Mark Warford is a writer, an award-winning photographer and career photojournalist; a musician and composer and producer and director, working with Grammy and Academy winners alike; an acclaimed humanitarian steering countless campaigns and international expeditions for the world’s largest NGO’s - culminating in being honored along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a global environmental ambassador - and now, always looking to the next horizon, the author of nine novels crossing multiple genres.
Warford’s singular vision of the complexities of our world is shared in a voice that is clear-eyed, close to the senses, incredibly meditative, and always rendered in stunning relief.
HERE’S THE THING…
“Tradition states that this is the place where a WRITER / DIRECTOR / PHOTOGRAPHER / COMPOSER / etc. scribes a shamelessly indulgent, and often-exaggerated, bout of self-promotion. As it happens, that goes against every single moral waypoint present in the content of my Books / Productions / Music Compositions / Films / Photography / Environmental Justice, Human Rights and Expedition Work, etc.
Alas, you’ll have to take my word for it - on virtually every continent, in the limelight and out of it, in the boardroom and out of it, from the Arctic ice cap to the world’s most barren deserts and across the raging waters of every ocean, I’ve done some very cool stuff with some very cool people.” MW
For more reading and listening:
IT ALL BEGINS WITH AN IDEA.
3:00 a.m., Manila Bay, Philippines ©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
“In this case, it was “make something out of nothing.” The purpose on this day was an environmental protest. The challenge was to make an image that would grace the pages of newspapers and magazines worldwide. In this, we succeeded. Sometimes you have to script these adventures to the point of arrogance. You have to direct and demand. Nicely, of course. Or not. It all depends on how driven you are to achieve your goals. Most fail miserably because decorum intervenes. I say, when you are invested completely, anything can be made real.”
Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. ©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
I shot this portrait on a balmy night on a log barge off Port Hardy, Vancouver Island. I had spent the previous three weeks in the company of this activist, amongst others, living on a dirt road in an effort to highlight the increased threats of deforestation within Canada's Great Bear Rainforest. Serene though it looks, I assure you the dangers presented by saturated logs shifting and settling was no cause for a relaxing photo session. Somewhere out there, an 80-200mm f2.8 lens is encouraging new life as an artificial reef. A great campaign, this one. One of my favorites.
©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
Arctic Ocean, Cape Artichesky, Russia. ©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
First attempt at an unsupported summer crossing of the Arctic Ocean. In all my years of shooting from helicopters this is the only time I nearly fell out. The Russian crew sprang into action and laughed, as they should’ve.
“Context is king. Balance is essential. You, as the creator, are irrelevant. Once you commit to the visual message, everything else falls into place. The caveat, of course, is that the story has to have balls. Most don’t.”
Arctic Explorer, Eric Larsen.
The setting; the light; his demeanor; what he was about to attempt; what he ultimately went through. I could teach a course on photojournalism using this photo alone.
©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
“sometimes, heroes are required viewing”
Environmental Activist, Paul Horsman, Usinsk, Russia. ©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
The notion of singling out an individual to focus a global message can be uncomfortable for an organization that wishes to promote equality as a core value. The problem there is that the rest of the world doesn’t really care how you do your laundry.
©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
For National Geographic. Russian Arctic / Usinsk Oil Spill ©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
“SUFFERING IS NOT ALWAYS APPARENT...”
Smokey Mountain, Manila, Philippines ©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
Kids doing what kids do - except that these little brats live on a trash heap the size of a small city.
“…AND SOMETIMES IT IS.”
VILLAGE OF BEREZOVKA, KAZAKHSTAN ©Mark Warford All Rights Reserved
Hmmm.., leave your home, or succumb to the violent health impacts of an oil and gas industry pumping toxic clouds into the air less than 5km away? For as much as we progress, clearly we don’t. The world over, those most at risk continue to be denied the basics tenets of morality.
