Cristina Mittermeier facts for kids

Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier was born on November 26, 1966, in Mexico City, Mexico. She is a talented Mexican photographer, a dedicated conservationist, a biologist, and an author.

Cristina is known as a marine biologist and an activist. She helped create the idea of conservation photography. This special type of photography uses pictures to show how people, especially indigenous people, are connected to nature. Her photos highlight the importance of biodiversity, the ocean, and understanding climate change.

Education and Learning

Cristina Mittermeier studied at the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM). In 1989, she earned a degree in marine biology.

Later, from 1996 to 1999, she attended the Corcoran College for the Arts in Washington, DC. There, she completed a photography associate degree.

Her Work and Career

Early Conservation Work

Cristina started her career at Conservation International Mexico. She worked on programs in the Gulf of California and the Selva Lacandona. This experience helped her realize her passion for protecting nature. She also met her former husband, Russell Mittermeier, during this time. Before becoming a professional photographer, she studied marine mammals, fisheries, and aquaculture. She also worked on biodiversity research and conservation for Conservation International.

Founding ILCP

In 2005, Cristina Mittermeier founded the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP). This is a group of photographers from all over the world. Their main goal is to use powerful photographs to help protect the environment. Cristina was the founder and president of ILCP until 2010.

Working with Wild Foundation

Since 2006, Cristina has been a part of the board of trustees for the WILD Foundation. This organization works to protect wild places and wildlife around the world.

Cemex Conservation Book Series

Since 2007, Cristina has been the editor for the Cemex Conservation book series. These books are made by Cemex, a company in Mexico. The books share ideas and ways to protect our natural world. They include amazing pictures from top photographers.

SeaLegacy: Protecting the Ocean

In 2014, Cristina teamed up with fellow nature photographer Paul Nicklen. Together, they started SeaLegacy. Cristina is the president of this organization. SeaLegacy works with filmmakers, conservationists, and photographers. Their mission is to use art, science, and conservation to protect and restore the ocean. They aim to achieve this within our lifetimes.

Personal Life

Cristina Mittermeier has two children with Russell Mittermeier: Michael, born in 1992, and Juliana, born in 1996. She also has a stepson, John, born in 1985, from Russell's first marriage.

Cristina married Russell Mittermeier in 1991. They moved to Great Falls, Virginia, to raise their children. They wrote several books together. They divorced in 2008 but remain friends. They still work together on many conservation projects, like the CEMEX conservation book series.

Cristina met Paul Nicklen in 2010. They connected over their shared love for photography, the ocean, and conservation. They have been partners since 2012. They live on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Awards and Recognition

Cristina Mittermeier has received many important awards for her work:

• She is a member of the World Photographic Academy.
• In 2010, she won the Nature’s Best Conservation Photographer of the Year Award.
• She also received the North American Nature Photography Association Mission Award in 2010.
• Outdoor Photographer Magazine named her one of the "40 Most Influential Nature Photographers" in 2010.
• In 2015/2016, she was recognized by Imaging Alliance Photographers Who Give Back.
• Her work was featured in Time Magazine's Top 10 Photos of the Year in 2017.
• National Geographic also included her in their top 10 stories of the year in 2017.
• She was named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2018.
• In 2020, she received the International Award of Excellence in Conservation from the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
• She won a Global Vision Award in 2021.
• The Seattle Aquarium awarded her the Sylvia Earle Medal in 2021.
• She also received the Humanity Content Creator Award HIPA in 2021.
• In 2022, Simon Fraser University gave her an Honorary PhD, a Doctorate of Fine Art.
• She also received the Distinguished Environmental Leadership Award in 2022.

See Also

• Nature photography
• Wildlife photography