National Geographic photographer Joel Satore is packing.
For another trip for a project that will take 25 years when its said and done.
"The photo ark is pretty much all I am going to do until I can’t shoot anymore" he said.
A modern day Noah armed with his camera gear and two solid color backgrounds.
Sartore started the photo ark at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo a decade ago.
His mission: document every captive species on earth, half of which expected to become extinct before they do.
He's traveled the world, working in zoos, and wildlife rehab centers, snapping thousands of creatures, making them brilliant on black and white.
KMTV got an intimate look at Satore's photo studio, and learned why he wanted to start this quest to begin with.
"About 10 years ago my wife Cathy had breast cancer. She was treated and is fine now.” He said.
“I had a year to sit and think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and career. And I thought well, you know maybe we'll just do a bunch of animals on black and white backgrounds. And do a big huge library of them. Most of which the world has never seen before."
But now the world has. Things like these red panda cubs from the Lincoln Zoo, projected on the Vatican.
"This is the first time in the history of the magazine they did 10 different covers,” Satore said.
All the pictures are achieved and distributed by national geographic too, increasing the reach.
It's always pack and go, shoot and share.
Sartore guesses they'll have 6 thousand species for the ark by the end of this summer.
Which animals does he like best?
"My favorite? Is always the next one,” he said.
