Cristina Mittermeier

Role: Conservation photographer, marine biologist, organizational founder, visual storytelling advocate
First appearance: 2015 (Wetpixel coverage of SeaLegacy)
Affiliation: SeaLegacy (co-founder), International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP, founder), Oceanographic Magazine (founding judge, Ocean Photography Awards)

Biography

Cristina Mittermeier is a conservation photographer and environmental activist who founded the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) and co-founded SeaLegacy with photographer Paul Nicklen. She has become one of the most visible advocates for using visual storytelling as a tool for ocean conservation, a philosophy she has articulated consistently across her appearances in the Wetpixel archive. She served as a founding judge of the Ocean Photography Awards alongside International Photography Hall of Fame inductee Paul Nicklen (^[1]).

Mittermeier’s career philosophy centers on the conviction that photography is not merely an art form but a catalytic tool for conservation action. As she has stated: “Through impactful imagery and visual storytelling, we can rally people to action, sparking empathy and connection to our natural world” (^[2]).

Contributions

SeaLegacy

SeaLegacy, co-founded by Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, is a conservation organization that uses “visual storytelling to turn the tide on the future of our marine ecosystems.” The organization launched publicly on Wetpixel in September 2015 with “The Thin Blue Line,” a video featuring photography and commentary by Mittermeier, Nicklen, David Doubilet, and Brian Skerry. SeaLegacy’s stated mission is to partner with “the top international, local, and ground roots organizations to produce compelling imagery and turn-key communications tools” for marine conservation (^[3]).

Mittermeier has described SeaLegacy’s broader purpose as leveraging “the power of digital technology, visual storytelling, and innovation to catalyse lasting cultural change that protects and replenishes the ocean and coastal communities for future generations” (^[4]).

SeaLegacy was recognized by Wetpixel community members as a notable marine conservation organization in forum discussions about favorite conservation groups (^[5]).

Ocean Photography Awards

Mittermeier served as a founding judge of the Ocean Photography Awards, produced by Oceanographic Magazine in partnership with SeaLegacy. She was part of the inaugural judging panel in 2020 alongside Nicklen, Shawn Heinrichs, Andy Mann, Paul Hilton, John Weller, and Luciano Candisani. In her role, she described the competition as being “in perfect alignment” with SeaLegacy’s mission, stating: “There is no other photography competition of this calibre focused exclusively on the ocean. The time has come to change that” (^[6]).

She continued as a judge in subsequent years:

• 2021: Judged alongside Nicklen, Heinrichs, Andy Mann, John Weller, Ami Vitale, and Andre Musgrove. The competition was described as having been founded “in support of SeaLegacy,” and offered prizes valued at more than 500,000 GBP, including a one-year residency of the SeaLegacy Collective. The 2021 edition introduced the “Female Fifty Fathoms Awards” for inspiring female ocean photographers (^[7]).
• 2022: Returned as judge for the Ocean Photographer of the Year competition, alongside David Doubilet, Nicklen, and others. Ben Thouard was selected as the winner — described as “a unanimous winner amongst the six world-renowned Ocean Photographer of the Year judges” (^[8], ^[9]).

Mangrove Photography Awards

Mittermeier served as a judge for the 2020 Mangrove Photography Awards organized by the Mangrove Action Project. Her participation was referenced in the 2021 call for entries, where she was quoted reflecting on the experience (^[10]).

Conservation Philosophy

Across her Wetpixel appearances, Mittermeier consistently articulated a philosophy that photography is a tool for catalyzing conservation action. In the Ocean Photography Awards context, she described the competition as having a “simple mission: to shine a light on the beauty of the ocean and the threats it faces, all while raising money for its protection.” The 2020 competition’s winning photographs were shared with more than 500 million people, demonstrating the scale of reach Mittermeier and her collaborators have achieved (^[11]).

Timeline

• 2015-09: SeaLegacy releases “The Thin Blue Line” video featuring Mittermeier, Paul Nicklen, David Doubilet, and Brian Skerry (^[12])
• 2020-04: Named founding judge of the Ocean Photography Awards; described as International Photography Hall of Fame inductee and founder of the International League of Conservation Photographers (^[13])
• 2020: Served as judge for the 2020 Mangrove Photography Awards (^[14])
• 2021-07: Judged the 2021 Ocean Photography Awards alongside Nicklen, Heinrichs, Andy Mann, John Weller, Ami Vitale, and Andre Musgrove; competition offered 500,000+ GBP in prizes including SeaLegacy Collective residency (^[15])
• 2022-06: Returned as judge for the 2022 Ocean Photographer of the Year, alongside David Doubilet and Sadie Quarrier (^[16])
• 2022-10: Part of unanimous panel selecting Ben Thouard as 2022 Ocean Photographer of the Year (^[17])