Nikon ambassador Sebastián Liste documents deforestation in the Amazon
Wednesday 30 October 2019, 17:17 by Michelle Peeters | 3,890 views | 0 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
Renowned photographer and Nikon ambassador Sebastián Liste has released a beautiful new photo series. In it, he examines the effects of colonisation and deforestation on local employment, trade, the displacement of communities and the environment in the Amazon.
These images are the latest in Sebastián's extensive body of work, after documenting the Amazon over the past eight years. Equipped with the D850, Z 7 and NIKKOR lenses, Sebastián has now turned his attention to the Transamazonica, a motorway running through the Amazon, and the villages along it.
His aim is to educate new generations about the changing geography of the Amazon, particularly the social and political consequences and the environmental impact of this motorway.
Transamazonica
The Transamazonica is Brazil's third-longest motorway* and divides the Amazon rainforest in two. Construction of the motorway began in the 1970s but was never completed. It was initially intended to promote integration within Brazil and with the surrounding countries.
The motorway is still in use and, since the beginning, new attempts have occasionally been made to continue its construction. This has led to even more changes for the surrounding environment and the people who live there.
Sebastián says: Brazil allowed the development of this motorway to establish itself as one of the world's leading exporters. From beef and chicken to coffee, sugar and soya beans, the motorway has brought economic growth and created employment in the region.
But it has also led to mass deforestation and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. The colonisation that has accompanied it has had a profound impact on the lives of the local population.
Although the opportunity to grow and transport goods was good for Brazil's economy, the colonisation of the Amazon has also brought controversy and change.
Sebastián: The construction of the motorway has had a positive effect on the economy, but it has also led to local people being displaced from their communities, public land being illegally privatised and thousands of people working in difficult conditions on agricultural and livestock farms.
Many isolated communities live in the rainforest. They now have work, but their lives have changed forever.
D850 and Z 7
To document these villages and their inhabitants, Sebastián used the D850, with its high speed, resolution and sensitivity, together with the award-winning full-frame Z 7 mirrorless camera.
The three lenses that were always by his side were the AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G, the AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G and the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens for mirrorless cameras.
He adds: I needed reliable and robust equipment while working in the hot, humid and challenging conditions. I wanted to document the situation objectively and find beauty in everyday life.
To do this, I had to be able to capture high-quality images in a fraction of a second, while still retaining complete control over light and colour. That was the only way I could do justice to the subject and make the public aware of the reality of the changes in this remote, yet very important part of the world.
Nikon Europe's Special Projects Programme
Nikon Europe's Special Projects Programme gives Nikon ambassadors, talented and influential photographers from across Europe, the chance to realise their dream projects.
The programme is part of Nikon's ongoing mission to support inspiring photographers by giving them a platform for projects they are passionate about, while also creating a community of creative artists who strive to do things differently.
For more information about Sebastián's project, visit his Special project page.
The equipment
During his project, Sebastián used the following equipment:
Cameras:
o D850
o Z 7
Lenses:
o AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G
o NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S
o AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G
About the author
Michelle Peeters is fotografe en oprichter van DeuxBleus Fotografie. Michelle herkent het bijzondere in het gewone en het gewone in het bijzondere. Ze heeft zich nooit willen specialiseren en is daardoor van alle markten thuis.
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