Freedom To Roam

For the past 15 years, documenting wild ecosystems in support of conservation campaigns has been the commitment of Visions of the Wild. Working closely with dedicated organizations, researchers, writers and advocates is how Florian and Emil Schulz have built a strong foundation for their conservation photography work.

As part of their Freedom to Roam project Florian and Emil have dedicated years of their lives to documenting the drama and beauty of North America’s most critical wildlife corridor: “Yellowstone to Yukon”. Sponsored by Braided River, their first book —Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam (2005)—received the Independent Book Publisher Award:“ Outstanding Books of the Year ”, singled out as “Most Likely to Save the Planet.”

Images were carefully selected from his book to produce a traveling exhibit curated by the Burke Museum of Seattle. The show later traveled to Chicago`s Field Musuem as a 6 month solo exhibit. Schulz’s photography has also been displayed in museums such as the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History.

Continuing their Freedom to Roam campaign the couples current project “Baja to Beaufort” focuses on the coastline of Baja California to the Beaufort Sea an interconnected corridor of oceanic, coastal and terrestrial environments. Marine and terrestrial interrelationships throughout this region are vast and complex, linking the life of the ocean depths to the very tops of ancient trees—and ultimately to us.

This bilogical corridor encompasses deserts, sierras, mangroves, fjords, archipelagos, and a vast stretch of arctic tundra. It is an ecosystem rich in migratory birds, fish and marine mammals, giving home also to the last large migratory herd of ungulates in the Americas. In the North it is also the home to some of the most powerful animals like bears and wolves. Certain parts of this region represent some of the wildest ecosystems still to be found on Earth and allows for the creation and preservation of wildlife corridors. But constant threats by development, industry and pollution are an ever growing issue.

Freedom to Roam B2B ‘Visual Campaign’ consists not only of powerful imagery, there are other important elements required for this project to reach its goal: to inspire, to educate and empower people to take action.

A coffee-table book is published with powerful essayist from renown writers that have inspirational voices in the theme as well as personal stories from the field while working to complete the project. Museum and galleries exhibits are also a very important element to inspire and educate the public, so once the book is released, then an traveling exhibit is proposed to strengthen the message of the book and help carry the message to broader audiences in North America.

In order to carry on with the conservation message, Florian and Emil produce a live multimedia presentation where Florian speaks in front of an audience to share his personal experiences in the field. With natural sound and music, their aim is to produce visuals that inspire and empower people to take action in the protection of endangered ecosystems like the B2B corridor.

Support for Florian and Emil’s ‘Freedom to Roam’ educational experiences and visual campaign, helps cultivate concern and interest in the preservation of wild landscapes and their inhabitants.