18 Photographers Share Their Incredible Stories on Nature and Wildlife Photography
So much of the world continues to remain unseen and unexplored. Photographers go to extreme lengths to bring us a slice of these unchartered territories, oftentimes risking their lives in the process. So why do they do this? For some, it’s the idea of conservation, that our planet is fragile, and a lot of these places, environments and its inhabitants are fast disappearing. For others, it’s about preserving a glimpse of our wondrous world, for future generations. There will always be sanctity in these reasons.
Yet, how often do we view photographs that fill us with awe, shock us, thrill us, or amuse us, and forget that we also play a part in the cohesive ecological whole, and are not separate from the wild? In the end, all it takes for the human species to cease to exist, is a few degrees of climate change. The wild will go on, survive and thrive, well after we have gone.
There are no better reminders of this than the images you will see ahead. Conchita Fernandes introduces you to the stories behind them, and the photographers who captured these truly incredible places and moments.
Photograph/Rodrigo Friscione Wyssmann
Rodrigo Friscione Wyssmann
Rodrigo comes from a family where diving is not only a ritual, but also a business. He was initially drawn to freediving and spearfishing, and later got interested in underwater photography.
“The act of making a portrait of this captured shark felt incredibly compelling. It almost dignified, for me, the passing of one of the most powerful predators of the ocean.”
A group of friends and I had set out to photograph Striped Marlins, off the Pacific side of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. We stumbled upon a shark fishing operation that employed the longline fishing technique. We noticed that one of the catch was a young Great White Shark. Its ripped jaw was proof enough of the fight that it had put up. Due to the disturbing nature of the image, I converted it to B&W.
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye
Exposure: 1/125sec at f/8, ISO 200
Tip
The Benefits of a Strobe
If you want to explore the depths of the deep seas, aside from a secure, ergonomic housing, a strobe is a must. It not only freezes movement and reduces backscatter, but strobes with lower colour temperature (4700K) can also enhance blues.
