Interview with B+W Photography Magazine

I was pleased to be interviewed by Laura Backeburg over at B+W Photography Magazine, this week, in run-up to the annual B+W Photographer of the Year competition. Here is a copy of the interview if you would like to have a read….

Your 2010 winning images Behind the Eyes create a powerful connection between the viewer and the animal subject through the latter’s intense and direct gaze. What advice would you give to photographers who hope to capture powerful images of wildlife?

“When photographing wildlife you need to have a lot of time and patience! If you’re planning on a specific series featuring animals, it helps to have a clear idea of the visual concept for the series right from the start which pulls the series together. Of course, be prepared to adapt to the situation and adjust the series if needed as sometimes a better idea can come to you while photographing.

Because events in the natural world move quickly, you need to be able to react rapidly and this also means knowing your photographic equipment very well. This takes a lot of practice, until using the camera and lens combination feels completely natural. It also helps to have a basic understanding of the behaviour of the animals you are photographing”.

Your most recent series Fading from View highlights the plight of big cat species around the world. What kind of changes do you hope to inspire with your photographs?

“The Fading From View series looks specifically at the human-related impact on the big cats and how, if we’re not careful, one day some species might become extinct. The concept behind the series was to conjure up the image of the very last animal of a species literally fading from view as it walks away from the viewer into a jungle or open plain — as if these were the very last portraits taken of that animal.

I hope the series encourages people who see my images to consider wildlife and nature in a more concerned way, which in itself can help reduce the negative impact people have on the natural world”.

You’re represented by Beetles+Huxley’s Print Room gallery. How did this come about, and did winning Black+White Photographer of the Year encourage you to share your work more widely?

“The Print Room at Beetles+Huxley approached me last year after seeing a number of my colour floral studies from my Chroma series. I’m also fortunate to be represented by Weston Gallery in Carmel, California, the family gallery of Edward Weston.

Certainly winning BPOTY in 2010 has encouraged me to promote my work further afield, which included entering other competitions and also contacting galleries. It inspired me to produce new work and develop my own style, which continues to this day.

Thanks Laura and B+W Photography Magazine!”