My name is Nathan Lake. I lived most of my life in the United States, but in 2022 I retired, hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, and moved to Cuenca, Ecuador to begin an exploration of South America.

I have owned a camera since I was 12 years old and have been routinely shooting for about 20 years; sometimes seriously, sometimes not. For the past 10 years, I have been fortunate enough to have the resources and the time to travel extensively. That has led to experiences and photo opportunities that many can only dream of.

Upon moving to Ecuador, the islands of the Galapagos were one of my first destinations. The Galapagos Islands were already 2 million years old when humans were first starting to use tools. The giant tortoises roamed the Islands 2 million years before humans first inhabited South America. And in less than 500 years since man first discovered the Galapagos, we have managed to kill off at least 23 species of animals found there and no other place in the world, including 4 subspecies of the giant tortoise.

My initial visit to the Islands turned out to be one of many trips over the past 2 years, and my experiences there have driven home one simple idea. The human species, due to the amazing technological advancements we have made, now has the ability in equal measure to protect or destroy. We have a choice. Which shall it be?