Annenberg Space for Photography Announces Iris Nights Lecture Series for The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Annenberg Space for Photography today announced the initial lineup of speakers for their popular Iris Nights lecture series presented in conjunction with the exhibit The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years.

The series brings to life the most current exhibit, giving attendees unique access to the artists in an intimate setting.  The series kicks off with a special Saturday presentation by Michael "Nick" Nichols.  Scheduled speakers also include National Geographic photographers David Liittschwager, Maggie Steber, Abelardo Morell, David Doubilet, James Balog and Mike Yamashita.  Additional Iris Nights lectures scheduled for 2014 will be announced in December.  All Iris Nights lectures are free to the public.

The Power of Photography: National Geographic 125 Years celebrates the 125 year anniversary of National Geographic magazine.  The exhibit offers photography from a wide range of genres and themes--from iconic images to portraits; landscapes to natural history, and more.

In addition to more than 500 prints, the exhibit will present two documentary films commissioned by the Annenberg Foundation from Arclight Productions: The Power of Photography: Beyond the Image, which profiles six renowned photographers whose work appears in National Geographic's anniversary issue; and a short film about the making of the exhibit. The Photography Space will also offer short videos by National Geographic, which include photographer interviews and on-assignment vignettes.

The exhibit opens free to the public in Los Angeles, on October 26, 2013 through April 27, 2014.  Some photographs contain graphic imagery, and may not be suitable for all visitors.

IRIS NIGHTS LECTURE SERIES SCHEDULE

All Iris Nights lectures will take place on Thursday evenings from 6:30pm-8pm at the Annenberg Space for Photography Skylight Studios.  Skylight Studios is a multimedia studio and retail gallery located directly across the park from the Photography Space.  Tickets are free of charge and available by online reservation on a first-come, first-served basis.

October 26 – Special Saturday Lecture – Michael "Nick" Nichols, longtime photographer for National Geographic and the magazine's Editor-at-Large for photography, has devoted his career to producing photography that effects environmental change. His work with conservationists such as Mike Fay and Jane Goodall has resulted in many books, including Brutal Kinship and The Last Place on Earth. 

November 7- David Liittschwager is a contributing photographer to National Geographic and other magazines.  Recipient of numerous awards, Liittschwager lectures and exhibits his work in both fine art and natural history contexts. The Zoological Society of London recently awarded the 2012 Thomson Reuters Award for Communicating Zoology to his book project A World in One Cubic Foot: Portraits of Biodiversity.

November 14 – Maggie Steber has worked for National Geographic magazine and other clients in 63 nations. Her awards include the World Press Foundation Award, the Leica Medal of Excellence and Pictures of the Year awards.  Her photographs are in many collections including the Library of Congress. From 1999 to 2003, she served as Assistant Managing Editor and Director of Photography at The Miami Herald.  

November 21 – Abelardo Morell's career has spanned over 25 years. Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1948, Morell immigrated to the United States in 1962. His work has been collected and shown in art institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and over seventy other museums in the United States and abroad.

December 5 – David Doubilet is a contributing photographer and author for National Geographic magazine, where he has photographed 65 stories. Since his first assignment in 1971, he has become one of the most published photographers in the history of the magazine.  He is a contributing editor and author of several books. Doubilet has spent five decades photographing the underwater world.

December 12 – James Balog has been a leader in photographing and interpreting the natural environment for three decades. He is an avid mountaineer with a graduate degree in geography and geomorphology and the author of eight books. To reveal the impact of climate change, Balog founded the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS), the most wide-ranging, ground-based, photographic study of glaciers ever conducted. 

December 19 – Mike Yamashita has been a photographer for National Geographic for over 25 years. Specializing in Asia, Yamashita has covered Vietnam and the Mekong River, Marco Polo's journey to China and Japanese culture from samurai to fish markets. He has published several books including Shangri-La, which provides a rare and fast-disappearing view of Tibet.

Schedule and participants are subject to change.

About the Annenberg Space for Photography
The Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated to exhibiting photography.  The intimate environment features state-of-the-art, high-definition digital technology as well as traditional prints by some of the world's most renowned and emerging photographers.  It is the first solely photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area.

Annenberg Space for Photography
2000 Avenue of the Stars
Century City, CA 90067
Tel:  213.403.3000
www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org

Hours for Annenberg Space for Photography
and Annenberg Space for Photography Skylight Studios
Wednesday through Sunday:  11am – 6pm

Admission is free. Parking with validation is $3.50 Wednesdays - Fridays and $1.00 on weekends.

SOURCE The Annenberg Foundation