National Geographic photographers Diane Cook and Len Jenshel, who traveled across five continents to photograph some of the world's most historic and inspirational trees, show their work, share extraordinary stories, and discuss the research and techniques involved in finding and shooting their subjects.
Among the more than 50 remarkable trees photographed by Cook and Jenshel for their new book Wise Trees (Abrams, 2017) are the sacred fig tree in India that is a direct descendant of the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment, the Montezuma cypress in Mexico, said to be the widest and oldest tree of its kind, and Isaac Newton's apple tree, the tree that inspired the laws of gravity.
"Trees can live without us, but we cannot live without them. They are essential to the survival of our species —
and have been for millennia," write Cook and Jenshel. "It would be a grave mistake to take trees for granted… It is our hope that by paying tribute to their beauty, significant stories, and all the wisdom they have to impart, we can appreciate not only their role in our past, but also how crucial they are to our future."
Diane Cook and Len Jenshel have been contributing photographers to National Geographic for 20 years. Their previous books include Aquarium (2003), Hot Spots: America's Volcanic Landscape (1996) and Travels in the American West (1992). Their work is represented in more than 100 museums and major collections worldwide.
This event is sponsored by the Dummerston Conservation Commission.
ADMISSION: Free
Related resources:
Review of Wise Trees at Hyperallergic
NPR feature on Wise Trees
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