Some of the very first photographs had nature as their subject: think William Henry Fox Talbot’s botanical specimens to Anna Atkins’ distinctive cyanotypes. As the craft developed, artists remained fascinated by the outdoors, with household names like Ansel Adams and Edward Weston focusing on recording the landscape. Today, practitioners are using the subject matter as a means of pointing to wider societal themes – from Richard Mosse, who harnesses infrared to reveal man-made destruction in the Amazon, to Taryn Simon’s political floral arrangements and Edward Burtynsky’s industrial landscapes.
The After Nature Ulrike Crespo Photography Prize, launched in 2024, champions those working at the intersection of art and ecology. This year’s winners are Lisa Barnard (b. 1967) and Isadora Romero (b. 1987). Barnard is best-known for the acclaimed project The Canary and The Hammer, currently on view at Soho Photography Quarter in London, which takes a deep dive into gold’s troubled history. In Berlin, she presents research into echolocation, revealing how the technique – used by bats, dolphins and other animals – has influenced the development of driverless vehicles, lithium mining and nuclear testing sties.
Isadora Romero, meanwhile, uses three case studies in Ecuador to examine the coexistence of humans and forests – in the past, today and into the future. Her collaborations with scientists and local communities create a nuanced narrative about the spiritual, political and environmental importance of tropical rainforests. Together, Barnard and Romero’s award-winning artworks encourage us to reconsider the landscape and push beyond familiar, entrenched perspectives.
After Nature Ulrike Crespo Photography Prize runs from 28 September – 27 January: co-berlin.org
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1. Palms at Mache Chindul. © Isadora Romero.
2. Ecology for new guides in Yunguilla, 2025. © Isadora Romero.
3. Lizbeth Morales, 2023. © Isadora Romero.
4. Colorado River, Lost Lake, Blythe, California © Lisa Barnard.
