Leading industry podcast This Week in Photo recently sat down with Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet, to talk photography, philanthropy, and Flickr's partnership with the global nonprofit.
Outdoor company Public Lands sponsored Flickr’s 2024 World Photography Day photo contest – all five themes were centered around wildlife and our natural world. We had our biggest turn-out yet with nearly 34k submissions!
Flickr partnered with The Conservation Alliance to help protect Alaska’s D-1 Lands – 28 million acres of unreserved, federally-managed public lands home to Alaska’s indigenous tribes and countless species of wildlife. Together we traveled to the remote village of Igiugig – population 69 – to hear directly from the people affected by these land protections.
Deepening our partnership with The Conservation Alliance, we surveyed 1,750 photographers – from hobbyists to professionals – to determine their relationship to open spaces relative to their pastime/profession. The takeaway was clear: 95% of the photographers surveyed claimed that losing access to open spaces would hurt their business or passion. 9 out of 10 working photographers earn at least part of their income from shooting outside. And 4 out of 5 professionals said that access to open spaces was critical to the success of their photography business.
As a part of a year-long celebration of 20 years of Flickr, we joined forces with NYC photo festival Photoville to bring our communities together. We hosted a happy hour, conducted street interviews with notable pros and industry leaders, showcased the winners of 2023’s Your Best Shot contest in a gorgeous exhibition, and last but far from least – ran a Photowalk across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
This year’s theme to WIPD is “IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity.” SDGs are Sustainable Development Goals – 17 goals defined by the UN which “provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.”
General Counsel of Awesome Smrithi Mohan, the company behind Flickr, This Week in Photo, and SmugMug, wrote an inspiring blog reflecting on this poignant theme and day.
