Gary Lopez
Gary Lopez is a fine art astrophotographer. His images have received recognition in international fine art photography competitions, including First Place in both the 2020 and the 2021 International Photography Awards (Nature/Astrophotography category). His photography is represented by Gallery Sur, Carmel, CA.
Gary is also a filmmaker, entrepreneur, and scientist. He has produced more than 40 documentary films and series, including television programs for Jacques Cousteau and his son, Jean-Michel Cousteau. His programs have been broadcast nationally in the United States, distributed through out Europe and Asia, and have received many awards for excellence. In 2006, U.S. President George W. Bush cited one of Gary’s films, Voyage to Kure (Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventure, PBS), as his inspiration for establishing the Northwestern Hawaiian Island Marine National Monument, one of the largest protected areas in the world (Los Angles Time, June 15, 2006). Gary’s media company, Archipelago, was acquired by Harcourt Brace in 1993. In 2003 he founded and still serves as CEO of the The NROC Project, a national non-profit foundation that has supported more than 12 million high school and college students. Dr. Lopez received his Ph.D. in Marine Biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1981.
Artist’s Statement
Our night sky is decorated with remarkable sights that are too faint to be seen by the unaided eye. Specialized camera, filter, and software technology lets us to create images of these distant objects. It’s called astrophotography. For me, astrophotography is an opportunity to blend art and science. In my images I strive to bridge nature photography and abstract art, and capture the beauty and drama of the stories that are told by this ancient cosmic light.