Arctic Documentary Project
Photo: Daniel J. Cox / Arctic Documentary Project
This project documents the changing Arctic and provides access to world-class photography and video for the benefit of Arctic conservation.
Photo: Daniel J. Cox / Arctic Documentary Project
Chronicling the Arctic
The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on the planet, bringing profound changes to the ecosystem. The project will help preserve this Arctic record for future generations and bring about awareness of the extraordinary changes taking place in the North.
The project includes both present-day media and images that were collected decades ago by Polar Bears International founder Dan Guravich. All materials are available to Polar Bears International and other scientific and educational outlets, free of charge. This is a massive undertaking, but one we feel is vital in educating people about the fragile Arctic ecosystem and inspiring them to care.
Photo: Daniel J. Cox / Arctic Documentary Project
History of the Project
The Arctic Documentary Project began with the donated still images of the late Dan Guravich, a professional photographer and founder of Polar Bears International. Guravich's legacy lives on through his passion for the Arctic, evident in the still photographs he began shooting in the 1950s. His body of work includes images of polar bears near Churchill, Canada, in the early 1980s that helped introduce the world to the annual gathering of polar bears on the shores of Hudson Bay. Guravich’s visual record of the North serves as the foundation of the Arctic Documentary Project, with photographs by Daniel J. Cox and others building on the legacy.
Photo: Daniel J. Cox / Arctic Documentary Project
Meet the Director
The Arctic Documentary Project is directed by Daniel J. Cox, a professional photographer who has dedicated his life to documenting nature and conservation. His 30-year resume brings these stories to such prestigious publications as National Geographic, National Wildlife Federation, BBC, Audubon, Sierra Club, The Journal Nature, and Time.
Photo: Daniel J. Cox / Arctic Documentary Project
Daniel's first experience in the Arctic was with Dan Guravich in 1987. He has traveled extensively in the Arctic and has been donating his images to Polar Bears International since the organization was founded. Through the Arctic Documentary Project, he continues to add to the extensive photo library that began with Dan Guravich. His volunteer work includes documenting the first-ever icebreaker expedition to study polar bears deep within the Arctic ice pack of the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas as well as photographing a polar bear den study team in Svalbard, Norway.
Photo: Daniel J. Cox / Arctic Documentary Project
How Images Are Used
Arctic Documentary Project photos appear in Polar Bears International’s outreach materials, including our website, annual newsmagazine, interpretive center in Churchill, and other outreach. In addition, Arctic Documentary Project photos are available to others for scientific and educational purposes, free of charge, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis. For more information, visit the Arctic Documentary Project website.
The Arctic Documentary Project is a fiscally sponsored project of Polar Bears International (PBI). Contributions to the project are processed by PBI in support of the project.
