Photographer - Conservationist - Writer - Tracker
ADVANCED EXPERIENCE WITH MOUNTAIN LIONS, BIRDS OF PREY, AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
Joshua is an award-winning wildlife conservation photographer and certified Marine Ecology Naturalist with a photographic emphasis on coastal/marine habitats, birds of prey, and Threatened/Endangered species. He's part of the Emerging League with the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), founded The Nature Expanse Initiative, is on the Board of Directors at the Bird Rescue Center, became the Editor and Manager of the Global Parks Network at Global Conservation, is on the Ethics Committee for the North American Nature Photography Association, is sponsored by Think Tank Photo and Nikon USA, and is an Affiliate for Casio G-Shock Watches. Joshua has also appeared on multiple judging panels, advised on mountain lion safety for land trusts, and acted as a consultant and principal photographer to help establish a new redwood forest preserve in Healdsburg, California.
His awards include the 2016 California Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Top 20 in the 2019 NANPA (North American) Showcase, among many others. Joshua’s publications include National Geographic, Defenders of Wildlife, Whalebone Magazine, The New York Times, Hakai Magazine, Alaska Airlines Magazine, The Press Democrat, NANPA Expressions, and several scholarly articles, among others.
His awards include the 2016 California Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Top 20 in the 2019 NANPA (North American) Showcase, among many others. Joshua’s publications include National Geographic, Defenders of Wildlife, Whalebone Magazine, The New York Times, Hakai Magazine, Alaska Airlines Magazine, The Press Democrat, NANPA Expressions, and several scholarly articles, among others.
Certified: Marine Ecology Naturalist, SCUBA Open Water Diving, Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED,
and Nikon Professional Services, with extensive training for off-road driving and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
and Nikon Professional Services, with extensive training for off-road driving and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
Artist Ethical Statement:
In the same way water gets mixed into dry cement to make it concrete, ethics need to be mixed into nature photography to make it metaphorically concrete. Ethics are now an essential part of the modern-day nature photographer’s toolkit. Following good standards makes us better photographers, better lovers of nature, and increases the quality of life in our photos and especially for our furry, feathered, or scaley subjects. The unyielding pressures of human expansion on wildlife is horrific enough without nature photographers making bad decisions that will directly, negatively affect the lives of wild individuals. Artists are responsible for their creations. With that being said, we need to stay up-to-date on ethical practices so we can show respect to a beautiful, magical world full of wonder to which the fate of humans is directly tied.
In the same way water gets mixed into dry cement to make it concrete, ethics need to be mixed into nature photography to make it metaphorically concrete. Ethics are now an essential part of the modern-day nature photographer’s toolkit. Following good standards makes us better photographers, better lovers of nature, and increases the quality of life in our photos and especially for our furry, feathered, or scaley subjects. The unyielding pressures of human expansion on wildlife is horrific enough without nature photographers making bad decisions that will directly, negatively affect the lives of wild individuals. Artists are responsible for their creations. With that being said, we need to stay up-to-date on ethical practices so we can show respect to a beautiful, magical world full of wonder to which the fate of humans is directly tied.
AWARDS AND SELECTIONS
・SELECTED TO ATTEND THE VII ACADEMY AND FOUNDRY JOURNALISM WORKSHOP 2022
・HONORABLE MENTION, 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE PHOTO CONTEST
・TOP 100 (CONSERVATION CATEGORY), NANPA 2021 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・TOP 20 AND JUDGE'S CHOICE, NANPA 2019 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・TOP 250, NANPA 2019 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・SEMI-FINALIST, NANPA 2019 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・SECOND PLACE IN MAMMALS CATEGORY, PROJECT NOAH, 2017 BEST WILDLIFE PHOTOS
・TOP 25, CALTROUT, 2017 ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST
・GRAND PRIZE WINNER, PHOTO OF THE YEAR 2016, CALIFORNIA WATCHABLE WILDLIFE
・FIRST PLACE OVERALL, CALIFORNIA WATCHABLE WILDLIFE, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2016 PHOTO CONTEST
・HONORABLE MENTION, DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE, 2015 ANNUAL NATIONAL PHOTO CONTEST
・HONORABLE MENTION, 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE PHOTO CONTEST
・TOP 100 (CONSERVATION CATEGORY), NANPA 2021 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・TOP 20 AND JUDGE'S CHOICE, NANPA 2019 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・TOP 250, NANPA 2019 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・SEMI-FINALIST, NANPA 2019 SHOWCASE COMPETITION
・SECOND PLACE IN MAMMALS CATEGORY, PROJECT NOAH, 2017 BEST WILDLIFE PHOTOS
・TOP 25, CALTROUT, 2017 ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST
・GRAND PRIZE WINNER, PHOTO OF THE YEAR 2016, CALIFORNIA WATCHABLE WILDLIFE
・FIRST PLACE OVERALL, CALIFORNIA WATCHABLE WILDLIFE, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2016 PHOTO CONTEST
・HONORABLE MENTION, DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE, 2015 ANNUAL NATIONAL PHOTO CONTEST
PROFESSSIONAL EXPERIENCE
International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), Global Conservation, Nikon USA, Defenders of Wildlife, Whalebone Magazine, Hakai Institute and Magazine, The Condor Recovery Program, The Bird Rescue Center, The New York Times, Smithsonian Institute, UC Davis Road Ecology Project, North American Nature Photography Association, LightHawk Conservation Flying, Angel Creek Forest Preserve, Russian River Coho Salmon Monitoring Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventana Wildlife Society, Sea Shepherd, NOAA, Pacific Wild, Solano Land Trust, The River Otter Ecology Project, Sonoma County Park Service, LandPaths, Wildscreen, Point Blue Conservation, Pepperwood Preserve, US Army of Engineers, Andean Cat Alliance, Alaska Airlines, California Watchable Wildlife, UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab, Wildlife Conservation Network
"The photography of Joshua Asel illustrates the beauty and vital importance of California's wildlife and natural environments, and he serves as a worthy model for all aspiring environmental stewards."
-State Senator Mike McGuire
