Nature and Nurture

Against a backdrop of image making and expedition, Brianna Rowe shapes the global citizens of tomorrow

Photo 2023 © Brianna Rowe | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/2500 sec at F5.6, ISO 800

Like most, Fujifilm image maker Brianna Rowe’s creative passions were ignited at a young age. More uniquely, however, she has remained close to burgeoning talent in the years since. Finely balanced alongside her own ambitions, she’s dedicated countless hours to mentorship – serving as a photographic expedition leader with Putney Student Travel and National Geographic, a board member of scientific non-profit The Explorers Club, and festival director of the New York WILD Film Festival.

On a recent trip to Churchill, Manitoba, Brianna had the opportunity to introduce another group of enthusiastic teens to one of nature’s most impressive creatures – the polar bear – as well as expand her own body of work. As an established creative and researcher, conjured images of her intrepid younger self are all the more enchanting.

“Creativity runs in the family,” she begins. “My father is an independent documentary filmmaker, and I grew up joining him my whole life. There was no family vacation that didn’t involve some project, or photographing an adventure. My grandfather was a travel writer, and my sister’s a broadcast TV journalist. So, asking questions and exploring the world have always been part of our values, and something we do together.

Photo 2023 © Brianna Rowe | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/2500 sec at F5.6, ISO 800

Photo 2023 © Brianna Rowe | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/4000 sec at F7.1, ISO 800

“The more I started learning about science, geography, and anthropology, the more this passion for trying to figure out how animals behave grew. I found myself asking, what don’t we know yet? So, my career took photographic storytelling and merged it with this love of the wild.”

Now more than ever, documentation of wildlife and natural habitats is paramount. Beautiful as they are, Brianna’s images are not purely artistic. They carry with them the great weight of education.

“Climate change is so complex,” Brianna acknowledges. “I studied it at the academic level, but communicating it through a photo has a much bigger impact. How else do you communicate glaciers receding? How else do you communicate the fact that polar bears are losing their ability to hunt throughout the winter?

Photo 2023 © Brianna Rowe | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/160 sec at F10, ISO 1250

“With the students, I want to illustrate that it’s not only about making a photo of an animal for the sake of having a nice, cute picture. Truly, it’s about the journey of getting close enough to a polar bear to watch them in nature – then understanding what we can learn from documenting them.”

By Brianna’s own assessment, there are thousands of climate change stories to tell all around the globe – but Churchill has been in her sights for a while.

“Geographically, it’s a unique place. There’s a freshwater river that meets the salt water of Hudson Bay. That draws a lot of nature. It’s where the ice first forms in the fall, so the polar bears all use it as a gateway to their seal-hunting grounds. There’s also a safe place where the beluga whales come to give birth. Many indigenous groups have set up and have a history there, too. So, culturally, it’s significant.”

Photo 2023 © Brianna Rowe | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/160 sec at F10, ISO 1250

Photo 2023 © Brianna Rowe | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/3200 sec at F6.4, ISO 800

As a guide, Brianna leads by example, remaining acutely aware of the sensitive nature of both the topic at hand and the communities she enters.

“When we’re entering somewhere that isn’t our space, we don’t pick the cameras up right away. It’s important to talk to people first and understand the dynamics,” Brianna explains. “We’re figuring out what the story is – especially as it’s related to people in the environment, with the human impacts of climate change – and then secondly, we navigate documenting it. I urge our students to think before they photograph. Spreading misinformation is a risk.

“Each trip is a big step for a teenager, but they’re all dedicated to growing their skills, and incredibly passionate about image making and climate change. There’s so much to gain from field research that you won’t find in books or blogs. It’s also hard to be that age in 2023, because climate doom is a part of daily life. It’s something we hope to find a solution to, by showing them what’s out there and helping them feel like they’re part of an impactful community.”

Beyond pure documentation, Brianna seizes the learning opportunities a certain type of wildlife photography provides. High-frame-rate video or stills can reveal more than what’s seen by the naked eye. On this particular expedition, the use of FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR spoke to the heart of important scientific research.

“There are certain things you just can’t experience without the right gear. The camera’s rapid bursts revealed very technical bird flight patterns that I would otherwise never have seen, for example.”

Photo 2023 © Brianna Rowe | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF23mmF2 R WR, 1/800 sec at F4, ISO 125

With another trip behind her, but plenty more to come, Brianna continues to take just as much from these shared experiences as the students themselves. Both in terms of image making and the climate leaders of tomorrow, her outlook is positive.

“It’s great to see students are still curious to learn real photography skills, despite carrying a camera of sorts in their pocket. But we try to teach them how to make one good photo, instead of 300 ordinary ones. I don’t think that desire is going anywhere, because it’s a skill they can take into so many different parts of their lives.

“The projects are all about the students discovering and asking the right questions. To make great results, they need to truly be in it. That’s what we try to do with the trips, and I’m proud to be part of their journey. They’ll have a lot of opportunities to impact the future, and I want to empower them to be global citizens – to make positive changes – because this is going to be their world.”

Hear more from Brianna on FUJIFILM Exposure Center as she talks about her experience with FUJIFILM X-H2S camera and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens.

Brianna Rowe

Environmental educator and digital storyteller, Brianna Rowe roots her expertise in a vast catalog of filmmaking expeditions and environmental impact programs. At present, she heads up partnerships, liaising with brand-aligned organizations and individuals that grow and develop the festival’s influence.

nywildfilmfestival.com

@nywildfilmfest

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