Human Nature

At a moment now being described as the age of Anthropocene, twelve of National Geographic‘s most influential photographers address the biggest questions on our time while sharing some of their greatest images.

Humanity has reached a pivotal moment in time. With extinction looming over one million species of plants and animals, the United Nations has declared that nature is in more trouble now than at any time in human history. In light of increasing natural disasters, polluted environments and rising sea levels, the present geological era has been described as the age of Anthropocene; the effect of humanity’s now indelible, and irreversible, intersection with nature.

In this important and timely book, these seminal questions of our time are addressed by twelve of the world’s most influential contemporary photographers: Joel Sartore, Paul Nicklen, Ami Vitale, Brent Stirton, Frans Lanting, Brian Skerry, Tim Laman, Cristina Mittermeier, J Henry Fair, Richard John Seymour, George Steinmetz and Steve Winter. With compassion, insight and in compelling detail they share their extraordinary images and the stories behind them, and seek to understand what really matters now for humanity and the planet.

At once shocking, illuminating and inspiring, Human Nature: Planet Earth in Our Time asks: ‘What do we have?’, ‘What do we stand to lose?’ and ‘What must we change?’, or is the Anthropocene Age to be humanity’s last?

About the Authors

Geoff Blackwell is an award-winning publisher, author, photographer and filmmaker. He has created numerous internationally bestselling books founded on humanity, equality and the environment, which have been published in forty languages. He has worked alongside many internationally renowned photographers, authors and organisations, most notably Nelson Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, with whom he created five books. He has also conceived a number of multimedia projects that have given rise to books, films and touring exhibitions, including 200 Women: Who Will Change the Way You See the World, Wisdom and M.I.L.K. (Moments of Intimacy, Laughter & Kinship). His most recent project, I know this to be true, was conceived in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and is based on his original interviews with and photography of some of the most inspiring leaders of our time to record and share what really matters to them. He is co-founder of Blackwell & Ruth, and the founder of M.I.L.K. Tailor Made Books.

Ruth Hobday is co-founder and editor-in-chief of Blackwell & Ruth. She has worked on a number of award-winning books, five of them by the late Nelson Mandela including The New York Times bestseller Conversations with Myself, as well as Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years and The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela. She is the co-author of 200 Women: Who Will Change the Way You See the World and an editor and producer for I know this to be true, a multimedia leadership initiative created in conjunction with the Nelson Mandela Foundation.