Phnom Penh, Cambodia
$300 - $600 / Day
Yann Bigant is an independent photographer, photojournalist and drone operator focusing on conservation and the environment in Southeast Asia. He is committed to stories highlighting the impacts of human activities on wildlife along with more hopeful tales showcasing the dedicated work of conservationists attempting to stem the tide of extinction. His recent work on the large-scale trade of animals for Buddhist's 'life release' practice was featured on the cover of South China Morning Post magazine. He studied engineering in France and architecture in China, where he lived and worked before moving to Cambodia. He has been involved in environmental work for more than 10 years, co-organizing a scientific expedition to Greenland, developing conservation projects in Indonesia and communicating on environmental issues for the NGO Naturevolution. His personal fine art practice explores in sensitive photographs the relationships we develop with remote and overlooked landscapes, and has been exhibited in festivals and galleries. Yann is fluent in English, French and Mandarin Chinese. For a detailed bio and more of his work, visit www.yannbigant.com
Story on the thriving LGBTQ community of Chengdu, the capital of China's southwestern Sichuan province, at a time the future was looking increasingly bright for the homosexual and queer community of mainland China. (text with T. Rizzotti & photos, Pride, 2011)
Coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific are decimated by outbreaks of crown-of-thorns, a coral-eating starfish whose populations are known to explode, devastating reefs in just a few months, for reasons still poorly understood. I researched, wrote and photograph this story while working for the NGO Naturevolution, surveying local reefs and searching for solutions with researchers and divers. (text & photo, French, 2021)
Giant clams are a keystone species of coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific and the island of Sulawesi is a hotspot of giant clam diversity. Yet as these bivalve molluscs are now endangered by illegal collection, grassroots conservationists find themselves on a race to save them. I wrote and photograph this story while working for the NGO Naturevolution and with a local giant clam conservation organization. (text & photos, Fr/En, 2021)
In 2016, I co-organize with the NGO Naturevolution a scientific expedition to the Scoresby Sund on the east coast of Greenland, during which film I handle photography, second video camera and communication.
Across Southeast Asia, the Buddhist practice of freeing captive animals in order to "make merit" is widespread, leading to the capture and death of millions of wild birds, including from endangered species, and the introduction of invasive species. Members of both conservation and religious communities struggle to stop the trade. The story I wrote and photographed on this practice was featured on the cover of South China Morning Post in January 2024.
Further And Further Away (Polen Ly, 2022) is a short film looking at the aftermath of the Lower Sesan II, Cambodia's largest dam, on displaced indigenous people. I wrote a review of the film, linking the director's filmmaking with key topics such as Indigenous' people relationship with the land, land rights struggles in Cambodia and the work of researchers on the emotional impacts of large-scale natural disasters on local communities
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Miscellaneous
Production Support
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