Kristin Lau

American photographer focused on social documentary, portraiture and the environment. Seeks out stories that raise awareness about the environment to evoke positive change for the natural world and its inhabitants. www.kristinlau.com

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Solar For Nepal: Powering Social Change A very special thanks to all who came out to Arta Gallery this past Wednesday evening (Feb 1st 2017) for my exhibition and silent auction in support of SunFarmer team's solar projects in Nepal and Emerging Leaders for Solar Energy - ELSE!

The fundraising event was a great success and a huge turnout!! So nice to see everyone who came out and big thank you again for the support!

We will have a final update on total amount raised for SunFarmer Nepal, providing local farmers with the opportunity to grow food and crops using renewable solar energy.

Thanks to our sponsors: Arta Gallery, RESCo Energy Inc., General Motors, Left Field Brewery, KACO new energy Global, Voltaic Systems, Vistek

www.kristinlau.com solarfornepal.weebly.com

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Launched October 6th 2016: PWB TV web series. PWB TV presents S01E01. This episode explores the work of SunFarmer in Nepal, through the lens of photographer Kristin. Each week, Photographers Without Borders will share breathtaking footage from around the world. With compelling visual storytelling, NGOs, non-profits and aid organizations are able to raise awareness for their causes and funding to scale their impact. Raising awareness around the impact of solar technology.  A mixed-media documentary of my time in post-earthquake Nepal with solar energy NGO SunFarmer.  Trailer: youtu.be/2a9RSxbKfGU PWB TV S01E01 - SunFarmer Nepal: https://youtu.be/VuL_mLBfKwc

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Toronto Metro: Extended interview and photos with Media Planet: Careers & Education - Check it out! Thanks Mediaplanet Canada If You Let Them, The Arts Can Take You From Toronto To Nepal

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Check out a short excerpt published in the Toronto Metro in-print! Extended interview on careersandeducation.ca

Toronto Metro: Interview with Media Planet - Kristin Lau “If You Let Them, the Arts can Take you from Toronto to Nepal”

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After a successful year in 2015, ELSE kicked off this year by bringing together mentors & mentees over an evening of networking, group discussions, and Q&A on key topics essential for upcoming professionals to embark on a career in this industry.

Featured Mentors: Alexander McIsaac, Manager, Business Development and Projects at NRStor Inc. Benjamin Weir, Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) Jonathan Frank, Business Development & Marketing Lead at PowerHub and Director, Projects at CoPower Inc. John Wilson, VP Operations at Bullfrog Power Inc. Kevin Campbell, Renewable Energy Developer at EDF EN Canada Kristin Lau, Owner & Photographer at Kristin Lau Photography - showcasing solar projects in Nepal Mark Porter, Senior Associate at Ernst & Young Orenda Corporate Finance Oleg Popovsky, Co-Founder & Strategy Officer at Constant Power Inc. Paolo Maccario, COO and General Manager at Silfab Solar Ontario Inc. Sylvie Briz, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Residential Energy Storage at Panasonic Eco Solutions Wayne Chu, Senior Engineer at City of Toronto's Renewable Energy Office

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Nepal's first billionaire, Binod Chaudhary, launches his book 'Making It Big' Hosted by Forbes Media at the Forbes Entertainment space on Fifith Avenue in New York City!

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Latest post on HuffPost Impact 'Light for Life: Nepal's Energy and Resilience' featuring the story behind the portrait of farmer Mithu Thapa in post earthquake Nepal.

CONTACT Photography Festival - Group Exhibition “Light and Shadow” will be on display at the Continuing Studies at OCAD University in Toronto - 285 Dundas Street West until June 10, 2016. (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm)

Curated by Lindsay Maynard

Vistek CONTACT Photography Video Series: https://youtu.be/UzR7goa1HXw

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Photographers Without Borders Blog, “What it’s like documenting the power of solar after a natural disaster,” May 12 2016

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Vistek interviewed photographer Kristin Lau to discover the Story Behind her Photo series highlighting the devastation in Nepal following the 2015 earthquakes. Part of a group exhibition for the Contact Photography Festival "Light and Shadow" also shows how the use of solar power and other renewable energy sources are helping to make a difference to the recovering nation. "Light and Shadow" will be on display at the Continuing Studies Building at OCAD University - 285 Dundas Street West from April 27 - June 10, 2016.

For more information visit: http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com/201... #CONTACT16 #thestorybehindmyphoto #nepaliloveyou

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Huffington Post Exposure: Light for a Nation: Solar as a Solution to Rebuilding Nepal

In a country like Nepal that has endured long-term political hardships, there’s nothing more devastating than for the 2015 earthquakes to rock the nation.

At a magnitude of 7.8 that hit on 25 April, then 7.3 on 12 May - just two weeks apart from each other - the disastrous impact left close to 9,000 people killed and tens of thousands injured. A further 850,000 homes were damaged and over 2.5 million of the population were left without homes.

Over 80% of Nepal’s population live in rural mountainous regions that lack access to electricity, and it is this lack that remains one of the biggest barriers to the country’s economic development. A bright future awaits the nation as solar becomes more affordable and economically viable for developing countries like Nepal, who may not have the financial resources to exploit the potential of renewable energy. Clearly, we see that the opportunity of bringing electricity to poorer regions in a cleaner, cheaper and more efficient method is already underway.

While 2015 was a difficult year, on February 5, 2016 the blockade came to an end and goods are now moving freely between Nepal and India. Whilst the earthquakes devastated much of the country, more than half of the nation’s districts were left relatively intact. Tourism, one of the main sources of economic stability for Nepal, is returning to the country with travel, sight-seeing and trekking open for the season.

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Speaking with CONTACT Photography Festival about my project in Nepal 'Light for Life' and exhibition opening in Toronto! The group exhibition is hosted at the OCAD University gallery featuring a series of my images from post earthquake Nepal and the impact of solar technology in rebuilding the country.

CONTACT Photography Festival Invite

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*Save the Date*

Light and Shadow Opening reception @OCAD University Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 5:30 - 7:30 pm 285 Dundas Street West

This group exhibition is part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival and features artists from photography courses in Continuing Studies at OCAD University.

The exhibition runs from April 27 - June 10, 2016

CONTACT Photography Festival Details 

OCAD Invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/1120177018034743/

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Energy is at the forefront of most economic, environmental and developmental issues the world faces today. In Nepal, roughly 80% of the population lives in rural mountainous regions that lack access to reliable electricity. Solar integration for agricultural purposes has been implemented throughout various parts of rural Nepal to aid in irrigation and agricultural needs all year round.

The remaining population of Nepal is grid-connected, but face a 500 MW energy deficit, with 16+ hours of daily blackouts on average during load shedding hours. Many businesses run privately owned diesel generators for backup, but still suffer from increasing fuel costs, frequent shortages, and pollution from fumes and noise. In the current situation, local businesses have been forced to shut down and are actively seeking out clean, reliable and alternative energy solutions. Solar energy has become a very feasible and viable answer to power Nepal and provide a path towards energy independence.

Farmer Dilli Ram Regmi, 65 years old, lives in the farming village of Jharlyangdi in Walling, Syangja District. He’s been a farmer since the age of 16 and grew up working in agriculture. There are 12 members in his family and they depend on agriculture to make a living. Dilli Ram saw a lack of water in his community and shared his concern with the Syangja Agricultural Committee. With the help of local and international charitable organizations, iDE Nepal, Renewable World andSunFarmer, a Solar water MUS (Multiple Use System) was implemented in December 2012 and completed within two months. His community uses a solar powered water pump that lifts water from the valley below to a tank above the community on a hill. Access to 16 water distribution taps stand outside the 32 households in the community and provides water for drinking and irrigation giving Dilli Ram and his family back time they would otherwise use for collecting water.

Renewable World and iDE Nepal, describes a Solar MUS (Multi Use Water System) as an improved approach to water resource management for small communities to meet both domestic and agricultural needs. The Solar MUS system provides the farmers in Syangja with a 15,000 Litre storage tank. During the dry season, there is a scarcity of water and with a second storage tank, the farmers would have the opportunity to irrigate an additional area of 520 sq. meters of land. The land in Sirubari is ideal for vegetable farming, but currently there is only enough water for drinking and livestock. Traditionally, the land was able to grow millet, corn, rice, and vegetables including tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage and radish.

Nepal continues to rebuild with reliable energy technology that is clean, efficient and affordable. Access to reliable energy is fundamental to a modern quality of life for its citizens and the country’s global prosperity. www.kristinlau.com

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Read the full featured blog post on HuffPost Exposure View full photo essays on my website at www.kristinlau.com  2.3 billion people worldwide lack access to reliable electricity. In Nepal roughly 80% of the population live in rural mountainous regions that have little to no access to electricity. With the devastating earthquakes last year (April 25th and May 12th 2015) the citizens of Nepal were left with a broken country, 9,000 people killed, tens of thousands of people injured and over 2.5 million homeless.

In Nepal, rooftop solar panels are being used in households to provide power for daily electrical appliances and activities; at schools to power computers, laptops and cellphones; and at hospitals and health posts to power patient needs in the rural mountainous communities. Solar integration for agricultural purposes has been implemented throughout various parts of rural Nepal to aid in the irrigation and harvest of crops year round.

My goal with my photography is to raise awareness around humanitarian and environmental issues globally. I focus on documenting the candid and capturing moments that inspire a call-to-action. Through a partnership with Photographers Without Borders and SunFarmer, a non-profit organization focused on delivering solar power to developing countries, I returned to Nepal in October 2015 to capture the impact of solar technology and build awareness around the work of SunFarmer on local Nepali communities enduring the difficulties of life without electricity due to energy poverty.

The country continues to rebuild with the citizens of Nepal struggling to survive in the midst of the current political crisis that has left the country with a limited access to petrol, medicine, cooking gas and other essential supplies.

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(via Light for Life: Solar Energy in Nepal) Learn how to capture history in the making with award-winning Toronto-based documentary photographer Kristin Lau who visited Nepal after the devastating earthquakes in 2015.

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Featured on Social Documentary Network! Check out my long-term multimedia documentary project ‘Light For Life: Solar Energy in Nepal’ that highlights the impact of solar technology in post earthquake Nepal.  http://socialdocumentary.net/photographer/kristinlau

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I am very proud to have been selected to represent Nepal on behalf of the Lucie Foundation in Paris for COP21 with my photo of Namche Bazaar, the largest village in the Solukhumbu region nearby the epicentre of the second 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal. As Nepal continues to struggle with the effects of the natural disasters and political instability, renewable energy is providing both light and hope for a nation of people renowned for their resilience.

On Monday, 30 November, 150 Heads of State are expected in Paris for the first day of COP21. It is the 21st Conference of the Parties - the annual meeting of all countries which want to take action for the climate. It will be held in Le Bourget, France, from 30 November to 11 December.

For the UN Climate Change Legacy Exhibition held in the Blue Zone of the Conference, the Lucie Foundation has called upon renowned photographers who have dedicated their lives to documenting melting icebergs, drought, air, water, waste pollution and the undeniable effects these things have had on our planet. It is a condensed, compassionate plea, through their lenses, of the effects of climate change.

The exhibition is also featured on the Lucie Foundation website at the following link: http://www.luciefoundation.org/programs/cop21/

Hossein Farmani, Chair, The Lucie Awards Susan Baraz, Co-Chair, The Lucie Awards