Anand Varma

Anand Varma grew up exploring the woods near his childhood home in Atlanta, Georgia. As a teenager, he picked up his dad’s old camera on a whim and found that he could use it to feed his curiosity about the natural world—and to share his discoveries with others. Anand studied integrative biology at UC Berkeley, and now he uses photography to share the story behind the science of everything from honeybee health to hummingbird biomechanics. He works to reveal the invisible details around us, with the goal of sparking a sense of wonder about our world.

Since receiving an Early Career Grant from National Geographic in 2010, he has photographed numerous stories for National Geographic magazine, including the 2014 cover story called Mindsuckers. A National Geographic emerging explorer, media innovation fellow, and civic science fellow, he has also been recognized with a World Press Award for best nature story. Anand lives in Berkeley, California.