Lebanese photographer Roger Moukarzel swapped his warm studio in Beirut for the frozen mountains of Lulea in northern Sweden. He was here to create a series of striking images that would highlight the cause and effect of climate change.
Lebanon to Lapland —
Lebanese photographer Roger Moukarzel swapped his warm studio in Beirut for the frozen mountains of Lulea in northern Sweden. He was here to create a series of striking images that would highlight the cause and effect of climate change.
Courtesy Darren Bull
Lulea is part of the area commonly known as Lapland, a reindeer heartland and home, of course, to Santa Clause's legendary workshop.
Lebanon to Lapland —
Lulea is part of the area commonly known as Lapland, a reindeer heartland and home, of course, to Santa Clause's legendary workshop.
Courtesy Carl-Johan Utsi
The reindeer share the region with the Sami, Europe's northernmost officially indigenous people, whose ancestral lands spread across Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia.
Lebanon to Lapland —
The reindeer share the region with the Sami, Europe's northernmost officially indigenous people, whose ancestral lands spread across Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia.
Courtesy Carl-Johan Utsi
Lulea's subarctic climate, with mild summers and long, cold and snowy winters, make it an ideal habitat for reindeer. However, in recent years, locals have said that temperatures have been rising appreciably and, in 2010, a herd of more than 300 reindeer was reportedly lost when the ice cover of a frozen lake broke beneath their hoofs.
Lebanon to Lapland —
Lulea's subarctic climate, with mild summers and long, cold and snowy winters, make it an ideal habitat for reindeer. However, in recent years, locals have said that temperatures have been rising appreciably and, in 2010, a herd of more than 300 reindeer was reportedly lost when the ice cover of a frozen lake broke beneath their hoofs.
Courtesy Carl-Johan Utsi
Moukarzel takes a picture of a local Sami girl, against the dark, ethereal backdrop of the Lulea forest.
Lebanon to Lapland —
Moukarzel takes a picture of a local Sami girl, against the dark, ethereal backdrop of the Lulea forest.
Courtesy Darren Bull
Dressed in their rich and colourful traditional clothing, Moukarzel positioned his subjects against the intentionally incongruous image of a large, smoke-chugging factory.
Lebanon to Lapland —
Dressed in their rich and colourful traditional clothing, Moukarzel positioned his subjects against the intentionally incongruous image of a large, smoke-chugging factory.
Courtesy Roger Moukarzel
"Many of the people that are suffering the effects of climate change have not done anything to contribute to it, and areas that are being destroyed are often far away from where the pollution is made," he said. "The idea with the images is to bring these two realities closer together."
Lebanon to Lapland —
"Many of the people that are suffering the effects of climate change have not done anything to contribute to it, and areas that are being destroyed are often far away from where the pollution is made," he said. "The idea with the images is to bring these two realities closer together."
Courtesy Roger Moukarzel
According to Moukarzel, this series of images will be the beginning of many. The 45-year-old photographer plans to travel across all five continents, exploring this theme among different climates and cultures.
Lebanon to Lapland —
According to Moukarzel, this series of images will be the beginning of many. The 45-year-old photographer plans to travel across all five continents, exploring this theme among different climates and cultures.
Courtesy Roger Moukarzel
It will certainly not his first big adventure. At just 15, Moukarzel started his career with moving, sometimes haunting pictures of the Lebanese civil war.
Lebanon to Lapland —
It will certainly not his first big adventure. At just 15, Moukarzel started his career with moving, sometimes haunting pictures of the Lebanese civil war.
Courtesy Roger Moukarzel
He says he has always been primarily interested in taking pictures of people and "capturing moments of humanity" -- such as this striking exchange from 1978 between a Lebanese soldier and a woman in war-torn Beirut.
Lebanon to Lapland —
He says he has always been primarily interested in taking pictures of people and "capturing moments of humanity" -- such as this striking exchange from 1978 between a Lebanese soldier and a woman in war-torn Beirut.
Courtesy Roger Moukarzel
After 15 years as a front-line photojournalist for news agencies Sygma and Reuters, Moukarzel hung up his hard hat in favor of high fashion, as he embarked on a new career in the world of fashion photography.
Lebanon to Lapland —
After 15 years as a front-line photojournalist for news agencies Sygma and Reuters, Moukarzel hung up his hard hat in favor of high fashion, as he embarked on a new career in the world of fashion photography.
Courtesy Roger Moukarzel
But Moukarzel retains his desire to challenge people's preconceptions through his photography. This image was part of a series called "Turning Disabilities to Abilities."
Lebanon to Lapland —
But Moukarzel retains his desire to challenge people's preconceptions through his photography. This image was part of a series called "Turning Disabilities to Abilities."
Courtesy Roger Moukarzel