Our newest Affiliated Artist is Will Holder, a San Diego based ocean photographer. Read the Q&A below to get to know the newest artist in the Alliance family!
Climate Science Alliance (Alliance): What inspired you to pursue photography, and specifically, take your camera into the water with you?
Will Holder (Will): Growing up in a house full of surf movies and Surfer's Journals lying around, I was constantly surrounded by new mediums and ways to document the beauty of the ocean. I'm definitely someone who would rather be behind a lens as well, so it's in a way a safety net, and really fun and rewarding to be able to capture friends or various people being really happy in the water. I received a Nikonos V film water camera (the camera Jacques Cousteau made famous) years ago as a gift and that really opened my eyes to shooting from the water. I've been using water housing for my DSLR in the water recently and I still feel like a kid in a candy shop every time I go out in the water. I'll never stop learning obviously, but it's safe to say I'm probably my happiest self in the ocean taking photos and I'm super thankful doing it. Oh, and seeing the VHS surf film 'Thicker than Water' 15 years ago was extremely instrumental as well.
Alliance: What role does climate change play in your life?
Will: We've already seen climate change affect our country immensely with tragic 'natural' disasters happening far too frequently. It's not just hitting far away, remote little towns and it's not an abstract idea that's yet to take place. It's important to try to take steps everyday in our lives to make an impact, no matter how small they may seem (less driving, recycling, less meat intake etc.). I think there's been a positive push among at least people my age as of late, with a push to vote and pressure the government to take notice that lots of work needs to be done in regards to climate change.
Alliance: Describe one of your favorite interactions you've had while photographing the natural environment.
Will: I'll never get over seeing sea lions or dolphins swim under me and I always try to swim after them (pretty unsuccessfully). It's pretty cool being in their environment while swimming around and there seems to be a mutual curiosity of each other.
Alliance: Anything else you'd like to share with our partners?
Will: You can buy my work via my website (www.willholder.space) or my instagram (www.instagram.com/will_holder). I'm also in the process of creating a coffee table book of my photography. A bodysurfing/photography event is also in the works for the Spring in Imperial Beach.
Learn more about our Affiliated Artists program here.