Graeme Green's 'New Big Five' Project Seeks to Save Endangered Wildlife with Powerful Images
The concept of the "Big Five" originally referred to the most elusive and challenging animals to hunt in Africa, but British photographer Graeme Green has given it a new twist. His project, "The New Big Five," uses photography as a tool to raise awareness about endangered species around the world.
In 2021, 50,000 people voted for their favorite animals to photograph or see photographed in the wild, and the top five winners were the elephant, polar bear, lion, gorilla, and tiger. The resulting book features stunning images from renowned photographers such as Ami Vitale, Steve McCurry, and Paul Nicklen, along with essays from conservationists like Jane Goodall.
Green's project aims to shift focus away from hunting and towards wildlife conservation. By using powerful and evocative images, he hopes to inspire people to take action against the growing threat of species extinction. The book highlights the urgent need for change and serves as a call to arms for those who want to protect the natural world.
With over 144 contributors from around the globe, "The New Big Five" is more than just a photography project – it's a rallying cry for conservation efforts. Each image tells a story about an animal on the brink of disaster, and together they paint a picture of the devastating impact of human actions on wildlife.
According to Jane Goodall, who wrote the afterword to the book, we have a limited window of opportunity to make things right and start healing the damage inflicted on nature. "I hope the photos will lead people into the wonderful worlds of these iconic species," she said. "Then perhaps other people will become involved in helping to create a world where wildlife can flourish for future generations to enjoy."
The book, published by Earth Aware Editions, is now available for purchase from April 4, 2023. As Graeme Green puts it, this project celebrates the beauty of wildlife and serves as a powerful reminder of what we stand to lose if we don't take action soon.
The concept of the "Big Five" originally referred to the most elusive and challenging animals to hunt in Africa, but British photographer Graeme Green has given it a new twist. His project, "The New Big Five," uses photography as a tool to raise awareness about endangered species around the world.
In 2021, 50,000 people voted for their favorite animals to photograph or see photographed in the wild, and the top five winners were the elephant, polar bear, lion, gorilla, and tiger. The resulting book features stunning images from renowned photographers such as Ami Vitale, Steve McCurry, and Paul Nicklen, along with essays from conservationists like Jane Goodall.
Green's project aims to shift focus away from hunting and towards wildlife conservation. By using powerful and evocative images, he hopes to inspire people to take action against the growing threat of species extinction. The book highlights the urgent need for change and serves as a call to arms for those who want to protect the natural world.
With over 144 contributors from around the globe, "The New Big Five" is more than just a photography project – it's a rallying cry for conservation efforts. Each image tells a story about an animal on the brink of disaster, and together they paint a picture of the devastating impact of human actions on wildlife.
According to Jane Goodall, who wrote the afterword to the book, we have a limited window of opportunity to make things right and start healing the damage inflicted on nature. "I hope the photos will lead people into the wonderful worlds of these iconic species," she said. "Then perhaps other people will become involved in helping to create a world where wildlife can flourish for future generations to enjoy."
The book, published by Earth Aware Editions, is now available for purchase from April 4, 2023. As Graeme Green puts it, this project celebrates the beauty of wildlife and serves as a powerful reminder of what we stand to lose if we don't take action soon.
they need our help now, not tomorrow or next year. and yeah, i get that taking pictures of wildlife is a thing, but can't we just pay them to live peacefully somewhere instead of botherin with pics? it's all about savin lives here, not just makin pretty pics.
, but it's just another way for us to gawk at animals without actually doing anything to help them. I get that the images are stunning, but they're also kinda... soulless? Like, how many people can we really convince with a single pic of an elephant or polar bear before we start feeling like we've done enough 
.
. Now we just need to back it up with action...
... so they took the original concept and flipped it on its head, using photography to raise awareness about endangered species instead of hunting them. And 50k people got to choose which animals to feature in the book? That's some crazy power 
.
. And Jane Goodall's words about our limited window for change are so true 
... we gotta make some noise soon!
I'm so down with this "New Big Five" thing. I mean, who wouldn't want to see more elephants, polar bears, lions, gorillas, and tigers in the wild? But seriously, it's great that Graeme Green is using his photography skills to raise awareness about these incredible creatures and the impact we're having on their habitats. 
If everyone saw how amazing these animals are, maybe they'd think twice before messing with their homes. We really do have a limited time window to get things right and protect the planet. 
The idea that people get to vote for their favorite animals to photograph is so cool, it's like we're all part of the conservation movement in some way 
144 contributors from around the world? That's insane! I hope it inspires a lot of people to take action and make a difference for wildlife 
IT'S AMAZING HOW POWERFUL IMAGES CAN BE IN CHANGING OUR PERCEPTION AND MOTIVATING US TO TAKE ACTION 
. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE GRAEME GREEN WHO ARE WILLING TO SPEAK OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE 
!
he's using photography as a tool to raise awareness about endangered species which is so needed right now 
and we need people like graeme green who are using their platforms to make a change 
it's not just about taking pretty pictures, it's about inspiring us to take action against extinction 
idk maybe its not really about the cute factor tho maybe its more about us needing to save them from extinction 
. its like, we all know the big five in africa but he took it global and its so inspiring to see these iconic animals on the page 
. i love that ppl from all over the world contributed to this project - its not just about the photos, its a call 2 action 
. cant wait 2 get my hands on this book 
! I mean, who wouldn't want to see stunning pics of elephants, polar bears, lions, gorillas, and tigers in their natural habitats? 
It's like Ami Vitale and Steve McCurry are giving us a sneak peek into the most epic wildlife adventures on Earth 
. We gotta start taking care of our planet and its inhabitants ASAP! 
But seriously, these powerful images by renowned photographers like Ami Vitale and Paul Nicklen are gonna make you feel something deep in your soul... They're not just pretty pictures, they're a wake-up call to take action 
.
.
. I hope it does lead people into the wonderful worlds of these iconic species and inspires others to join in on the conservation efforts 
. Anyway, I do love that Graeme Green is trying to shift focus away from hunting and towards wildlife conservation - it's a start! 
I think its cool how they changed the big five thing but also kinda sad that people voted for their favorite animals in 2021 lol. Like, is that really what's most important? 
Anyway, the pictures are def stunning tho! I love Ami Vitale's work and Jane Goodall's writing is so inspiring 
I mean, 50k people voting for their favorite animals to photograph? It's just a marketing gimmick, you know? Anyone can vote online and pretend they care about wildlife. What's next, a "People's Choice" award for most Instagrammable sunset?
. So, I'm definitely buying this book and spreading the word 
I mean, have you seen those photos? They're stunning but also super heartbreaking. It's like, we're running out of time to save these incredible creatures. I've been reading about this project "The New Big Five" and it's really inspiring, but at the same time, it's also a bit scary because it highlights just how bad things are 
. As a parent, I want my kids to grow up in a world where they can see animals thriving in the wild, not struggling to survive. We need to take action now, or else we'll be saying goodbye to so many incredible species 
is it easy to go around with a camera and take pics of wildlife tho? what's the best time to visit if u wanna see certain animals?