Kathy Moran is the former Deputy Director of Photography at National Geographic Magazine. As the magazine’s first Senior Editor for Natural History Projects, she’s produced projects about terrestrial and underwater ecosystems for the magazine for more than 20 years. She was the Project Manager for the partnership between the National Geographic Society and the Wildlife Conservation Society, documenting photographer Nick Nichols and Dr Michael Fay’s trek across Central Africa. The resulting stories were the impetus for the creation of Gabon’s national park system. More recently, Kathy produced two single-topic, conservation-focused issues of the magazine – one on Oceans in May 2021 and another on the Serengeti in December 2021.

In addition to her work at National Geographic, Kathy’s edited numerous books for the National Geographic Society, including Women Photographers at the National Geographic, Cat Shots, Tigers Forever, Secrets of the Elephants and Secrets of the Octopus. She was the photo editor for the anthems 100 Best Wildlife Pictures and Wildlife: The Best Photos. Kathy also curated the exhibition 50 Best Wildlife Photographs for the society’s museum, which travelled nationally and internationally. She was named Picture Editor of the Year for her winning portfolios in both the 2017 and 2006 Picture of the Year International competitions as well as the 2011 Best of Photo Competition.

Kathy is a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers. She’s on the advisory committee for Focused on Nature and as a member of Moran Griffin Studio she continues to edit books and photo projects, mentor photographers, serve on photo juries and work with Vital Impacts as well as the SIPA Festival in Italy and the xPosure Festival in Sharjah, UAE. She lives in Maine, USA, with her husband and two bad cats.

Laurent Ballesta is a biologist by training and has been diving since childhood. Early on, he was drawn not just to the sea, but to its most remote and elusive corners – the depths that are difficult to reach and the creatures that are rarely seen or never approached. His mission has always been to bring back visual proof, guided less by the beauty of the ocean than by its enduring mysteries. His photographic work seeks, in his own words, “to better measure the extent of our ignorance”.

For more than 30 years, Laurent’s passion for exploration has driven him to develop innovative diving techniques, enabling him to capture images that lie at the intersection of science and art. He’s the only person in the 40-year history of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition to have received the top prize twice. Named a Knight of the Order of Maritime Merit, his work spans more than 100 pages in National Geographic Magazine and 250 pages in Paris Match and includes 13 photographic books dedicated to marine life.

His acclaimed Gombessa Expeditions embody three guiding principles – scientific mystery, extreme diving challenges and the pursuit of images never before seen. From photographing the elusive coelacanth at a depth of 120 metres and capturing a night hunt by 700 sharks in Fakarava in French Polynesia to undertaking the deepest and longest dives beneath Antarctica’s ice, Laurent reveals the underwater world with a naturalist’s precision and an artist’s eye.

In July 2019, he achieved a world first when he combined saturation diving, traditionally used in offshore industries, with electronic rebreathers to document and study the twilight zone of the Mediterranean Sea, between 60 and 140 metres deep, from Marseille to Monaco, without time constraints.

In 2021, Laurent repeated the experience in a 20-day saturation dive, this time off the coast of Corsica’s Cap Corse to investigate the enigmatic formation of deep-water coral rings.

Jasper Doest creates visual stories that explore the relationship between humankind and nature and is a contributing photographer to National Geographic Magazine. Having majored in ecology, Jasper knows human life depends on everything our planet has to offer, yet he recognises the unsustainable nature of the current human patterns of consumption. As a true believer in the power of photography to initiate change, Jasper is an International League of Conservation Photographers Senior Fellow and a World Wildlife Fund Ambassador. His accolades include four World Press Photo Awards and 11 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards, and in 2020 he was named European Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Florence Goupil is a French-Peruvian documentary photographer based in Peru. Through a multimedia approach, her work explores the intersection of ethnobotany, environmental and human rights and the living memory of Indigenous communities.

She’s a National Geographic Explorer and contributor, a Pulitzer Center Grantee and a 2024–2025 Magnum Foundation Fellow. Florence has been awarded with the PhMuseum Women Photographers Grant, the POY Latam Award for Ibero-American Photographer of the Year and the Nouvelles Écritures Award from La Gacilly Photo Festival. Most recently, in 2025, she was awarded with the Sony Latin America World Photography Prize.

Her photography has been exhibited at Les Rencontres d’Arles, the International Center of Photography, Photoville Festival and the Bronx Documentary Center in New York. Florence’s work has also been published in The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic Magazine, Polka Magazine, The BJP, Fisheye and Atmos, among others. She’s also co-directed short films, including Cumbia’s Day and Cuidantsiqmi, which were recognised at Shorts México, Chile’s Felina Festival and the Festival International du Film de Nancy in 2023.

Blanca Huertas is an entomologist, with expertise on the taxonomy and conservation of butterflies. For 20 years, she’s been the curator responsible for the direct care and development of one of the world’s largest collections of butterflies, housed at London’s Natural History Museum. In addition to her curatorial duties, Blanca’s research focuses on tropical faunas and habitats through the lens of biological collections, addressing issues such climate change, endemism, species discovery, conservation and more lately using genomics, where she’s currently leading a large across-the-Americas project.

Blanca has discovered and described numerous new species, contributing more than a hundred scientific papers and several books on insects and conservation. Her work has helped shape international efforts to protect biodiversity, including leading initiatives that resulted in the creation of protected areas and programmes for training and capacity building in tropical regions. She’s served as Vice-President and Council Member of the Linnean Society and is on the Steering Committee of the IUCN Butterfly Specialist Group. Blanca regularly gives public talks and lectures and supervises PhD students. Her research has been widely featured in print and online as well as on radio and TV. Driven by a deep commitment to nature and science, Blanca is passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion in her field of work.

Clement Kiragu is an award-winning wildlife photographer, cinematographer and National Geographic Explorer from Kenya. Renowned for his unwavering dedication to his craft, Clement leverages his patience, extensive knowledge of wildlife and remarkable resilience in some of the world’s most remote environments to capture critical behaviours and narratives that form the backbone of immersive, character-driven natural history sequences.

In addition to his significant contributions to major natural history productions for PBS Nature, National Geographic, BBC ONE and the BBC’s Natural History Unit, he’s travelled extensively. Clement successfully leads private photography expeditions throughout Kenya and other breathtaking locations across Africa through his Kenya-based wildlife production and expeditions company.

Clement is deeply committed to harnessing the transformative power of photography and cinematography. He believes that, when purposefully utilised, these art forms can shift perspectives, inspire future generations and make a significant contribution to promoting human-wildlife coexistence. This guiding philosophy not only shapes his work but also informs the wildlife photography expeditions and storytelling workshops he conducts for aspiring visual artists and storytellers, making a lasting impact on both audiences and students.

Sudhir Shivaram is one of India’s most celebrated wildlife photographers, renowned for his ability to combine technical mastery with powerful storytelling. A Sony India Brand Ambassador, he was named Sanctuary Asia Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2012 and received the National Geographic Yellow Border Award in 2013 for the best National Geographic Traveler cover across 14 international editions. His images, marked by a deep respect for his subjects, have been widely published and exhibited, inspiring photographers and conservationists around the world.

Recognised globally for his influence in the field, Sudhir has featured in Asian Photography Magazine’s Top Ten Most Influential People in the Indian Photography Industry for four consecutive years, claiming the first position in 2018. He was ranked thirteenth globally across all photography genres and first in Wildlife Photography for three consecutive years between 2017 and 2019 in the Web Popularity Index, reflecting both his international reach and his leadership in the field.

A sought-after mentor, Sudhir has built one of the largest online photography learning communities in Asia through his Sudhir Shivaram Photography Academy. It offers more than 20 specialised courses and more than 500 videos on genres ranging from wildlife and bird photography to post-processing. He leads immersive wildlife photography tours across India, Africa and Costa Rica, mentoring thousands of participants from around the world. His workshops emphasise ethical fieldcraft, creative composition and the fostering of a deeper connection with nature.

Sudhir has been invited to speak at leading international forums, including Adobe MAKE IT in Australia, where he shared his journey from software engineer to globally recognised photographer. He’s collaborated with multiple Indian state tourism boards – including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh – to promote wildlife tourism and conservation awareness. His work has been featured in the international book Photographers Against Wildlife Crime and, in 2024, was selected by acclaimed photographer Ami Vitale for the Vital Impacts Annual Print Campaign, supporting global conservation initiatives through fine art photography. His initiatives also extend to training safari guides and forest staff on working with photographers to encourage sustainable tourism practices.

As an educator, conservation advocate and innovator, Sudhir continues to push the boundaries of how photography can inspire action for the natural world. When he’s not in the field, he’s developing creative ventures in wildlife-themed products, curating online content and serving on photography juries. He lives in Bangalore, India, and spends much of his time in the wild, camera in hand, telling stories that matter.