James Ronayne is a Junior at Cornell University, majoring in Environmental Law & Politics and minoring in Communication. He is an environmental photographer, conservationist, and storyteller. Ronayne’s photography is heavily influenced by the Chesapeake Bay and the watershed region. His photographs highlight the working men and women of the Bay and the environmental issues he champions. Ronayne is a regular columnist and staff photographer for Chesapeake Bay Magazine. He worked for the Coastal Conservation Association and has been a volunteer with Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s oyster gardening program since he was a young boy. He is actively involved in the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance and has testified before the Maryland Senate and Atlantic Fisheries Commission on environmental issues. He has prioritized bridging the gap between policy wonk and waterman with the common goal of maintaining a healthy Chesapeake Bay.

Ronayne’s boat, PorkChop, has given him the opportunity to see things on the bay that many people don't get the chance to see. He realized early on that you can tell a powerful story through the lens of a camera. Through this literal lens Ronayne tells the story of the Chesapeake Bay and her waterways, the living things beneath her surface, and the people who work and play on her.