Amber Arbucci

Amber Arbucci is a renowned wildlife photographer, artist, and former top model. Her photography is seen in galleries in both the US and Internationally. 

For wildlife photographer Amber Arbucci, the journey is what sets her and her work apart.  Whether it is swimming in depths of the ocean alongside great white sharks, spending months on an African savannah tracking herds of elephants, or communing with Rwandan mountain gorillas in the claustrophobic density of the jungle, Arbucci goes to the extreme to capture an image and share both her personal experience and the story of these exotic, and oftentimes endangered, species.  

On the surface, Arbucci’s journey could be perceived as a fantasy, but like a picture, that is simply a single interpretation of her story.  Thrust into the spotlight at the age of 19 after securing two Super Bowl commercials, she began a globe hopping career that landed her on the pages and covers, of the most prestigious fashion publications (including: GQ, SI, Vogue, Cosmo, Maxim, and Harpers Bazaar) and campaigns for some of the most elite brands (including: Victoria’s Secret, True Religion, and Buffalo Jeans alongside Adrian Grenier).  Transitioning to behind the camera’s lens was a natural evolution of Arbucci’s artistic essence.  A self-taught photographer from the age of 14, she was fortunate to work as the artistic subject of renowned photographers such as Helmut Newton, Bruce Weber, and Peter Beard to name a few; improving her own skills while observing these titans of the trade.  For Arbucci, modeling became merely a portal to explore her true passions:  photography and wildlife advocacy.  

Arbucci’s photography tells the story of her own fearless life - and the lengths she’ll go to to be the voice for animals captured by her lens.  Her work has been described as intimate and vulnerable yet adventurous.  It showcases the contradiction that her life exhibits, and as such, is often hard to put into words.  But it is this unique artistic voice that has caught the eye of collectors like illustrious Elon Musk, Bill & Hillary Clinton.  In 2011, Arbucci worked with Nathan Turner for “The Million Dollar Decorator” on Bravo, where they were awarded for the Maison de Lune showcase at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills.  In 2013, she exhibited as a solo artist both internationally and stateside for Art Basal in Miami, which led to her signing with Avant Gallery in Miami and NY.  But it was 2014 that put Arbucci on the map, when her collection “The Girl at Jellyfish Lake” took the art world by storm; premiering with a gallery showing in Astor Place situated beneath a 100-foot billboard of the acclaimed “Silent Medusa” that she was awarded for public art, which stood for 3 years.  Just like her life, however, the images are only half the story.  To capture this specific series of shots, Arbucci immersed herself into a remote lake containing more than 5 million jellyfish, bringing new meaning to the concept of self portrait photography, as she shot solo while free diving nude.  “Jellyfish Lake” was praised from magazines and news outlets alike with coverage in the Wall Street Journal, Page Six, Bloomberg News, ABC News, Luxe Magazine, and Artsy; and showings at the Opera Gallery in Soho NYC, Madison Avenue, and Times Square.  Her “Jellyfish” collection also led to her being asked to spearhead the campaign: “Stand with Palau” for the UN.   

Along the way, and as a result of her passion, Arbucci has been involved with a variety of charities while currently sitting on the board of the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival.  She has worked alongside Robert Kennedy Jr.’s “Water Keepers Alliance” and consistently supports local animal rescues such as Models & Mutts and Lil Orphan Hammies.  More recently, she ventured to Thailand to work with Save the Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Park.  

Arbucci says there is a thread connecting all of her work. This message is something that she likes to remind herself every day. “Life is the most precious gift that anyone has been given and we must not live in it but live it.” Roland Barthes says that “a photograph memorializes the death of a moment, never to be truly experienced again.” Arbucci risks her life to capture fleeting beauty so that it can be re-lived. Awe-inspiring moments of her journey pass away, to be reincarnated and shared in her photography.

The perpetual gypsy artist, Arbucci is rarely in one place for long, continuing her lifestyle of global travel and adventure, and finding new ways to promote the causes she believes in.  She was the first woman to dive with Nile crocodiles, and will be bringing that story to life not only with still images but with a documentary she is producing - exploring the universal problem of fear.  Fans can follow her travels via social media (@amberarbucciphotography & @amberarbucci).  Join her journey…