The National Geographic Society has named five photographers to its recently established program to showcase and support the work of preeminent freelance photojournalists who have contributed outstanding work to the society over the years. The first Contributing Photographers-in-Residence for the society are Sam Abell, David Doubilet, Karen Kasumauski, Emory Kristof, and Frans Lanting.

Lanting, who has been hailed as one of the great nature photographers of our time, currently makes his home in Santa Cruz, Calif. The Rotterdam, Netherlands, native has been commissioned by National Geographic for assignments such as a search for white rhinos in central Africa and the first coverage of bonobo apes in the rain forest of the Congo Basin. In addition to National Geographic, his work has been featured in Life, Audubon, Stern, Figaro, and GEO.