Anand Varma

Fascinated by the natural world, Varma grew up dreaming that he would become a scientist like his father. But while studying marine biology at Berkeley, Varma seized an opportunity to leave school to work as a camera assistant and has never looked back. An ingenious and profound soul who is endlessly enthusiastic about all things “icky,” he masterfully navigates the intersection of science and art, and accomplishes the nearly impossible feat of making high-brow geeky science accessible through his innovative approach. Varma is currently working on a series about metamorphosis, which focuses on capturing the developmental process of a chicken embryo as it’s forming and hatching. This episode reveals an inside look at his working style as he attempts to deliver yet another groundbreaking innovation in photography.

Accolades: Varma has photographed numerous stories for National Geographic Magazine including the 2014 cover story called “Mindsuckers”. His recognitions include National Geographic Media Innovation Fellow, TED Speaker, Rita Allen Civic Science Fellow, and World Press Award for best nature story.