Lauren Harnett: The eye behind the lens

2015-11-30

Lauren Harnett is the Johnson Space Center photographer who snaps the beautiful shots of our natural world. Thanks to her trained eye, we’ve been able to capture images of our center in ways that most of us don’t get to see.

Harnett’s story: I come from a family of environmentalists who taught me to respect and care about not only the popular causes of the moment, but the Earth itself. Yet every day I see people throw their trash on the street or read about the continual clear-cutting of the rainforest, trophy hunting of endangered animals and overfishing the oceans. We have but one Earth to live on, and we each must assume responsibility to protect and enhance it.

I became interested in photography around the age of 13, when my mother gave me her old Minolta X-7 film camera. I spent a lot of time outside and often took the camera with me. I photographed everything, but quickly came to realize that what I really enjoyed photographing were the animals I encountered. My love for nature blossomed while my disdain of human carelessness intensified.

The natural world around us is full of inspiration, awe and wonder. From a hairy woodpecker running around a dead pitch pine or a Monarch butterfly sunning on a milkweed plant, to a magnificent coastal habitat complete with crashing waves, a beach, dunes and magnificent uplands—all of these environments and moments have inspired me as a child and filled my dreams with the wonder of life.

Photography allows me to share my sense of inspiration with others. At the same time, nature photography allows me to continue to be awed by new observations in the field and new ways of looking at and thinking about how all living things are intertwined.

Thank you, Lauren, for bringing the natural world to us every day.

Happy holidays from your JSC Sustainability leads. Read our December Sustainability Opportunities for a recap of our 2015 accomplishments. Find out the pros and cons of fake trees versus natural trees from an environmental perspective. Consider other naturally sustainable gifts you can give to those you love. And, join various holiday sustainability festivities in and outside JSC. Thanks for making a difference—we look forward to your continued support in 2016. Join our JSC Sustainability mailing list to stay "in the know."