Mittermeier received her undergraduate degree in marine biology from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico in 1989. She married Dr. Russell Mittermeier in 1991 and the two of them moved to Great Falls, Virginia. It is with him that she has coauthored several books. Prior to becoming a professional photographer, she conducted fieldwork in the Gulf of California and the Yucatan Peninsula in subjects including marine mammals, fisheries, aquaculture, biodiversity research and conservation, resulting in publications in scientific journals. Mittermeier studied photography at the Corcoran College for the Arts in Washington, D.C.. Her images focus on demonstrating the important relationship between human cultures, especially indigenous people and biodiversity. A good portion of her work centers on a tribe from the central Amazon called the Kayapo. The Kayapo continue to invite her back to photograph their way of life and their struggle to keep their territory and she said she "tries to bring that story out in the most dignified, compelling way" she can. Mittermeier said that she's passionate about the lives and struggles of indigenous people and the important role they play to protect biodiversity, languages, culture, and landscapes. In 2005, Mittermeier created the International League of Conservation Photographers, and in 2011 resigned from her position as the organization's President. She sits on the Board of Directors of the WILD Foundation, and the Chairman's Council of Conservation International. Mittermeier also photographed, and was integral to the deliberations of, the Defying Ocean's End Conference, working closely with Dr. Sylvia Earle. In 2008, she was named one of Sony's Artisans of Imagery. In 2014, Mittermeier, together with photographer and partner Paul Nicklen, co-founded , an organization that uses visual storytelling and photography to further the cause of ocean conservation.
Books
Cristina Mittermeier has edited or coauthored twenty books, including the CEMEX Conservation Book Series.
Hotspots Revisited: Earth's Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions, 2005. Conservation International, with a Foreword by Harrison Ford and Ed Wilson.
Wilderness Areas: Earth's Last Wild Places, 2003. Conservation International, Washington, DC
TransboundaryConservation: A New Vision for Protected Areas, 2005. Conservation International, Washington, DC
The Human Footprint: Challenges for Wilderness and Biodiversity, 2006. CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers. Mexico
A Climate for Life, Facing the Global Challenge, 2008.CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers. Mexico
The Wealth of Nature, 2009. CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers. Mexico
Freshwater; the Essence of Life, 2010. CEMEX, Conservation International, International League of Conservation Photographers.
