About Wildflower Book + Bios

About the “Beauty and the Beast” Book and It's Creators

Gardeners, bee keepers, bird watchers, eco-destination travelers, and more find hope and beauty in "Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change." Featuring 190 images of super-bloom landscapes and botanical portraits, plus 18 short stories by 16 passionate scientists, environmental leaders, and nature writers, this book serves as a rallying cry to all who love the natural world. It also includes a 25-step, easy-to-follow action guide so anyone can pick one or two things right now, today, and get started making a difference in protecting the fragile wildflower ecosystems that are being threatened by climate change and other human activities. Nonprofit organization Exhibit Envoy is hosting their traveling educational exhibit of the photographs featured in “Beauty and the Beast.”

The book has been honored with the Sierra Club’s 2020 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography, three IBPA Benjamin Franklin Book Awards (Gold Medal for First Time Book Award – Nonfiction, Silver Medal for Art & Photography, Silver Medal for Nature & Environment), and three Foreword Indies Book Awards (Silver Medal for Coffee Table Book - General, Silver Medal for Regional - Adult Fiction, Bronze Medal for Nature - Adult Nonfiction).

About Rob Badger

Byline BIO: Rob Badger is an international award-winning conservation photographer who is passionate about photographing and protecting wildflowers on America’s public lands. He and his life and photography partner Nita Winter use art to inspire hope and action with regard to climate change, land conservation, and species extinction. The couple was honored with the Sierra Club’s 2020 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography. Their book and accompanying traveling educational exhibit are called "Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change." 

Broadcast BIO: When it comes to climate change, we’ve heard a lot about polar bears and bees — but what about wildflowers? Our guest today is award-winning conservation photographer Rob Badger, whose new book and accompanying photography exhibit inspire us to take a closer look at wildflowers and their impact on our lives and our world. Welcome to the program, Rob.

Full BIO: Rob Badger is an international award-winning conservation photographer who is passionate about photographing and protecting wildflowers on America’s public lands. He and his life and photography partner Nita Winter use art to inspire hope and action with regard to climate change, land conservation, and species extinction. The couple was honored with the Sierra Club’s 2020 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography. Their book and accompanying traveling educational exhibit are called "Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change."

Rob has a long history of conservation work and photojournalism projects documenting environmental issues. His first assignment (1980) was as project photographer on the Owens Valley Aquifer project for Inyo County, California.

He later focused on the devastating impact of logging and mining on our public lands. At the National Press Club (1998), he presented images documenting the impact of mining on public lands on behalf of the Sierra Club, which was working to reform old federal mining laws.

Rob was one of three US photographers chosen by the Center for Russian Nature Conservation to photograph nature preserves in Siberia, and has photographed more than 30 projects for the Trust for Public Land and other conservation organizations.

As a child he dreamed of being involved in space exploration, so he began his formal education studying aerospace engineering at Northrop Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, leaving after two years to focus on nature photography.

Rob earned his Associate of Arts degree in photography from El Camino College. He continues to have a strong interest in geology, meteorology, and the natural sciences. An avid music fan, Rob had the privilege of seeing The Doors perform live 11 times. He also loves to cook.

Rob is a member of Blue Earth Alliance, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, California Native Plant Society, National Wildlife Federation, Marin Open Studios, Environmental Forum of Marin, Marin Conservation League, and North American Nature Photography Association.

About Nita Winter

Byline BIO: Nita Winter is an award-winning conservation photographer who is passionate about photographing and protecting wildflowers on America’s public lands. She and her life and photography partner Rob Badger use art to inspire hope and action with regard to climate change, land conservation, and species extinction. The couple was honored with the Sierra Club’s 2020 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography. Their book and accompanying traveling educational exhibit are called "Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change." 

Broadcast BIO: When it comes to climate change, we’ve heard a lot about polar bears and bees — but what about wildflowers? Our guest today is award-winning conservation photographer Nita Winter, whose new book and accompanying traveling educational exhibit inspire us to take a closer look at wildflowers and their impact on our lives and our world. Welcome to the program, Nita.

Full BIO: Nita Winter is an award-winning conservation photographer who is passionate about photographing and protecting wildflowers on America’s public lands. She and her life and photography partner Rob Badger use art to inspire hope and action with regard to climate change, land conservation, and species extinction. The couple was honored with the Sierra Club’s 2020 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography. Their book and accompanying traveling educational exhibit are called "Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change."

Nita grew up in a peace and social justice household on Long Island, NY, attending civil rights, anti-nuclear, and anti-war demonstrations throughout her youth. Her father loved taking photographs, and she was exposed to the work of many of the great early and mid 20th century photographers.

She was a seasonal firefighter for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (now Cal Fire) in 1977. She also used to lead tours of Alcatraz for the National Park Service. She was the first Booking Coordinator at the Women’s Building of the Bay Area.

Nita became a people photographer who focused on celebrating human diversity through documentary and public art projects for the first 25 years of her career. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Clark University. 

She is a member of Blue Earth Alliance, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, California Native Plant Society, National Wildlife Federation, Marin Open Studios, Environmental Forum of Marin, Marin Conservation League, and North American Nature Photography Association.