ABOUT US

The Photo Ark is a multi-decade effort to document every species living in zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries around the world. We use studio lighting, along with black and white backgrounds, so all species have an equal voice in the project. Through the Photo Ark Foundation, the imagery of the Photo Ark is preserved for generations to come, all while educating and inspiring action to help save species today.

With animals of all classes facing extinction around the globe, the Photo Ark Foundation strives to share the unparalleled visual assets of the Photo Ark with organizations, institutions and individuals who share our vision of helping to understand and protect animals and their habitats.

OUR HISTORY

The Photo Ark Foundation originated out of a need to preserve and share the work being done by National Geographic photographer, and Photo Ark founder, Joel Sartore.

After working on assignments around the world for National Geographic Magazine for 20 years, Joel got the news that his wife, Kathy, was ill with breast cancer.

With three young children at home, Joel traded out international magazine work for helping his wife recover from treatment, and keeping the family home on track.

Once Kathy started to recover from her cancer treatment Joel began looking for photography inspiration in his hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska.

After photographing a few species at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, an invite from the Omaha Zoo an hour away led to more animal portraits. It was during these early photo sessions in 2006 that Joel had a revelation; many of the world’s species had never been uniformly photographed alive. Because the portraits are shot with black and white backgrounds, viewers can look each animal in the eye, undistracted.

In the years that followed, Joel resumed magazine assignments from National Geographic and began incorporating the unique Photo Ark style of photography into his stories.

Now 20 years later, and with over 17,000 species documented, the Photo Ark has become the world’s largest repository of uniform animal photographs and video.

With the creation of the Photo Ark Foundation in 2023, the image and video collection started by Joel now has a perpetual home to share the work with the world, and preserve it for future generations.

MEET OUR TEAM

  • Maura Mulvihill smiling with short dark hair wearing a necklace and a dark top as board chair of the Photo Ark Foundation.

    Maura Mulvihill

    Board President ‍ ‍Senior Vice President Emerita National Geographic Creative

  • Cole Sartore smiling in a suit and white shirt against a dark background at executive director of the Photo Ark Foundation

    Cole Sartore

    Executive Director National Geographic Photo Ark Curator

  • Colby Bishop smiling with shoulder-length hair, wearing earrings and a dark top, against a dark background as secretary and board member of the Photo Ark Foundation

    Colby Bishop

    Board Member & Secretary Vice President of Wildlife National Geographic Society

  • John Chapo smiling with glasses, wearing a vest and white shirt, standing outdoors with a blurred background as co-treasurer and board member of the Photo Ark Foundation

    John Chapo

    Board Member & Co-Treasurer President & CEO Emeritus Lincoln Children’s Zoo

  • Joel Sartore with short, slightly wavy hair, smiling, outdoors with a background of leaves as board member of the Photo Ark Foundation

    Joel Sartore

    Board Member National Geographic Photographer & Explorer

  • Rebecca Wright with wavy hair, wearing a blazer, standing outdoors in front of trees as Joel Sartore Photography liaison officer to the Photo Ark Foundation

    Rebecca Wright

    Liaison Officer Joel Sartore Photography Office Manager

  • Kyle Sitzman sitting at a cluttered desk in a home office, smiling, with books and decorative items on shelves in the background as a co-treasurer and board member of the Photo Ark Foundation.

    Kyle Sitzman

    Board Member & Co-Treasurer Partner Emeritus Buckley & Sitzman LLP

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY AND PHOTO ARK

For over 130 years, the National Geographic Society has enabled scientists, explorers, and storytellers from around the world to document and share the beauty of our planet. Through grant funding, National Geographic Explorers continue to break boundaries in the pursuit of better understanding our natural world, and the cultural heritage we have created within.

The Photo Ark is honored to be grant funded by the National Geographic Society, who shares our mission in bringing earth’s biodiversity to the public. Through the support of the National Geographic Society, the Photo Ark and Photo Ark Foundation can continue giving voices to the voiceless.