Photo by Kike Calvo
2023 projects
Little Explorer, Big World Free Resources and Official Book Distribution List
Kike Calvo’s YouTube Channel | Virtual
Photographer & Author
kike calvo
About
Kike Calvo is an award-winning photographer and author focused on culture and the environment. He writes and produces bilingual children’s books about environmental issues and distributes them to remote communities throughout the world to promote multi-lingual literacy and local conservation efforts.
Kike has been on assignment in dozens of countries, working on stories as varied as belugas in the Arctic to traditional Hmong costumes in Laos. Kike's images have been published in National Geographic, The New York Times, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, among others. His images are represented by AP Images, Redux Pictures, and the National Geographic Image Collection.
Kike has pioneered the use of small unmanned aerial systems to produce aerial photography as art and as a tool for research and conservation. In 2019, his early work with drones was profiled as “genius” in the 2019 National Geographic Almanac. He is also known for his iconic photographic project, World of Dances, on the intersection of dance, nature, and architecture. He has authored many books, including Drones for Conservation; Staten Island: A Visual Journey to the Lighthouse at the End of the World; Habitats, with forewords by David Doubilet and Jean-Michel Cousteau; and Corpus Christi in Atánquez. Professor of Anthropology and author Wade Davis has described Kike as a worldly and seasoned photographer, and a fresh voice in the world of (visual) anthropology.
In 2018, Kike launched “The Adventures of Pili” project (now “Little Explorer, Big World”), an education and conservation project that increases children's awareness of global environmental issues and fosters multi-lingual literacy in remote communities that play an active role in the conversation of ecosystems. Partnering with local NGOs, and adding the support of companies and readers, to date, thousands of free bilingual books have been given to kids living in indigenous and underserved areas. Many of his books are now available in Indigenous and non-commercial languages, including Dulegaya, Sikuani, Wayuunaiki, and Maya.
Kike has been part of scientific river expeditions in Colombia, Brazil, and Peru. Over the years, he has joined numerous National Geographic Expeditions—from Spain and Patagonia to Costa Rica and the Amazon. With over 20 years of experience in the photography and travel industry, Kike mastered the art of connecting with his audience in a meaningful way through compelling storytelling. Kike is an inspiring keynote speaker. Past venues have included a Master´s Tea at Davenport Collegue at Yale University; The Yale Club of New York; the Elizabethan Club at Yale; Photo Plus Expo; the School of Visual Arts in New York; Morning Forum in Los Altos; and the National Geographic Grosvenor Auditorium to mention a few.