Daniel Beltrá (born 1964) is a Spanish photographer and artist who makes work about human impact on the environment.[1]
The focus of Beltrá's recent work has been fine art aerial photography of landscapes and environmental issues. His best known project is a series of photographs of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, titled Spill, which have been exhibited in galleries and museums across Europe and North America. Other topics he has photographed are tropical deforestation in Brazil, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and global warming in the Arctic, Patagonia and the Southern Ocean. In September 2012, he documented the record-lowest summer sea ice level in the Arctic,[2] which were later included in his "Ice" exhibition.[3]
Life and work
editBeltrá started his career with photos of bombings by the Basque separatist organization Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) while he was a student at the Complutense University of Madrid.[4] He went on to work at EFE and the Gamma photo agency while also photographing assignments for Greenpeace. He is a board member of the International League of Conservation Photographers.[5] He moved to Seattle in 2001.[6]
Beltrá has presented his work in slideshows and lectures at galleries and conferences across North America, including the 9th World Wilderness Congress,[7] the Annenberg Space for Photography,[8] the Aquarium of the Pacific,[9] and the ABC Continuity Forum.[10]
Beltrá was granted a commission by Charles, Prince of Wales for the Prince's Rainforests Project (PRP) to document the status of the world's great tropical rainforests in 2009.[11]
Artistic Influence & Legacy
editDaniel Beltrá's work has had a profound influence on the field of environmental photography, blending artistry with activism in a way that has inspired a new generation of photographers. His unique ability to capture the beauty and fragility of Earth's ecosystems from an aerial perspective has set him apart as a visionary in his field.
Beltrá's approach to photography is deeply rooted in his belief that art can be a powerful tool for change. He often cites the work of Ansel Adams and Sebastião Salgado as major influences, both of whom used their photography to advocate for environmental conservation. Beltrá, however, has taken this tradition to new heights—literally—by focusing on aerial photography, which provides a broader, more impactful view of the landscapes under threat.
His work has also influenced the broader art community. Several contemporary artists and photographers have credited Beltrá with inspiring them to explore environmental themes in their work. His photographs have been featured in art books, documentaries, and even fashion campaigns, where his images are used to highlight the connection between consumer behavior and environmental degradation.
In academia, Beltrá's photography is studied in courses on environmental science, visual arts, and media studies. His ability to communicate complex environmental issues through visual storytelling has made his work a case study in the power of images to drive public awareness and policy change.
In 2023, Beltrá was honored with a retrospective exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, showcasing his most iconic works alongside new, unreleased pieces. The exhibition was widely praised for its emotional depth and artistic innovation, solidifying Beltrá's legacy as one of the most important environmental photographers of his generation.
Through his photography, Beltrá has not only documented the state of the planet but has also inspired countless individuals to take action in preserving its beauty for future generations. His legacy continues to grow as new projects and collaborations bring his work to an even wider audience.
Publications
edit- Spill. London: Gost, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9574272-4-2. With an essay by Barbara Bloemink. Edition of 2500 copies.
Exhibitions
edit- Benham Gallery, Seattle. Sustainability / Sostenibilidad, May 2009 – July 2009.[12]
- City Hall, Paris. Prince's Rainforests Exhibition, October 2009.[13]
- Kew Botanical Gardens, London. Prince's Rainforests exhibition, October–December 2009.[14]
- 212 Gallery, Aspen. Spill, August–December 2010.[15]
- Seattle Aquarium, Seattle. Spill, May–August 2011.[16]
- Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, Calif. Spill, October 2011 – January 2012.[17]
- Roca Gallery, Barcelona. Marea Negra, October 2011 – January 2012.[18]
- Catherine Edleman Gallery, Chicago. Spill, March–June 2012.[19]
- "Power", Prix Pictet touring exhibition, toured the world, including London,[20] Paris,[21] and Istanbul.[22]
- Somerset House, London. Landmark, Fields of Photography March–April 2013.[23]
- Quintenz Gallery, Aspen. Ice, December 2012 – February 2013.[24]
- Aperture Gallery, New York. Power, November 2013 – February 2014.[25]
- Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego. Power, February–April 2014.[26]
- Lentos Kunstmuseum, Linz, Austria. Pure Water, October 2014 – February 2015.[27]
Awards
edit- 2006: 3rd prize, World Press Photo awards, nature series category, for his work on the Amazon Rainforest drought[28]
- 2006: Golden Award, China Press International Photo (CHIPP) Contest, for his work on the Amazon Rainforest drought[29]
- 2007: 2nd prize, World Press Photo awards, contemporary issues category, for a photo of tropical deforestation in the Amazon[30]
- 2009: Global Vision Award, Pictures of the Year International[31]
- 2011: Winner, Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the "Deeper Perspective of the Year" from the International Photography Awards for his photographs from the Gulf Oil spill[32]
- 2012: Shortlisted, 2012 Prix Pictet[33]
- 2013: Knowledge Dissemination and Communication in Biodiversity Conservation award, BBVA Foundation, Spain[34]
- 2014: First place, Nature and Environment category, China Press International Photo contest[35]
- 2018: Nominated, World Press Photo of the Year, World Press Photo, Amsterdam[36]
References
edit- ^ "Daniel Beltrá: Ice/Green Lands". internationalphotomag.com. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
- ^ The Guardian. (2012). Photographer Daniel Beltrá on his Greenpeace mission to the Arctic
- ^ Aspen Daily News. (2012). A Beautiful Disaster
- ^ Canon Professional Network. (2008). Daniel Beltrá: Fighting for nature
- ^ "International League of Conservation Photographers". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
- ^ Seattlest. (2011). Science into Images: Daniel Beltrá's SPILL[permanent dead link]
- ^ Conservation International. (2009). 9th World Wilderness Congress (WILD9)
- ^ Annenberg Space for Photography. (2010). The State of Tropical Rainforests Archived January 18, 2015, at archive.today
- ^ Aquarium of the Pacific. (2011). The Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Two Perspectives—An Artist and a Scientist
- ^ ABC Continuity Forum. (2012). 2012 ABC Continuity Forum
- ^ YouTube: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales speaks at the Sony World Photography Awards [1]
- ^ "Eventful: Sustainability / Sostenibilidad". Eventful.
- ^ The Guardian. (2009). Daniel Beltra's photographs of deforestation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
- ^ The Independent. (2009).Prince's Rainforest exhibition opens at Kew
- ^ Aspen Peak Magazine. (2010). Enviro Art at 212 Gallery
- ^ Seattle Times (2011). 'Spill' exhibit captures drama of Gulf of Mexico oil disaster
- ^ "Aquarium of the Pacific. (2011)". Archived from the original on December 28, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Marea Negra". (barcelona-metropolitan.com). September 18, 2011.
- ^ "Catherine Edelman Gallery. (2012)". Archived from the original on October 26, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Power Finalists' Exhibition, Saatchi Gallery, London". Prix Pictet. June 25, 2012.
- ^ "Power, Galerie Vanessa Quang, Paris". Prix Pictet. June 25, 2012.
- ^ Istanbul Modern. (2013). Prix Pictet: Power
- ^ "Photomonitor. (2013)". Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Quintenz Gallery. (2012)".
- ^ "Aperture Gallery. (2013)". Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Power, Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego". Prix Pictet. July 22, 2013.
- ^ Lentos Kunstmuseum. (2014) Pure Water: The Most Valuable Resource in the World
- ^ "World Press Photo. (2005)".
- ^ Holden, Sara. (2007). Planet Ocean: Photo stories from the 'Defending our Oceans' voyage. New Internationalist. ISBN 1904456790
- ^ "World Press Photo. (2006)".
- ^ Blue Earth Alliance. (2009). Amazon: Forest at Risk Archived September 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ International Photography Awards. (2011)
- ^ "Prix Pictet 2012 shortlist – in pictures". July 4, 2012 – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "FBBVA - New - The BBVA Foundation awards recognize wetland recovery in Spain, whale conservation in Latin America and photojournalism focusing on conservation challenges". Archived from the original on December 17, 2014.
- ^ "Deforestation in the Amazonia(1)". www.chipp.cn.
- ^ "World Press Photo Contest 2018 – the nominees in pictures". The Guardian, February 15, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.