Referred to as the leading chronicler of America’s National Parks today and a self-labeled "wilderness diplomat," Ian and his book The National Parks: Our American Landscape were the focus of a presentation on the challenges facing America’s most beloved landscapes in Washington, D.C. in November 2009, hosted by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Max Baucus.  Shive has dedicated his life to not only creating memorable photographs but also championing environmental awareness.

Using photography as his primary tool, Shive has pioneered trends with new technologies to further the art of story telling through imagery.  His photographs have appeared around the world in every major outdoor publication including National Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic Traveler, National Geographic Explorer, Outside Magazine, Sierra Magazine, The Nature Conservancy, National Parks Magazine, and Popular Science, as well as numerous other major publications.

Shive is a resident of Los Angeles, CA.