introduce the establishing Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. [4] His photographs also helped establish Jedediah Smith Wilderness next to Grand Teton National Park, and the Sawtooth National Wilderness. [5]

His book Alaska: Wilderness Frontier [6] described the lands that would be protected by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. At his request, copies of the book were sent to every member of congress. [3]

Since then, his environmental activism has extended worldwide. In 1990, together with David Brower, he lobbied Russian Foreign Minister Edward Shevardnadze to gain support for the designation of Siberia's Lake Baikal as a World Heritage Site. [5] The book with his photographs that chronicles the journey taken by Peter Matthiessen [7] brought Lake Baikal to the attention of English-language readers. [8]

In 2010, Norton and Dave Blanton co-founded Serengeti Watch [9] to oppose a commercial highway across the Serengeti National Park. [10] [11] His book Serengeti: The Eternal Beginning [12] resulting from 26 years of photography in the Serengeti was called a "huge success as a platform for conservation." [13] He has himself written a Conservation Photography Handbook. [14]

Boyd Norton is a founder and Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers. [15] [16] He was on the board of directors for the North American Nature Photography Association. [17] In 2015, he received the Sierra Club's Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography.

Books

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References

  1. 1 2 "Norton, Boyd, 1936–". National Archives Catalogue. Archived from the original on January 28, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  2. "Norton, Boyd [WorldCat Identities]". WorldCat.org. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Boyd Norton (2016), Conservation Photography Handbook, chapter 1, Amherst Media
  4. Gulick, Amy (May 5, 2016). "Cameras For A Cause". Outdoor Photographer. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Norton, Boyd; Daily, Special to the (March 9, 2014). "Nature photographer Boyd Norton to speak on Tuesday". VailDaily.com. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  6. Boyd Norton (1977), Wilderness Frontier, Reader's Digest Press
  7. Peter Matthiessen, Boyd Norton, Yevgeny Yevtushenko (1995), Baikal: Sacred Sea of Siberia, Sierra Club Books
  8. "Nonfiction Book Review: Baikal Sierra Club by Peter Matthiessen, Author, Boyd Norton, Photographer, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Foreword by Random House (NY) $25 (89p) ISBN 978-0-87156-584-6". PublishersWeekly.com. September 28, 1992. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  9. "About Serengeti Watch". Serengeti Watch. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  10. Gulick, Amy (April 23, 2013). "Saving Serengeti". Outdoor Photographer. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  11. "Paving Paradise?: Photographer Fights Highway Development in the Serengeti with His Images". Shutterbug. December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  12. Boyd Norton (2011), Serengeti: The Eternal Beginning, Fulcrum
  13. "Book Review Wednesday: Landscapes". The Green Life. August 17, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  14. Roberts, Zach D. (February 4, 2016). "Boyd Norton's Conservation Photography Handbook Review & Interview". The Photo Brigade. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  15. "International League of Conservation Photographers".
  16. "International League of Conservation Photographers". International League of Conservation Photographers. November 5, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  17. Boards of Directors List for NANPA nanpa.org Archived January 28, 2018, at the Wayback Machine