Erik Hoffner

Writer | Photographer

new

first great white tagged in 2018

first great white tagged in 2018

An assignment for News Deeply following a team of researchers trying to unlock the secrets of great white sharks that spend their first years on the southern shore of Long Island. The crew captured and satellite-tagged the first great white of 2018 during those days, a 5-foot, 1-year old male.

Article here >

writing

Commentator's Curse

Commentator's Curse

Commentator's Curse: do you ever want to watch TV sports without the distracting pitter-patter of play-by-play from the broadcast booth? Can you imagine just hearing the thump of the ball, the barking of coaches & captains, the songs of the fans? My essay for Howler magazine makes the case for commentary-free coverage in soccer. View this and other writing projects, from a conversation with actress Alison Sudol to features for the Guardian and more, here:

Writing projects >

photography

Great gull island photo series

Great gull island photo series

View images created for a photo essay from Great Gull Island biological research station, plus news of exhibits, investigative reports, and ongoing projects like Hunter/Gatherer.

View photography >

Erik Hoffner

Contributing writer for Grist.org since 2006, my work has also appeared in Yale Environment 360, The Sun, National Geographic News Watch, Earth Island Journal, EcoWatch, and World Ark. Member of the Society of Environmental Journalists; exhibiting member at the Vermont Center for Photography.

On Twitter, @ErikHoffner

A pleasure to have author @ben_a_goldfarb on the new @Mongabay podcast to discuss the brilliance of beavers:… https://t.co/quOsZOtnpY
about 6 days ago
Grim, 6 ft great white dragged up 3/4 of a mile off RI on 729, fishing boat released the (maybe) 2-year old shark b… https://t.co/qVCat5MLGc
about 2 weeks ago

On Instagram, @erikhoffner

A blue sky vision after so much rain here, Bold Coast in Maine imaged with toy camera & fisheye lens on black and white film. #Maine #nature #igersmaine #coast #film #filmisnotdead #dianafplus #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography

A blue sky vision after so much rain here, Bold Coast in Maine imaged with toy camera & fisheye lens on black and white film. #Maine #nature #igersmaine #coast #film #filmisnotdead #dianafplus #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography

Buck with 6 velvety points so far, from trail cam out on the back 40, moose tracks nearby. Found some black trumpet chanterelles too, mushroom season in full bloom. #summer #localfood #pioneervalley #westernmass #nature #trailcam #wildfood #mushroom #hunting #mushroomhunting #foraging

Buck with 6 velvety points so far, from trail cam out on the back 40, moose tracks nearby. Found some black trumpet chanterelles too, mushroom season in full bloom. #summer #localfood #pioneervalley #westernmass #nature #trailcam #wildfood #mushroom #hunting #mushroomhunting #foraging

Western Mass farmstands are rad and super laid back, look at all this unattended cash at the side of the road & all on the honor system, alongside the best corn, green beans, squash, tomatoes and more. #westernmass #pioneervalley #igers413 #igersmass #localfood #agriculture #summer #buylocal

Western Mass farmstands are rad and super laid back, look at all this unattended cash at the side of the road & all on the honor system, alongside the best corn, green beans, squash, tomatoes and more. #westernmass #pioneervalley #igers413 #igersmass #localfood #agriculture #summer #buylocal

My shot of the 1st great white shark tagged this season by @NOAAfisheries & @thewcs @nyaquarium researchers off of Long Island, see bio for link to my article, LI's south shore is dubbed a nursery for young white sharks and this team w/ support from @sofomuseum is finding out where they go, what they eat, and their overall health. Plus the animals are captured with rod and reel using circle hooks so it's very safe and selective. Also had blue and hammerhead sharks in the chum slick plus cownose rays and a sea turtle also passed by. #fish #fishing #nature #longisland #environment #oceans #marinebiology #sharks #sharkweek #sharkweek2018 #science #research #scicomm

My shot of the 1st great white shark tagged this season by @NOAAfisheries & @thewcs @nyaquarium researchers off of Long Island, see bio for link to my article, LI's south shore is dubbed a nursery for young white sharks and this team w/ support from @sofomuseum is finding out where they go, what they eat, and their overall health. Plus the animals are captured with rod and reel using circle hooks so it's very safe and selective. Also had blue and hammerhead sharks in the chum slick plus cownose rays and a sea turtle also passed by. #fish #fishing #nature #longisland #environment #oceans #marinebiology #sharks #sharkweek #sharkweek2018 #science #research #scicomm

In Newfoudland one can find bottled seal flippers for sale in stores like this fancy organic grocery in the capital town of St. John's. Jarred moose too. Seabirds like murres are hunted during winters for the pot, too: Added to fishing for crab, lobster, shrimp, and fish, the subsistence economy still strong here. #canada #nature #newfoundland #hunting #fishing #hunting_the_wild #wildfoods #seals #wildfood #sealsofinstagram #fish

In Newfoudland one can find bottled seal flippers for sale in stores like this fancy organic grocery in the capital town of St. John's. Jarred moose too. Seabirds like murres are hunted during winters for the pot, too: Added to fishing for crab, lobster, shrimp, and fish, the subsistence economy still strong here. #canada #nature #newfoundland #hunting #fishing #hunting_the_wild #wildfoods #seals #wildfood #sealsofinstagram #fish

Bird Rock in Newfoundland is the massive and raucous breeding grounds for 100,000 seabirds like gannets, razor bills, kittiwakes, murres, and more...mindblowing nature show at cliff's edge from just 30 feet away in some spots. We even spotted the season's first hatched chick according to a thrilled park interpreter. Another great spot in this gorgeous province. #birding #birds #newfoundland #nature #summer #canada

Bird Rock in Newfoundland is the massive and raucous breeding grounds for 100,000 seabirds like gannets, razor bills, kittiwakes, murres, and more...mindblowing nature show at cliff's edge from just 30 feet away in some spots. We even spotted the season's first hatched chick according to a thrilled park interpreter. Another great spot in this gorgeous province. #birding #birds #newfoundland #nature #summer #canada

Huge puffin colony near Bonavista, Newfoundland, great end to a short hike, clouds of them circling in the background. #summer #nature #newfoundland #bonavista #iceberg #birds #birding

Huge puffin colony near Bonavista, Newfoundland, great end to a short hike, clouds of them circling in the background. #summer #nature #newfoundland #bonavista #iceberg #birds #birding

A blue sky vision after so much rain here, Bold Coast in Maine imaged with toy camera & fisheye lens on black and white film. #Maine #nature #igersmaine #coast #film #filmisnotdead #dianafplus #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography

Buck with 6 velvety points so far, from trail cam out on the back 40, moose tracks nearby. Found some black trumpet chanterelles too, mushroom season in full bloom. #summer #localfood #pioneervalley #westernmass #nature #trailcam #wildfood #mushroom #hunting #mushroomhunting #foraging

Western Mass farmstands are rad and super laid back, look at all this unattended cash at the side of the road & all on the honor system, alongside the best corn, green beans, squash, tomatoes and more. #westernmass #pioneervalley #igers413 #igersmass #localfood #agriculture #summer #buylocal

My shot of the 1st great white shark tagged this season by @NOAAfisheries & @thewcs @nyaquarium researchers off of Long Island, see bio for link to my article, LI's south shore is dubbed a nursery for young white sharks and this team w/ support from @sofomuseum is finding out where they go, what they eat, and their overall health. Plus the animals are captured with rod and reel using circle hooks so it's very safe and selective. Also had blue and hammerhead sharks in the chum slick plus cownose rays and a sea turtle also passed by. #fish #fishing #nature #longisland #environment #oceans #marinebiology #sharks #sharkweek #sharkweek2018 #science #research #scicomm

In Newfoudland one can find bottled seal flippers for sale in stores like this fancy organic grocery in the capital town of St. John's. Jarred moose too. Seabirds like murres are hunted during winters for the pot, too: Added to fishing for crab, lobster, shrimp, and fish, the subsistence economy still strong here. #canada #nature #newfoundland #hunting #fishing #hunting_the_wild #wildfoods #seals #wildfood #sealsofinstagram #fish

Bird Rock in Newfoundland is the massive and raucous breeding grounds for 100,000 seabirds like gannets, razor bills, kittiwakes, murres, and more...mindblowing nature show at cliff's edge from just 30 feet away in some spots. We even spotted the season's first hatched chick according to a thrilled park interpreter. Another great spot in this gorgeous province. #birding #birds #newfoundland #nature #summer #canada

Huge puffin colony near Bonavista, Newfoundland, great end to a short hike, clouds of them circling in the background. #summer #nature #newfoundland #bonavista #iceberg #birds #birding