on National Geographic Live!

The National Geographic Society has launched a program called 'NG Live!' in which brilliant photographers from the magazine's pages present their work at the Grosvenor Auditorium, in Washington D.C. to a curious and appreciative audience.Gardens by NightDiane Cook and Len Jenshel presented an alluring series of exposures from gardens around the world, captured during the darkest hours of night. The soft light from the moon casts a diaphanous glow on the beautiful landscapes in the images. Gardens, curated carefully to be visually pleasant, calming and intricate, show a hidden power at night.Fuling and Changing ChinaI'm acquainted with the modernizing landscape along the Yangtze River from my own travels, but gained fresh perspective from the images captured by Anastasia Taylor-Lind. Her presentation 'Fuling and Changing China' uncovered an engaging and striking portrait of the people, structures, and natural beauty of the region.Ms. Taylor-Lind journeyed along the river learning about the displacement of families during the Three Gorges Dam project, documenting their struggles and achievements.In addition to her work in China, she showed photos of her experience documenting the search for supermodels in Siberia, and also portraits of the women participating in southern Russia's 'Cossack resurgence.'Alison Wright and the Human SpiritAlison Wright could be the most amazing storyteller, both through pictures and her personal narrative, that I've had the pleasure of listening to. Her travels have taken her everywhere, and her fearlessness shines in all of her work. The dangers she encountered have strengthened her - she was told she would never walk again after suffering a terrible injury in a motor accident in Laos, but a few years later she was back behind the camera, working during the disasters in Haiti and New Orleans, and eventually returning to Asia to visit the doctor who saved her life.If only all of us who love photography could be as blessed with unfailing curiosity and the will to exercise it as Ms. Wright is.