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 and Endangered species. He's part of the Emerging League with the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), is represented by The Wildscreen Exchange, is on the Board of Directors at the Bird Rescue Center, is on the Ethics Committee for the North American Nature Photography Association, and is sponsored by Nikon USA. His awards include the 2016 California Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Top 20 in the 2019 NANPA (North American) Showcase. Additionally, Joshua has appeared on multiple judging panels, advised on mountain lion safety for land trusts, and acted as a consultant to help establish a new redwood forest preserve in Healdsburg, California. 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.
In the not-so-distant past, Joshua was focused on a career in fine art painting and illustration, but dropped out of college and switched to wildlife photography literally overnight after discovering his true calling. Soon after, he realized that he could do more for wildlife through education, so created Wild Expectations Environmental Conservation, which mainly focused on imagery and stories about wildlife conservation in California. Today, the organization is being renovated into The Nature Expanse Initiative, which will help create or expand Wildlife Protected Areas (including National Parks) globally by utilizing a world-class team of photographers and scientific illustrators.
In the not-so-distant past, Joshua was focused on a career in fine art painting and illustration, but dropped out of college and switched to wildlife photography literally overnight after discovering his true calling. Soon after, he realized that he could do more for wildlife through education, so created Wild Expectations Environmental Conservation, which mainly focused on imagery and stories about wildlife conservation in California. Today, the organization is being renovated into The Nature Expanse Initiative, which will help create or expand Wildlife Protected Areas (including National Parks) globally by utilizing a world-class team of photographers and scientific illustrators.
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 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
PARTNERS ・ SPONSORS ・ AFFILIATES
International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP)
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
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
