Science-driven art is a fascinating intersection where creativity meets knowledge, blending the worlds of art and science in innovative and thought-provoking ways. Allegra Hutton beautifully combines her passion for photography and conservation, capturing wildlife through her lens with a compelling vision (and voice). Scroll on to learn more about Allegra's path to conservation photography, and enjoy a glimpse of her exhibit, "Polar Perspectives".
Starting from Science
Creative and Natural Worlds Collide
I’ve been drawn to animals ever since I can remember. I was that kid that brought any and all animals home, much to my parents' dismay. Though I loved animals, I hadn’t even thought about photographing them yet. I fell in love with photography when I was about 12 after a summer spent in the darkroom with film. While I enjoyed it, I all too quickly dismissed my creativity and love of nature for a more traditional job in the classroom (I taught 8th grade science!). It was only when Covid hit and my job was lost that I was forced to consider other options—and I am incredibly grateful it did. My love for animals combined with my passion for the environment and photography very quickly led to the beginning of a career in wildlife and conservation photography—and here I am!
Visual storytelling is my tool for driving impact and creating change around the globe. My hope is that if people can see the world through my lens, it might help promote awareness and inspire meaningful action towards a healthier Mother Earth. We live on a phenomenally beautiful and diverse planet and I feel a calling/responsibility to be a voice for her.
First Time Exhibit
Drawing Attention, Raising Awareness, and Motivating Action
The name of the show is “Polar Perspectives”—which was named primarily for the fact that I was showcasing images from the polar regions, but it was also a nod to the polarized views we have on climate change. My hope was that the show would help people feel closer and more connected to these regions and their wildlife, and maybe inspire change.
With that in mind, I knew I wanted to go big. The polar regions have this incredible feeling of vastness that remind you just how small you are in the best way—and I wanted this feeling of vastness to translate in my show. I made sure to make a lot of use of the negative space in the gallery, along with the big prints.
I had an idea of what my favorites were—then I spent hours with a floor plan of the gallery and curated exactly where each print would go. I decided early on that it would be fun to split the room in half with a physical line marking an “equator” down the center of the room. One side would be the Arctic and the other, Antarctic. I knew I wanted to include some of my humpback photographs, both because they are some of my favorite images, but also because they helped tell the story I wanted to share. Humpbacks make the journey from the polar regions to the equatorial regions annually to give birth and mate. They perfectly illustrate just how connected our global ecosystem is. So, I started with these images at the equator and then moved north and south and did my best to create a cohesive show!
The show has been a huge success and it's such an amazing feeling to be in a room surrounded by your work. Better yet, to be in a room with people not just looking at your work, but admiring it! It feels surreal!
Printing for Change
The Selection Process to Final Showcase
I actually found Bay Photo through my good friend Max Seigal! I had used a few printers, but none of them really stuck—nor did they do the complete printing and framing all in one, which is both convenient and saves me time.
I started with a swatchbook, which gave me an idea of which kinds of paper I would like. From there I got a few test prints, and that sealed the deal! Epson Premium Luster had the quality I wanted, as well as the perfect amount of gloss—I didn’t want anything too glossy or too matte! I also liked that Epson Premium Luster had a very cool tone to the paper itself, which was perfect for the subject matter of my show.
I wanted to have a classic, modern, elevated look to my pieces—so the black metal frame was a no brainer. That combined with a 2 inch white mat gave my work the perfect sleek look I was going for!
Special Thanks to Allegra!
To learn more about Allegra's conservation photography work, visit
https://www.allegrahutton.com/ or @allegrahutton on Instagram
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