LONGYEARBYEN 78°13’23.5”N 15°37’36.1”E
Is photographing an animal and a human the same? What is special about photographing animals?
It’s totally different. Humans you can direct. You can tell them to move or change a pose. You can wait for better light if you’re outside. Or manipulate the light on them in the studio. You can feed off each other’s creative energy and come up with fantastic ideas together. With wildlife, there’s no control, and endless patience is required. The most “control” you can get is trying to anticipate an animal’s behaviour or next move. But even then, there are always surprises and the unexpected you can’t plan for.
Do you have a favorite moment shooting in the wild? Can you tell us about it?
Ah, there have been so many moments over the years. A top one for me was the last time I was in Svalbard. I went out every day looking for my beloved arctic fox. It can live in the most punishing cold. Their fur is their warmth, their protection, and it changes colours with the seasons to act as camouflage. On my last day, an arctic fox I was photographing from very far away surprisingly trusted me and came straight up to me. It got almost too close. I was very still, calm, sitting, just in case it decided to touch my camera or me. I learned a valuable lesson. I had left my shorter lens in the car. It got so close that I had to put my camera down and just enjoy it. Then it decided to roll over and show me its belly. So much trust. I was screaming internally. It was such a joyful and magical moment for me. I shed a tear.
What advice would you give our readers about photographing wildlife?
For someone just starting out in wildlife photography and even someone who is a pro: Always do your research. Learn about the species you want to photograph—their behavior, how to approach them, safety, conservation. The best way to start is on your local dog, cat, bird, or squirrels. I still practice on my dogs. It gets you used to focusing on the eyes, dealing with unpredictable movement, finding the best angles and compo- sitions. All of these build the key foundations to go out and be successful.
54
MOTHER VOLUME TWO
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease