Minnesota photographer Jim Brandenburg, famous for his Boundary Waters and wildlife photography across the globe, passed away Friday, April 4. He was 79.

The public announcement was shared on social media, with a statement announcing that Brandenburg passed away peacefully in his Medina, Minn., residence while surrounded by family.

“Jim was being treated for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma the past seven months, with additional complications from pneumonia this year,” a section of the post reads.

Paddle and Portage spoke with several friends of Jim Brandenburg’s this morning, the day after his passing.

Bob O’Hara, iconic paddler and host of the upcoming Far North Symposium.

“I was very sorry to hear of the passing of Jim Brandenburg. I met Jim over 50 years ago when he was a college art student in Duluth. He was getting ready to undertake a dog sled winter trip in the Canadian Arctic with Dr. Art Aufderheide, a noted pathologist/paleopathology. Together they produced 15,000 feet of documentary footage about Inuit culture. Our paths crossed often, especially when he was working for National Geographic. He had really interesting stories to share from that experience, plus giving me extra film for my far north trips.

I visited Jim in Ely when he built his house near town, which became a new base for his photography. He also shared raw film from his travels on Baffin island of wolves hunting muskox that I presented to my biology students. Jim had a natural eye for wildlife photography. His eye absorbing photos graced so many different media. He enlightened so many people with his photos and encouraged many other photographers. Jim does leave us with his vast collection of photos which is a reminder of his major contribution for all of us. Jim such a very generous and outgoing person. As I look at his prints in my house I will always remember Jim.”

We also spoke with Becky Rom from Save the Boundary Waters, a friend and neighbor of Jim’s in Ely. She shared with us this sentiment: “I befriended Jim in the early 1980’s. Around 1994-5, we were in the midst of an attack on the Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park (Oberstar and Grams bills in Congress). After visiting one day, Jim thrust a bunch of his Northwoods photos into my hands and directed me to take them to Washington, DC to tell the story of our beloved canoe country and wildlife with his images. His generosity continued to this day; you see many of Jim’s images in our work and on the wall at the Ely headquarters. We continue to carry the Prairie Portage image to DC on every trip. How many offices have Jim’s images been in? How many policy makers have been swayed by his images? Literally thousands. Jim was a magnificent artist. He was also an advocate for the places and creatures he loved.”

And we heard from Bryan Hansel Photography near Grand Marais, who told us about Jim Brandenburg: “For me, he was an inspiration, and his loon and island shot from Chased by Light is as a quintessential Minnesota photo as can be made. His legacy will speak to the generations yet born about what we had. He was truly a prophet of our modern age, documenting the edges of the world, and using his photos to shout from the top of a metaphorical soapbox about what we stand to lose if we don’t take action to protect it.”

Click here to learn more about Jim Brandenburg and his photography.