The Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series, hosted by The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan, welcomes National Geographic Live Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry on Wednesday, October 6, at 7:30 pm.
Growing up in a small, working-class town, Brian Skerry dreamed of exploring the oceans and becoming a National Geographic photographer. Today, Skerry is one of the leading underwater photographers in the world.
Skerry has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater—capturing “the soul of the sea” for National Geographic for more than 20 years. His images celebrate the mystery of the depths and offer portraits of creatures so intimate they sometimes appear to have been shot in a studio. He’ll share a fascinating look at some of the oceans’ apex predators, as well as stories of hope from marine reserves where wildlife is protected and thriving. Skerry dives eight months of the year, often in extreme conditions beneath Arctic ice or in predator-infested waters, and has even lived at the bottom of the sea to get close to his subjects.
In 2017, National Geographic published SHARK, a collection of some of Skerry’s most breathtaking shark images throughout his career. Skerry’s powerful presentations showcase award-winning imagery and thrilling wildlife encounters, inspire reverence for the marine realm, and offer hope for protecting the vitality of the world’s oceans.
During his presentation “Ocean Soul,” the audience will voyage across the oceans and discover a vast, hidden world beneath the waves.
A pre-presentation dinner will be held in newly renovated Grand Upton Hall. The buffet dinner begins at 5:30 pm. Following dinner, ticket holders for Skerry’s presentation will take a short walk through The Mendel Center to seats in the Mainstage. Dinner and presentation tickets are sold separately.
General admission seats ($50 – $80) and dinner tickets ($35) are on sale now at www.TheMendelCenter.com<http://www.TheMendelCenter.com>, by calling 269-927-8700, option 1, or by visiting The Mendel Center Box Office in person. The box office, located in the Grand Upton Hall Lobby, is open weekdays from 2 to 6 pm by phone Monday through Friday, and in-person Tuesday through Thursday.
Speaker Series memberships of three or more events are still available for the 2021-2022 season. Member benefits include speaker ticket discounts, discounts on pre-speaker dinner tickets, discounted on Mainstage Performance Series tickets, and priority ticket purchasing for the 2022-2023 season.
