Home Life on a Northwest Island Robert Dash’s Micrographs in National Geographic

Robert Dash’s Micrographs in National Geographic

Some of you already knew this months ago but it was news to me as of a few weeks ago…

Local photographer and book author, the kind and humble Robert Dash, was featured in National Geographic‘s February issue. He had a table at the Winter Artisans Market at the Odd Fellows Hall before Christmas, and the second I saw a National Geographic magazine in the middle of his table, I was beyond excited for him!

You may know him from his book, in which he has recorded a captivating variety of images of nature on his property, in both the visible and microscopic realms:

To record images such as the ones in his book and in National Geographic, he has visited the scanning electron microscope at Friday Harbor Labs over 100 times with specimens of seeds, pollens, leaves, buds, etc. from his land here.

Robert Dash is an educator, naturalist and photographer whose work features the complex textures and patterns of micro nature. His photographs have been published by National Geographic, TIME, Lenswork, and Buzzfeed. They have appeared in galleries and juried shows in the US and internationally. He was shortlisted for the Visura/UPI Grant for Storytelling On Climate Change, 2018. His images traveled as part of the international outdoor exhibition The FENCE. In 2017, Dash authored On An Acre Shy of Eternity, Micro Landscapes at the Edge, which won the Nautilus Book Awards Gold for Photography and Arts, and Best of Self Published. In 2016 he presented the widely-viewed TEDx lecture, “The Intercourse of Nature.” His current traveling exhibition about food and climate change is entitled “Food for Thought/ Micro Views of Sustenance: Threats and Prospects.”

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Colorado, Photo by Tina Chandler
Stamford Art Museum, Connecticut
San Juan Islands Museum of Art, Photo by Ranna McNeil

Here is a closer look at some examples of his work:

Camas Lily Pollen. Climate change leads to more pollen, and more asthma and allergies. © Robert Dash
Dragon Grass Seed © Robert Dash
Quinoa Seed 2700x to 1x. Quinoa seeds have a complete protein, making them a worthy substitute to meat. Plant-based diets have huge implications for reducing greenhouse gases produced by meat industries. © Robert Dash
Barnacles on acid. Barnacles and other marine invertebrates are threatened by rising ocean temperatures and acidification. © Robert Dash

This is Robert’s TEDx talk on Orcas Island:

Here is an interview of Robert by Jake Perrine of Orcas Center:

If you haven’t seen Robert’s work, make sure to go to Orcas Island Artworks in Olga – he has beautiful cards and large, stunning prints of his photographs, some on metal. You can also visit his website here.

One Comment:

  1. Robert Dash
    December 31, 2022 at 12:40 pm

    Edee, Thanks for your enthusiastic support. Your generous focus on local characters and stories from near and far makes you a true island treasure!

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