Bridget Besaw—Photographer, Consultant, Multimedia Producer, Workshop Leader
What are conservation photography and environmental photojournalism? These phrases are fast becoming part of the language of photography in the same way “nature photography”, “documentary” and “portraiture” have always been used to define style and subject matter.
After years indulging her love of nature as an outdoor guide in kayaks, on skis and on horseback, Bridget began working as a newspaper photographer at the The Everett Herald in Washington and The Bangor Daily News in Maine. After covering everything from highschool football games to bear hunts to underwater birthing, Bridget decided to pursue a career in freelance magazine photography.
In the following years, she worked in New York City for news and feature magazines with assignments ranging from celebrity and politician portraits, to the LIFE magazine 9/11 issue cover, to cancer research, to the depletion of the world’s oceans. But soon Bridget tired of this randomness and again craved the natural world and picture stories made with purpose.
Over the next five years, spent working with conservation organizations on large-scale photography projects, Bridget created three traveling exhibits, two books, and two multimedia series to help tell the stories of issues like threats to wildlands, preservation of organic farmland, sustainable fishing, salmon restoration and climate change research. At this point, Bridget has returned to her original job description (self-appointed at age eight) as environmentalist who happens to use photography to get the job done.
Willa Kammerer—Narrative Journalist, Multimedia Producer and Editor
Willa Kammerer is a freelance audio and multimedia producer based in Portland, Maine. A graduate of Middlebury College, Willa studied the craft of radio at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies and brings a knack for storytelling and strong documentary sensibility to all of her work.
Though Willa’s background is in journalism – she interned and worked at New Hampshire Public Radio’s Word of Mouth, and still occasionally freelances for public radio shows – she likes to think of herself as more of a collaborator with the people in her stories than an emotionally removed documentarian. Willa works hard to find and tell stories in a way that is eloquent, genuine and compelling.
Daniel Casado—Workshop Field Producer
Daniel's experience managing wilderness operations for the last 10 years has given him the opportunity to live and work in many pristine places. Beginning as a trekking and nature guide in Torres del Paine National Park, his travels all over the world have fostered a deep respect for nature.
Daniel spent five years directing the logistics and development of sustainable tourism projects in the Guaitecas Archipelago in Patagonia Chile, and is now developing media projects in chilean Patagonia.
After his studies in art and photography, Daniel realized that photography was his tool to share with others the environmental changes that are taking place in the world.
As the Seedlight Field Producer, Daniel coordinates all logistics for media projects and workshops. He is proud to combine his love of Patagonia, nature and photography to help create consciousness about the fragility of our environment.