I’m Nicholas Swatz, an award-winning and internationally-published photographer living and working in the Pacific Northwest. I am passionate about the outdoors, preserving the beauty of Mother Nature and increasing awareness of conservation while advocating for more accessibility.
You may have seen my work on KOMO TV, PsychologyToday, Business Insider, Osprey, 1889: Washington’s Magazine, RainierWatch or perhaps another outdoor or conservation publication!
I am in constant awe and wonder of our natural world and it’s workings, and it is my life’s passion to inspire others to care just as deeply and hold reverence for the lands we walk on. I find great joy in learning about our natural world, and ways in which I can live my life more in harmony with nature.
MY PLEDGE
As an outdoor adventure and nature photographer, I embrace my responsibility to foster a respectful and nurturing relationship with the Land and all of our relatives who inhabit it. I pledge to utilize my photography as a tool to inspire others to cultivate reverence and stewardship for the lands we inhabit, recognizing that we are all interconnected and share in the responsibility to protect and honor this sacred Earth.
A Note on Language
“The power of language is not to be underestimated. Simple changes in our language can completely change our perceptions, our ways of thinking and knowing, and our actions. A new language will help us to consciously transition toward and Indigenous ecology. It will provide the freedom we need to shift into the relational worldview.”
- Dr. Jennifer Grenz, Medicine Wheel for the Planet: A Journey Toward Personal and Ecological Healing
Throughout my website, you will notice some slight changes to language and formatting that you might not be used to. This is purposeful.
Some examples of these changes include the capitalization of certain nouns, along with the added identifier of “relative” or “relations” (Plant relatives), the subtle addition of “personhood” among otherwise person-less creations (i.e. asking Who is this? instead of What is that?), and in some cases the ‘re’-naming of certain creations (i.e. The Standing Relatives, meaning Trees).
This is to inspire readers to reconsider their own relationship with the natural world, and how they view all of the life that surrounds them - from humans to rainfall.
A note on place
Many times I do not disclose the location of certain photographs. This is also purposeful.
The act of tagging locations on digital media is called “geo-tagging”, and like many other actions we take, it has an effect on our environment.
When people see these beautiful places, they often times feel a sense of urgency to visit. This is wonderful, when it is done respectfully.
All too often, we have seen our National Parks and National Forests disrespected by humans who do not follow Leave No Trace principles and who do not conduct themselves with respect for the land that they journey on. This leads to destruction of delicate ecosystems for the sake of an Instagram picture.
In other cases, the photographs shared are images of ceremony of some kind. Please understand that I have been given permission to capture and share these photographs with you. Please also understand that this doesn’t automatically issue license to the viewer of these images to intimate knowledge of these practices, or where they take place. Some areas are simply off-limits and belong under the stewardship of their Indigenous keepers. Please view respectfully.