Natural Tectonics, 1980 - 2004

Earth scientists use the term “plate tectonics” to describe geologic forces that pull and crack the planetary crust and alter the shapes and activities of continents, oceans, mountains and volcanoes. Intrigued by these forces, Balog completed a master’s degree in geomorphology—the science of how nature shapes the landscape—at the University of Colorado’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. When he later became an environmental photographer, he sought to bear witness to a wide range of natural tectonics and their consequences.