‘Nodding donkeys’, or pumpjacks, drive the deep, underground pumps in California’s densest oil field. Andrew took this photograph from three kilometres away, the compression of his telephoto lens emphasising the concentration of machines. The graphic scene has an otherworldly feel: an alien landscape crawling with insect-like robots and attendant electricity poles.
Although more than two billion barrels of oil have been produced at Kern River, the remaining supply is more difficult and energy-intensive to extract. Due to falling oil prices, many Californian wells are now idle or abandoned. Unless properly treated, they will leave a toxic legacy, leaking methane and contaminating the air and groundwater.
Canada
Andrew is an adjunct professor at Canada's Simon Fraser University, exploring climate change solutions. He is involved in a range of conservation endeavours and is a conservation photographer. He has produced two books, Emeralds at the Edge and Faltering Light, both arguing for increased conservation in British Columbia. A third, Preventing Extinctions, will be available soon.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.