Jim Brandenburg (November 23, 1945 – April 4, 2025) was an American environmentalist and nature photographer and filmmaker based near

Ely, Minnesota Ely ( ) is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,268 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Vermilion Range (Minnesota), Vermilion iron range, Ely once ha ...

. His career included over 10 years as a

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photojournalist Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news story. It usually only refers to still images, but can also refer to video used in broadcast journalism. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (suc ...

, over 30 years as a contract photographer for the

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, and commissions from such groups as the

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, and the

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. Jim Brandenburg was a Fellow of the

International League of Conservation Photographers International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

. Brandenburg died April 4, 2025, at the age of 79.

Recognition

In 1991, for his work with the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, his creation of the Concerts for the Environment non-profit organization, his work with the Nature Conservancy, and other achievements, Brandenburg was awarded the Global 500 Environmental World Achievement Award. This

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

sponsored recognition was presented to him by the

King of Sweden The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the #IOG, Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. by law a constitutional monarchy, constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parl ...

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. In 2006 Brandenburg was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, by the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

. Four of Brandenburg's images were chosen for inclusion in a collection that represents the 40 most important nature photographs of all time. The Top Forty nominations include the work of 25 photographer. The images selected were: Oryx on Namib Desert, Namibia, southwest Africa; Gray Wolf near BWCAW, Ely, Minnesota; Leaping Arctic wolf, Ellesmere Island, Canada; and Bison on Frozen Landscape, Blue Mounds State Park, Luverne, Minnesota. They were chosen by members of the

(iLCP). Brandenburg's image of the leaping Arctic wolf was named one of 100 most important photos in Canadian history and was included in the book ''100 Photos that Changed Canada''."100 Photos That Changed Canada by Society History, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, Oct 8, 2009

Publications

References

External links

* *
National Public Radio Interview: Jim Brandenburg on "Chased By the Light"

Minnesota Public Radio Discussion: Jim Brandenburg on Wilderness Preservation

International League of Conservation Photographers
*
Brandenburg interviewed by Richard “Fred” Arey, ''Northern Lights TV Series'' #436 (1999)
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Brandenburg, Jim 1945 births 2025 deaths American photojournalists American nature photographers Photographers from Minnesota People from Luverne, Minnesota University of Minnesota Duluth alumni People from Worthington, Minnesota People from Ely, Minnesota 20th-century American photographers 20th-century American male artists 21st-century American photographers 21st-century American male artists