John Stanmeyer is a National Geographic Explorer, award-winning photographer, filmmaker, artist, and educator dedicated to environmental, social, and cultural issues to raise global consciousness. John has worked with National Geographic magazine for twenty years, producing over 25 stories. For a decade, John was a contract photographer for Time magazine. In 2001, Stanmeyer co-founded the VII photo agency. He lives with two Great Danes, Elfriede and Eleanor, in the Berkshires in Massachusetts.