Legendary conservation photographer and marine biologist Paul Nicklen has dedicated his career to advocating for the planet. Despite the difficulty of photographing some of the world’s rarest species, Nicklen’s breathtaking images have gained recognition worldwide, capturing both the beauty and the fragility of our planet.

With seven million Instagram followers, Nicklen’s photographs have inspired global audiences to connect with nature, and advocate for its protection. As part of the Rolex family, his work has reached new audiences, generating more awareness on the current state of the oceans and landscapes and the urgent need to act to restore our planet’s ecosystems. By spurring action worldwide with his pictures, Nicklen has amassed a spectacular archive of more than 2.5 million images, with his work gracing magazine covers and winning countless awards. 

Over the course of 30 years, his images have moved viewers to pause on a photograph and consider the animal in the frame and their connection to it. His narwhal stories for National Geographic, where he revealed the extent of the unregulated ivory trade, resulted in a landmark ban on the export of narwhal ivory from Canada. Now, in his latest project supported by Rolex, his groundbreaking images fill the pages of his newest book, Reverence, a collection of 200 spectacular photographs chosen by Nicklen.

“It’s about the reverence I have for nature. It’s my call to people to say, ‘Realise the gift that you have to be put on this earth now, this is our last stand for this planet.’”
– Paul Nicklen, conservation photographer and Rolex Testimonee

It was while writing the eulogy for his mother’s funeral that Nicklen first conceived of Reverence, reflecting on the connectedness of motherhood in nature, and the sanctity of our precious ecosystems. For Nicklen, the natural world inspires an almost celestial awe that he wants to share with the rest of the world through his photography. Capturing the mission of the book and compressing 30 years of photographs into 344 pages took more than a year of editing, with Reverence featuring some of the most iconic images of his career. 

A Rolex Testimonee since 2022, Nicklen grew up in a small Inuit community in Arctic Canada with his adventurous parents, who gave him freedom to explore the great outdoors. It was in this unforgiving climate that he gathered a tolerance for discomfort and quiet, fuelling a career spent waiting for some of the world’s most elusive species. When Nicklen’s mother gave him her Pentax K1000, he took his first photograph of a tree against the sun and set his life’s work in motion. 

He spent four years as a wildlife biologist in a government role, calculating and setting hunting limits. It was dispiriting work for someone so connected to nature, and at the age of 25, Nicklen fled to the barren lands of Canada’s Northwest Territories and lived alone in the wild. After three months of isolation and feverish journaling, he returned with a calling to give a voice to the world’s most vulnerable species. 

A chance encounter with legendary whale photographer Flip Nicklin in the Arctic led to a mentorship and, in 2001, his first assignment for National Geographic. 

Over the next 20 years, Nicklen took on the toughest assignments for the magazine, including photographing spirit bears, sea wolves, and other species that are almost impossible to capture on film. His renowned story on narwhals took over five years to complete, as he returned year after year to wait for a sighting.

Nicklen has won more than 30 of the world’s most prestigious photography and conservation awards, including the BBC’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the World Press Photo for Photojournalism. In 2014, he co-founded SeaLegacy with his partner, conservation photographer and fellow Rolex Testimonee, Cristina Mittermeier, with the goal of showcasing stories of ocean conservation. His greatest achievements, however, are always in the realm of conservation success, from the narwhal ivory ban to stopping giant oil tankers from docking along the coast of British Columbia, Canada. 

To ensure this goodwill does not go to waste, Nicklen is dedicated to making the book as impactful as possible. He is donating part of the book’s proceeds and photo sales to conservation organizations around the world, including a reforestation programme in Africa, and beach clean-up and coral-planting efforts in Indonesia.

The true success of the book, however, will be the action it inspires within readers. Acting as a rallying cry for the next generation to fight for nature, the book will stir the same emotions Nicklen has felt during 30 years of staring through a lens into the natural world. 

“When I’m around animals, it’s such a raw and emotional experience for me. I feel so vulnerable, humble, and grateful, and I want people to have that same feeling with my book. If there’s any hope of saving this planet, people need to feel connected to these animals and ecosystems again.”
– Paul Nicklen, conservation photographer and Rolex Testimonee

ABOUT THE PERPETUAL PLANET INITIATIVE 
Rolex celebrates human achievement, recognizing journeys marked by milestones and emotions that culminate in defining moments. 

For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers to help them achieve countless historic feats. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside those building a better future for all life on earth. 

The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative was launched in 2019 and now has a portfolio of more than 30 partners, active in three main focus areas: Oceans; Landscapes; and Science, Health, and Technology. 

For the Oceans, Rolex supports a wide range of projects such as: Mission Blue and Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle; Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen; and Coral Gardeners. 

The Landscapes roster includes: a strengthened partnership with the National Geographic Society; Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile, offspring organisations of Tompkins Conservation; and Steve Boyes and the Great Spine of Africa series of expeditions.

Rolex also supports partners in Science, Health, and Technology, such as: Rolex Awards Laureates Andrew Bastawrous; Felix Brooks-church; and Miranda Wang. 

Rolex also supports organizations and initiatives fostering the next generation of explorers, scientists and conservationists, such as the Royal Geographical Society, The Explorers Club, and the CERN & Society Foundation.