GO! Girls Outdoors

When Mish Morgenstern was growing up she lived two streets away from the ocean and watched Jacques Cousteau and Alby Mangels movies, developing her love for the ocean from an early age. Inspired by the ocean and with a developing interest in travelling by water, Mish joined a tall ship at the age of 16 and sailed the whole west coast of Australia and into Indonesia.  Since then she’s crossed the Atlantic as crew on a yacht, sea kayaked 600 miles down the Sea of Cortez and now participates in any water and outdoor activity that fits her schedule, the season in Maine or her mood.  She and her husband have a small cruiser and she sea kayaks, hikes, canoes and skis, especially now that her young son has caught the skiing bug! 

Mish’s love for the ocean environment has meant that she’s highly committed to protecting our ocean ecosystems, and her career has been centred around this ethical passion.  She has been an outdoor instructor and educator as well as a Program Director for a variety of leadership and environmental education programs, both in Australia and the US.  She says that her goal in outdoor and environmental education was always to optimise the experience of being outside, helping people learn about themselves and the environment at the same time.  She says that if people are captivated by their outdoor experiences, perhaps they will care more about the wild places in which they occur, and inspire them to take care of the earth a little better.

Mish first picked up a camera in high school and during her oceanic adventures her camera was never far away.  After she had her son in 2004, Mish decided to change careers and use the skills she had developed by working in and managing outdoor programs in a different way.  She started Mish Morgenstern Photography, worked in the industry for experience and took education courses in film, photography and how to run a small business.  Her beautiful photographs portray her love for the ocean environment and are displayed in galleries and studios in Maine and the eastern US where she lives.  Mish describes her photographs as ‘images of watery places’.  In the desire to transport the people looking at the photograph to the place itself, Mish prints the photographs on canvas and big!  A percentage of her profit goes to ocean advocacy groups that support projects to preserve the ocean ecosystems. 

As well as running Mish Morgenstern Photography, Mish also manages a film production office (Compass Light Productions) that makes science, history and nature-based documentaries.  These mostly air on cable TV channels such as National Geographic or the Discovery Channel.  Compass Light’s most well known project of the last few years is called “Sunrise Earth”, a series of one-hour sunrises in beautiful locations around the world.

Mish’s advice to others is to love what you do, remember your greater goals and make sure to schedule time for yourself.  She counts herself lucky to have worked with inspirational people and kindred spirits, in the outdoors and otherwise.  She says that the outdoor industry has come a long way in twenty years, and she appreciates the fact that her outdoor and management skills were developed in such a supportive environment where personal growth is accentuated.  Although her job description has changed from outdoor educator to photographer and film-maker, Mish’s goal is not significantly different - exposing people to the beauty of the ocean environment and helping to preserve the ocean ecosystems for generations to come. 

Mish’s photography business is Mish Morgenstern Photography, you can visit the site by clicking on the name above.  The photographs in this article come from this website.

Mish also recommends the Waterkeepers Institute - an organisation doing wonderful things around the world to preserve coastal and other water zones. Click on the name above to visit the site. 



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