Cristina “Mitty” Mittermeier is a renowned photographic artist whose work sits at the confluence of beauty, advocacy, and storytelling. With a background in marine biology and over three decades behind the lens, she has created a singular body of work that illuminates the interdependence of humanity and the natural world.

Through her relationships with accomplished art dealers and curators, her work has been placed in many important and notable art collections across the globe.

 

Cristina Mittermeier’s artistry has earned her numerous international accolades. In 2024, she was among the National Geographic Explorers recognized with a National News & Documentary Emmy Award for her photographic work on The Last Ice, a landmark film by Dr. Enric Sala that highlights Inuit sovereignty and the impacts of climate change in the Arctic. In 2025, she received a second Emmy—shared with her husband, photographer Paul Nicklen—for their work in Photographer, a documentary directed by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. That same year, she was named Artist of the Year by the prestigious Intersect Art and Design Fair in Aspen. Mittermeier is also a recipient of the Smithsonian Conservation Photographer of the Year Award, the Sylvia Earle Medal, and Travel + Leisure's Global Vision Award. and the Wings, Women of Discovery award She has also twice been on the list of 100 Latinos Most Dedicated to Climate Action, and has been named one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year. As a Sony Artisan of Imagery and Rolex Perpetual Planet Explorer, she continues to redefine what it means to be an artist in service of the planet.