Ilya Raskin

Artist Statement

Dr. Ilya Raskin learned photography from his parents while growing up in Russia. As a professor of biology at Rutgers University and President of the Global Institute for BioExploration (GIBEX), Dr. Raskin works in many countries helping local communities to conserve biodiversity, preserve traditional knowledge and improve health and quality of life. His extensive travels take him to remote, off-the-beaten track corners of the planet, and his camera allows him to share these places with the world. His photographs were published in numerous publications, including Science, Nature, Wildlife Conservation, Canadian Geographic, and Natural History.

Dr. Raskin’s major passion is nature and wildlife photography and, early in his career, he was fortunate to study with the world’s leading nature photographers. His professional knowledge of biology and ecology helps him to locate his subjects and find the best moment to capture the winning shot. His long-time interest in art and art history helps him to see and compose. His focus on nature is also driven by his desire to preserve memories of its rapidly disappearing wild splendor. However, Dr. Raskin also searches for natural beauty, color, composition and drama in urban settings and in people’s faces, making his work very diverse in styles and subject matters.

All profits from the sale of Dr. Raskin’s photography are donated to GIBEX to support global conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources. Please visit www.sharperplanet.com to see examples of Dr. Raskin’s works.

“Landscapes of the Soul”

Our vision is nothing but the light entering our bodies through our eyes and reflecting in our souls. Photography allows us to capture this light so that others can see it at a different place and time. Like any other art, it allows us to share a moment in our lives with others, and, if it is a good photograph, to bring out the same emotions we had at the moment the shutter button was pressed. I hope that my ‘landscapes of the soul’ photographs will make you see and understand why I pressed this shutter button at this place and at this time and to relive an intense joy I felt when I captured this shot.