About Dave Walsh

Dave Walsh, Photographer

Photo by Maarten Van Rouveroy

A photographer, writer and polar communicator from Wexford, in southeast Ireland, I make images that question humanity’s relationship with planet Earth, and our profligate use of energy and resources.

In September-October 2012, a solo exhibition of my polar photography, The Cold Edge, took place in Dublin, Ireland.

I grew with a strong connection to the natural environment that surrounded me rural Ireland; the turning of the seasons, or knowing what what time was high tide on the River Slaney. Out fishing in a boat on the river ith my dog, in a boat, or riding my bike around the backroads. These experiences fueled a passionate interest in human interactions with the Earth. I’ve travelled the world, and sailed on Greenpeace expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, where I’ve seen both the auroras borealis and australis. I’ve crossed the equator twice by ocean, been up close with polar bears, humpback whales and tasmanian devils, camped under the Arctic winter moon and sweated on the northern hemisphere’s largest glacier under the 3am Arctic sun. But I don’t live some glittery paradise – I live in dirty, chaotic cities with a sense of humour, like Dublin and Brussels.

Back in this so-called ‘civilization’, I photograph the dirty magic of daily street life, urban wildlife, the rubbish on the streets, the insane traffic. This for me, is the behaviour of one of the most powerful animals on the planet. Humans sitting steadfast in their cars, in rush-hour traffic – this is as interest to me, as the migration patterns of birds, or the melting of Arctic sea ice. Everything is connected.

I currently work with the International Polar Foundation in Brussels to promote action on climate change and energy use, and the importance of polar scientific research. I am also a member of the Advisory Board of The Arctic Institute, an interdisciplinary, independent think tank focused on Arctic policy issues based in Washington DC.

Check out this feature on my polar photography in The Guardian.

My photographs have been used by National Geographic, GEO (France), The Guardian, Inquire Magazine, Discovery News, The Financial Times, The Straits Times (Singapore) Nature, the HBO comedy series Flight of the Conchords, Greenpeace International, New Scientist, The Smithsonian, Sierra magazine, BBC Wildlife magazine, the Irish Labour party, British Airways, I Count – Stop Climate Chaos, The UK’s National Theatre, The Clare People (Ireland), Conde Naste Traveller, Forbes, Fortean Times and many others, including book publishers. Several of Dave’s images have appeared on book covers. I have also has written for several newspapers and magazines, including The Irish Times and Mare magazine (Germany), and is the author of three books, Haunted Dublin, A Load of Blather, and The Cold Edge, a book of polar photography.

Representation:

The Copper House Gallery, Dublin represent my prints, and Millennium Images, represent the licencing of many of my photographs.

Contact:

Contact by email
Phone: +32 493 140 966 or +353 87 2207023
Follow me on Twitter @davewalshphoto, and on my Facebook page.

Exhibitions:

 


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