102. Katie Orlinsky: National Geographic Photographer on Vanishing Caribou, Managing Solitude, Obsession, Endurance, and Working the Edge of the Arctic

Photography with Katie Orlinsky: National Geographic Photographer on Vanishing Caribou, Managing Solitude, Obsession, Endurance, and Working the Edge of the Arctic. National Geographic photographer Katie Orlinsky has spent the past decade documenting life in the Arctic, a place where climate, culture, and survival are all intertwined. Her latest exhibition, Vanishing Caribou , now showing at the Natural History Museum in Siena, Italy, captures the heartbreaking decline of Arctic caribou and the Indigenous communities whose lives depend on them. In this conversation, we talk about how she built the project, the balance between beauty and loss, and what it means to tell stories that help the world see differently. We also explore Katie’s creative evolution, from covering conflict zones in Latin America to photographing the far north, and how solitude, obsession, and endurance have shaped her work. She shares lessons on risk-taking, avoiding burnout, and finding hope in a world that often feels like it’s slipping away. This is a conversation about purpose, perseverance, and the power of bearing witness when the world needs it most. Notable Links: Katie Orlinsky Website Katie Orlinsky Instagram National Geographic: Where Are All The Caribou? Image Discussion: Arctic village of Anaktuvuk Pass with Caribou on Kitchen Floor ***** This episode is brought to you by Lexar. For almost 30 years, Lexar has been trusted as a leading global brand of memory solutions so they know firsthand just how quickly content is transforming our world. Their award-winning lineup performs second to none and includes professional memory cards, card readers, and solid state drives for creators of all skill levels. So - Whether shooting photos, capturing video, or transferring content on the go, Lexar provides the reliability and performance you can rely on to get the shot with confidence. I certainly do. I've been using Lexar Professional CFexpress 4.0 Type B GOLD memory cards with my Canon mirrorless cameras for years and years. And they deliver the blazing speed and the durability for the extreme weather conditions I encounter all over the world. To learn more about Lexar Memory Solutions, please visit lexar.com ***** This episode is brought to you by Kase Revolution Plus Filters. I travel the world with my camera, and I can use any photography filters I like, and I’ve tried all of them, but in recent years I’ve landed on Kase Filters. Kase filters are made with premium materials, HD optical glass, shockproof, Ultra-Low Reflectivity, zero color cast, round and square filter designs, magnetic systems, filter holders, adapters, step-up rings, and everything I need so I never miss a moment. And now, my listeners can get 10% off the Kase Filters Amazon page when they visit. beyondthelens.fm/kase and use coupon code BERNABE10 Kase Filters, Capture with Confidence.