Date of birth: 1982

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

It all started when I was fishing a lot in the sea, Gotland where I lived for three years. When I caught a big fish, mostly sea trout I wanted to take a picture of my catch. So, I bought a pocket camera and started taking images.

I soon realised that I could photograph other types of pictures as well, mostly sea landscape. That is where it all started.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

It really depends on the situation and what I am going to photograph. However, I want to travel light. That’s why I became a Swedish Olympus ambassador. I use the Olympus OMD-E 1 Mark II with pro lenses, so I can hike mountains and walk long distances without too much weight.

I am usually flexible in my nature photography. Lenses are both wide angle and telephoto. With me I always carry teleconverters and sometimes also a drone. In my backpack there are also binoculars and a GPS.

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

I want to capture feelings, not subjects. For me it is more important that the image is ecstatic, with good lighting more than to show a specific subject. Sometimes the subject does not matter with the right settings. However, if I must choose, I like mountain areas and all kinds of mammals. Both here in Sweden and Norway but also abroad.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

There are many! The ones closest to my heart must be Dovrefjell and Rondane national park in Norway. Closer to home I would say Tinnerö Eklandskap in Östergötland Sweden.

What is your favorite shooting position?

Low! Always low angles when it comes to bird and mammal photographs. That, light and foreground are the most important ingredients for a good animal- or bird image. For landscapes I often use a tripod in different heights.

Which nature photographer do you admire?

I have a friend and colleague named Jan Pedersen, he is also my hero when it comes to nature photography. Not just because of his pictures but his love and engagement for the art of photography and nature.

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

Patience, and a lot of it. Both in landscape and mammal photography. You also must sacrifice some time or money to be a good nature photographer. I work 100% as a professional nature photographer, however it also means I don’t have much time left except for my family and the economy is a big factor here also. But if you want to be a nature photographer “just for the fun of it” (and that is the most important), I still have to say patience.

Which light situation do you prefer?

The early blue morning light. Gold mornings with mist and late evening sun. I can work in every light situation, but these are my absolute favourites.

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

It depends on the situation, but I mostly use Aperture Priority. In landscapes and on tripod, mostly manual.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

I work a lot with my images in the field. And perhaps mostly my landscape images. I can stay for hours and hours just to capture the best setting. However sometimes I get the image straight away, then I can go home to my family earlier.

Post-processing is extremely important today. I must say that it is 50% of the photograph process. Many nature photographers here in Sweden are very bad at post-processing, despite that it can make a huge difference. However, I try to keep my time in front of the computer minimal so I can spend more time outside making new photographs.

Which processing program do you use?

Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop CC.

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

Yes! Start to believe in yourself! Try out new things and ideas. Listen and look at images from other photographers but do not copy them, make your own style of nature photography. Do not listen or meet up with photographers that steal your energy and creativity.

Dare to be different and do not follow photography trends. Have a lot of patience (again) and do not rush things, it takes a lot of time and effort to become a good nature photographer. Do not become a gear freak, use that money and time on courses or nature photography travels. And when you are on a destination, sometimes, do not think about photography – think about the nature you have in front of you!

However, buy the best camera you can afford but do not buy stuff you really do not need. Work with your sole and yourself, learn who you are and where you want your life to be in five years. Work hard to reach your dreams! And have fun doing it!

You can find out more about Niklas Virsen on his website: www.niklasvirsen.com

Fröstad Naturfoto : www.frostadnaturfoto.se

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/niklasvirsen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niklasvirsen/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lkpgbild

Date of birth: January 5^th, 1969

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

At first my photography was about documenting my travels. Architecture, public life, landmarks and social interaction were my chosen subjects. When I started working in the hospitality industry, my time was limited to an odd hour here and there. To relax and wind down I would go for short walks with just a macro lens. That miniature world of life in the undergrowth was fantastic and for a few years I was only photographing that miniature world.
When later on my travels shifted from Asia to Africa, my interest in the bigger animals and landscapes got a boost and since that time I’m hooked to travelling and documenting the unspoiled parts of Africa.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

The contents of the bag(s) vary from trip to trip and as a Pentax brand ambassador I can lend specialized equipment like the medium format 645Z from the demo pool; should I focus on landscapes. That camera excels in that area.
But normally I take a full-frame based kit with me consisting of 2 Pentax K-1 bodies, the 15-30/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8 and a 150-450/5.6. In combination with a 1.4x converter I’ve got all my bases covered for most situations. This kit fits perfectly in my Gura Gear Kiboko and (knock on wood) is “allowed” as cabin luggage.
Of course I never travel without proper tripod support for those low-light situations, so my Sirui R-4213X and a selection of Sirui filters also is always part of the kit. This is my standard equipment both in Holland as abroad. When I’m travelling to Africa I take macbook pro, external drives, extra APS-C body, a trail camera, sensor cleaning kit and more assorted bits and pieces with me. Travelling light is clearly not part of my mission…

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

I’ve got a soft spot for mammals. Their social interaction and diversity in colour, shapes and habitat always give me something new to look for. They are often unpredictable and you need skill and insight in their behaviour to be able to get the most out of your images. If you make a mistake chances are you have missed your chance.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

Any reserve where I come for the first time is an eye-opener for me. My senses are more open because all the new shapes, lights and possibilities trigger my creativity. But if you would ask me where I would like to be next week… Moremi game reserve and its surroundings in Botswana. Its remoteness and diversity of wildlife is amazing and I just love to camp there on the banks of the rivers and streams.

What is your favorite shooting position?

I like to get on eye level, so most of the times you will encounter me on my knees, bottom or belly.

Which nature photographer do you admire?

I love the creativity that Nick Brandt has shown over the years and especially his last book “Inherit the Dust” has shown that he can reinvent himself. Apart from that he has a great foundation, “Big Life” that is aiming to reduce poaching in Africa.
Peter Beard is another photographer/artist that has produced an iconic document of Africa “The end of the game”.

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

I think photography should start with the ability to enjoy what you are doing. If you are only driven by results, you miss out on much of the fun of being outdoors. I find it hard to decide for others what quality they should strive for, but I’m personally blessed with vivid imagination which helps me tremendously with pre-visualization.

Which light situation do you prefer?

I’m a slow starter during the day, so I’m normally at my best when the day drags on; Sunsets for me!

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

Aperture priority for normal conditions with changing lighting and subjects. But I use the others quite often as well, depending on the situation.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

95% vs 5%; It may take me 3 weeks to bring home the odd 20.000 raw files and normally I only process about 3 to 5 images for each day. Most images I don’t even review when I’m back home as I decide on my favourites in the field.
When I’m on a day trip in Holland I also process just 1 or 2 images from that day.
On average processing an image takes no more than a few minutes.

Which processing program do you use?

Adobe Photoshop CC

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

With the amount of great images we see each day on social media it’s important to create your own identity. Don’t try to copy other photographers if you like their work, but try to incorporate their strengths into your own vision. In the end that’s what will make you stand out from the crowd.

You can find out more about Mike Muizebelt on his website: www.mikemuizebelt.nl

Date of birth: 13^th of May 1986

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

My passion for nature photography can better be described as my passion for nature. Photography just sort of came with this passion. From a young age I already wanted to capture the things I see when I’m out in nature, so I started to bring a camera with me. From 2010, my interest in photography itself grew a lot and I pushed myself to become a better photographer. Yet, my passion for nature remains my main motivation to go out with the camera.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

What I take with me on a photoshoot depends a lot on the subject. I like to stay for longer periods with my photo subjects to get the best results, which means in some cases that my photo bag ends up being the smallest bag in my luggage. For instance when photographing musk-oxen during the winter months, I easily end up with a dog sledge full with equipment. For a trip like this, I normally bring two camera bodies, a 500mm f4, a 100-400mm f4.5-5.6, 17-44mm f4 and a 14mm f2.8 just in case there will be northern lights at night. Until now I have always photographed with Canon, but just started to also test Sony. At the moment I don’t know yet with which brand I will continue to photograph. I rarely use a tripod for photographing wildlife. I want to be as free as possible, being able to change the composition quickly. For landscape photo trips I also take two camera bodies, a 100-400mm f4.5-5.6, a 105mm f2.8 macro, a 85mm f1.4, a 17-44mm f4 and a 14mm f2.8. Additionally I bring a set of Kase filters and a tripod. One part of my equipment which I always have with me, is the Mr. Jan Gear “Boris” photo backpack. I’m out with my photo gear for 20-25 weeks per year and need a photo backpack which can fit all my equipment, sits comfortable on the back, can easily be modified from tour to tour, fits all airline hand luggage regulations and can take a beating. So far this bag does this job perfectly.

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

My favorite subject to photograph are wild reindeer. I love a challenge and this subject poses some of the best challenges there are in wildlife photography. In order to find the animals, you really need to get to know the subject, the area they live in, how the animals use the area and how the weather and season influence the behavior of the animals. Wild reindeer are extremely shy. So when you finally have spotted the animals, then the sneaking can begin. One wrong movement or a bit of sound can give away your presence and scare off the animals. It sometimes can take hours of sneaking and waiting before you are finally in position to photograph. When this moment finally comes, you are treated with one of the most photogenic deer species I know of. This in combination with the stunning mountain landscapes they live in, makes this subject my favorite.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

I’m not sure if I have a favorite nature area where I prefer to photograph. I live in Norway and am quite fortunate to have a lot of nature around me at all time. I love to be out in the area close to my house, because of the wolf which live in these forests. Their presence adds a lot of excitement to being out with the camera, even though the chance of seeing one is very small. We have many forest grouse and moose in our area, so I mainly photograph these. Otherwise, I’m often in Dovrefjell National Park to photograph musk-oxen, reindeer, grouse, arctic fox and landscapes. Dovrefjell never manages to bore me, there is always something to photograph. After photographing for 8 years in this area, I still come home with images I never took before.

What is your favorite shooting position?

When photographing wildlife I prefer to work with a low angle. I like images with a nice soft foreground (bokeh), which in some cases partly hides the animal. When photographing landscapes, I like to switch it up. In some cases I will put my camera really low to the ground, close to a subject in the foreground and in other cases I like to get a higher perspective in order to get a wider foreground.

Which nature photographer do you admire?

There are quite some nature photographers which I admire. Not only because of how beautiful their images are, but because they put the welfare of the animals upfront. Wildlife photography has become quite popular. The popularity results in some cases in severe disturbance of the wildlife because of the masses of people being drawn to certain hotspots. Some people seem to always want to get closer and closer until the subject is chased away, or extreme action shots have to be provoked by unnatural measures (like baiting for instance). This seems to become more and more normal and accepted. There are many professional photographers who work in this way and their images are stunning. It just doesn’t inspire me at all and doesn’t push me to become a better photographer. Photographers who stick to the ethics, put the animal welfare upfront and still come out with stunning images, are people who inspire me and motivate me to keep going out with the camera. Conservation photographer Melissa Groo from the USA does just that. And she is not afraid to open her mouth when she sees other photographers acting out of line. Something which should be done by more of us. I also admire the work of Neil Aldridge, who truly helps the wildlife with his photo stories. Luckily there are many more like them and I admire every single one of them.

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

A quality a nature photographer absolutely needs to have, is first of all respect for the nature. Secondly it all comes down to patience. You can’t force nature.

Which light situation do you prefer?

I love to work with backlight. It often gives more atmosphere to the pictures.

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

I photograph for about 95% of the time in “M” mode. I prefer to be in full control of all my settings and leave nothing to chance. When photographing wildlife, the background can change rather quickly. I don’t want to have to adjust the exposure during moments of action, because of shift in background. By photographing in “M” mode I only need to take the light on the subject into account, which is less variable in many cases. The remaining 5% of the time I have the camera on “AV” (aperture priority). This is when I have the camera next to me in my car when driving, just in case I come across wildlife. Because these encounters last often just for a few seconds and I don’t know what I will see or where I will see it, I prefer the camera to calculate the shutter-speed.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

Often I have only a few days between tours. So I have almost no time to edit my pictures. Therefore, I really push myself to take the images in a way so that I need to do as little as possible on the computer afterwards. In the last few years I have really pushed myself to make better compositions in the field. Now I almost only edit pictures which don’t need to be cropped at all. Also the use of filters for landscape photography, has drastically reduced the time I need to edit a picture. My editing is really basic and most of it is done in Camera RAW, with the finishing touches in Photoshop. I would guess that I spent about 90-95% of my time on taking the images and 5-10% on editing them. But to be honest, I wish I would have more time for editing so that I can edit a larger proportion of my images after a tour.  A 75% to 25% relation would be better.

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

What I would like to say to any future nature photographer is, always work with respect for nature. When you do that and always put nature first, photography will become easier because it becomes easier to work with the subjects. When it purely comes to photography, look at the work of other photographers but keep focused on your own work. Don’t follow other photographers blindly. Try to find what you really like yourself in nature photography. Look at images which speak the most to you and try to find out what it is in those images that speaks to you. Once you start to see what you like in an image, photography will become easier and easier.

You can find out more about Floris Smeets on his website: https://www.florissmeets.com/

Date of birth: I was born on the 29th of November 1955.

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

I bought my first camera during a school trip to California in February 1981. I was 25 years old then and took my first rolls of film in Yosemite National Park. It was 21 rolls of Kodachrome 25 and everybody thought I was crazy shooting so many films. This craziness got worse and worse though. After school I worked as an engineer for 9 years until I took the decisive step to become a full time landscape photographer in June 1990.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

Most of the time I bring along two different camera systems: one Hasselblad medium format and one Nikon DSLR. Prime lenses from super-wide to moderate telephoto. I don´t have any really long lenses since I am not shooting wildlife.

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

I consider myself a pure landscape photographer. I got the landscape photography bug when I took my first rolls in Yosemite and this is how it still is. The only wildlife I have in my shots is when something flies into the frame by accident. I find there is more room for intellectual composition and content in landscape photography. Whereas in wildlife photography it is more about action and framing rare species.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

Iceland has become my favorite location. I have been there 29 times and I always find something new to photograph.

What is your favorite shooting position?

My favorite shooting position is from the air. I have spent more than 120 hours shooting from airplanes and helicopters.

Which nature photographer do you admire?

I admire many nature photographers: Jan Töve, Theo Bosboom, Alex Noriega, Guy Tal, David Thomson, Charles Cramer, Fredrik Boo, Tore Hagman, Jan-Peter Lahall to mention a few. This list could be made much longer.

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

I think there must be a desire to interpret what you see and feel. Not just to register and bring back as ‘I was there and took a picture of it’. It is in the interpretation where art is created.

Which light situation do you prefer?

I prefer a day with light overcast. This gives me a soft light where tones and colors will come out nicely. It also gives me enough time to find the ideal camera position and composition. I find this classical early morning and late evening light a bit too predictable and too romantic. Who decided that our images should be charming and seductive?

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

I set my cameras in Aperture Priority most of the time, since the aperture dictates the depth of field. However when I shoot from the air I use Shutter Priority, since then it is important to have a fast shutter speed to avoid motion blur.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

It is very difficult to say how long it takes to make a good image. If I see something interesting I know that I am very quick to find a good position and to compose. The shooting then just takes less than a minute. Then in some situations I can wait for the right light for hours. The post processing takes normally less than 5 minutes. I am not a fan of over processing. Less is more as I see it.

Which processing program do you use?

I only use two programs: Photoshop CC for processing and Helicon Focus for focus stacking.

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

Just develop a personal style and develop it further. With time your style will be unique and you will stick out from the main stream.

You can find out more about Hans Strand on his website: www.hansstrand.com

Date of birth: 22^nd of February 1952

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

Since I was a child I always loved to be out in nature and wanted to capture the beauty of what I saw. I became interested in photography through my mother and started in my teenage years when I got my first camera, a Konica C35. When I started to not only capture what I saw but what I felt, I got an insight into my inner self and nature photography became a guide on my path in life.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

Equipment: Canon 1DX and Canon 1DX Mark II bodies; 16-35mm, 24-70mm, 100mm macro, 70-200mm, 300 and 500 mm lenses; 1.4 and 2.0 extenders; ND filters 3 and 9 stops; every now and then flash equipment Canon 580 EX and  600 EX II-RT + better beamer, tripod and monopod; sound recording device

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

My interests are wide, since my youth I have always been interested in birds in particular, though mammals play an important role as well these days. My main interest is to photograph the essence of what I see and feel in nature. For that reason I use impressionistic and abstract styles as well. As a consequence I make images of the inner landscape as well.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

I do not actually have a favorite as different places in the world have different unique elements.  However, in recent years I have often travelled to Africa and in particular to Marataba (SA) to explore this beautiful private concession within Marakele NP.  I have given Capture Earth workshops there in collaboration with other photographers, it is a precious place for me in Africa.

What is your favorite shooting position?

Well, as I am using a wheelchair I frequently use that on many occasions, but a jeep/car and boat are preferred giving me more freedom to move around. The favorite shooting position depends on the subject and place, my wheelchair is great in hides and shooting starling flocks for example in the open. A boat is great for exploring rivers in the amazon or photographing herring gulls in Norway flying above, while a jeep is mandatory in Africa. Actually all positions have something special, it is great to see what the options are under certain situations instead of opting directly for a given position.

Which nature photographer do you admire?

My favorite is Vincent Munier, who prefers pristine nature and captures the mystical element of nature, often in a minimalistic and elegant way. Besides a great photographer he is also a great human being and I felt honored to give a Capture Earth workshop together with him.

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

We are so much guided or confused by so-called rules that I hope that each nature photographer can be her or himself and capture what makes their own heart tick and fill themselves with joy. In that, the images will reflect the inner self in a unique way.

Which light situation do you prefer?

I actually adapt to the light. For impressionistic or abstract images low light conditions are typically preferred, but if not present I use ND filters to achieve low shutter speeds (1 – 1/30 s). In harsh light I tend to go for Black and White, I play with high and low key but of course soft morning or evening light is very much appreciated. In dark forests sometimes flash is needed to capture fast moving hummingbirds, but these days with camera’s that work comfortably with 10.000 ISO or beyond, I prefer natural light.

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

This depends on the situation, if possible I prefer manual in general to have full control, but if light conditions are changing continuously during cloudy days or early and late in the day or if unexpected things can happen from unpredictable angles, I use aperture priority. When making impressionistic/abstract images I use shutter speed priority.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

Sometimes an image can be in my mind for years. Often I work several days to capture a given animal in the right setting. Processing an image can take anything between 2 minutes to hours in special cases, especially to fine tune luminosity for instance. To get the right feeling with an image in a non-figurative setting, small changes are extremely significant. More and more presets are fortunately becoming available, which is very useful to explore the option space as I am not a processing expert.

Which processing program do you use?

I use Lightroom and Photoshop.

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

Good advice for starting nature photographers is to explore the guidelines from others for the initial phase, learn from website communities, but experiment asap with many different settings and search for what you like best. Share and talk with others 🙂. For photographing animals studying the behavior (books and practice) comes first, if a nature guide for a given area is available this will be of great help. Take a look at other art forms, for instance famous painting styles to get yourself inspired.

You can find out more about Jan van der Greef on his website: https://www.janvandergreef.com/

Date of birth: 8^th of November 1991

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

I’ve always been passionate about nature in general. My father is a huge nature enthusiast, and I inherited this passion and drive from him. When I came to the age of 12, he went for a 2 months trip to Namibia and Botswana. He bought himself a digital camera for this adventure, but never used it after. So together with his passion, I inherited his first digital camera as well.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

It differs greatly from the purpose of the shoot. Sometimes I go after work to the polders to find some birds, then I take just my tele lenses (100-400mm + 600mm) with me. Other times I only take the drone, or when I’m after bats in flight, I take over 10 flashes and an equal amount of tripods. So there is not even 1 thing in common I take with me on every shoot out.

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

Mammals, by far. They are more elusive, and often require more knowledge to find, approach and photograph them. So more difficult in general, but also more rewarding if you succeed.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

I couldn’t say I really have a favorite reserve, but I definitely have a strong preference for the North. Scandinavia in general and Svalbard in particular have a special place in my heart.  The vast barren landscape never stops surprising me, and nothing goes above the arctic light glowing over a frozen scenery.

What is your favorite shooting position?

Eye level is gold for me, except with the drone of course!

Which nature photographer do you admire?

If we are talking big names… Vincent Munier or Paul Nicklen are both extremely talented.  I’ve been looking up to them and their achievements for a very long time.

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

Knowledge about their subject is vital. Only in this way can you “read” what the animal is going to do, where to find it, predict its behavior and photograph it in a successful way. According to me this is vital and something you can’t buy in the shop and put in your camera bag. You need to learn this in advance.

So not the most typical answer such as “eye for detail”, but at least as valuable!

Which light situation do you prefer?

Backlight! Definitely on mammals, birds, plants without smooth edges. I like to see the edge of the fur lighting up, hair on a plants stem, more vivid colors,… If you sit in the middle of your lawn, and look at the fresh green grass, the color changes drastically if you look towards the sun or not.

If I would need to choose a time of the day, I choose the classic morning light.

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

Aperture priority is most often used, sometimes manual as well if I’m only working with flashes (not as fill in light).

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

Creating an image is mostly done in a timeframe between 1/8000 of a second and 30 seconds, but sometimes longer exposures are also used 😉

Processing images is not one of my favorite things to do, so I’d like to spend as little time as possible to do this. For a standard picture I would say about 1 to 5 minutes?

Which processing program do you use?

Lightroom and sometimes Photoshop.

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

Work with the gear you have, try to work with the same object with different light conditions to learn how to work with what you have available.

Go out and spend as much time in nature as possible, learn about the subjects that interest you and that you want to work with.

Respect nature and leave no traces, make sure disturbance is kept to an absolute minimum and spread awareness of the beauty we still have left.

You can find out more about Pieter-Jan D’Hondt on his website: http://www.pieterjandhondt.be/

Date of birth: 29^th of January 1962

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

I’m an underwater and aerial photographer. As a child, I admired the movies made by Jacques Cousteau. It was always my dream to see this in real life. I have to admit in reality the underwater world is much more beautiful and more intriguing than ever thought of as a child. Later I often flew with my father in law who was a pilot and saw another world from the sky. I also wanted to do this.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

Olympus MFT camera, underwater housing with either a wide angle lens or a macro lens, (all pro lenses), 2 underwater flashes. Above water MFT camera (Oly OMD EM1) and Panasonic Leica Pro lens 35 – 110

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

Fish portraits because off the interaction. Making good fish portraits requires you to approach them from a very short distance. This can for sure be done. You always get rewarded with a close interaction.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

The sea around the island of Corsica and the Banda Sea (Moluccas, Indonesia). For aerial photography, the land of Merode and the Dale Valley where I live.

What is your favorite shooting position?

Underneath the subject – in underwater photography that is something that is possible, with blue water in the background, the sun must shine through the blue water.

Which nature photographer do you admire?

Frans Lanting for his work and humility as well as Yann Arthus Bertrand and Francis Cormon (I’m also aerial photographer and pilot).

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

A lot of patience combined with perseverance, be able to get up early and go to sleep late.

Which light situation do you prefer?

Fierce sunlight around noon: the rules are different under water. For aerial photography; the early morning so the light is still warm and there are long shadows at the same time.

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

Under water I always use manual mode, for aerial photography I always use aperture priority.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

I don’t know actually. The fact is that I’m spending too much time behind a PC. I’m not working on my images that much, but it’s archiving, taking back-ups, updates, …

Which processing program do you use?

Lightroom 6

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

Find a niche, something that others don’t do and develop your own style. Don’t do this because others think it’s a nice style but because you feel good about it. Try to capture something that makes you feel, rather than register something.

You can find out more about Alain Pardon on his website: http://www.alainpardon.com/

Date of birth: 19^th of February 1972

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

I started as a kid with my dad, roaming the forests of Brittany in France, looking for nightjars, red deer and foxes. Later photography became a way to keep some souvenirs. It has now been my job for more than 20 years.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

It really depends. I have been working a lot with remote control cameras, camera traps, wide angle lenses but my good old 500 mm is always with me.

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

For the past ten years almost, I have been working exclusively on wild European lynx. There is something very exciting on working with the only big cat in Europe. Now I have a strong experience with this elusive animal and I can recognize some individuals and predict where they should be at what period or time of the day… well that’s the theory ;-).

What is your favorite nature preserve?

I do lead some tours from time to time. I must say I love southern Africa. I used to live in Namibia and I adore Botswana. Let’s say Moremi National park then.

What is your favorite shooting position?

I really like the hides. I can stay days and days in my hide without getting bored. In order to film a lynx calling, during the rut, I have spent 117 days, every morning and evening in my hide. I got to see him 3 times during that period between January and April… some mornings it was hard to get up, but as soon as I have a sip of coffee… I am on!

Which nature photographer do you admire?

I have always been impressed by photographers that bring something new with the image. I am not interested in seeing pictures that have been done before and of course I can’t stand pictures with tamed or captive animals, which is very common, they should be called “captive-life” photographers… ;-). That’s why I have never been to a paying hide nor working on projects that have been conducted before.

Michael Nick Nichols in the States has always been someone that I admire for his aim to create new angles and new pictures. Stephen Dalton in the UK with a very different style but even now, you can watch his pictures from the 70’s and say “Whaw!!!”. In France Hellio and Van Ingen were the first ones to bring some low angle shots on water birds with their floating hides, that was great. Nowadays, the new generation is impressive, Bence Mate of course with his ingenuity but I also like some more “traditional photographers” who work in my field. I have never met Sven Zacek but I really like his images, Bruno D’Amicis, Vladimir Medvedev, Grzegorz Lesniewski, …

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

Humility, it is not because you love nature and you photograph nature that you know nature. And photographers can harm as much as hunters if they are not respectful.

Which light situation do you prefer?

Well traditionally, photographers will tell you, morning lights and evening ones… but you can also do some strong pictures with a very bright sunshine and blue sky. It all depends on how you light your subject. I like working on insects, and with a real nice fill in flash, that can be an awesome shot in bright daylight. It all depends on what type of image you are working on.

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

I usually work on aperture priority but for all flash stuff, I use manual mode.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

I do not spend much time on my computer, my pictures could easily look better if I would work on them in Lightroom a bit longer, but that is not my thing…

Which processing program do you use?

Lightroom, basic.

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

Some new photographers are doing some great new images. I would say, find YOUR own style, be inspired by others, but don’t copy them, that is difficult.

You can find out more about Laurent Geslin on his website: http://www.laurent-geslin.com

How did you become passionate about nature photography?

I was always a lot more creative than academic growing up, preferring art and design above all other subjects at school. Despite being born in London, I also found myself fascinated by natural history documentaries and preferring to be out in the countryside over the city. When I was 17 I was given an old Nikon film SLR to play with and I loved the way I could adjust the aperture and shutter speed to affect the look and feel of the picture. With my interest in nature, pointing the camera at wildlife was the obvious choice.

What do you take with you on a photo shoot?

I try to keep it simple whenever possible. If I’m close to home, I travel light with just a D810 and my 400mm. However if I’m going away, I’ll take several bodies and lenses, usually two D810’s, a D500, 400mm, 70-200 and a wide angle zoom. I think probably the typical standard kit that most photographers will pack.

What subject do you prefer to photograph and why?

I’m a very visual person and have always approached my photography with the attitude that I am more interested in the light conditions and artistic merit of an image than I am in the subject. The closest I could narrow it down to is that given the choice I’ve always preferred mammals over birds.

What is your favorite nature preserve?

One of my favorite locations is Skomer Island, run in the UK by the National Trust. It is famous for its puffin colonies but I just love the location regardless. It’s only 15 minutes from the mainland but if you stay in the hostel style accommodation, a converted old farmhouse, you can enjoy the island almost entirely to yourself once the day trippers have gone home.  Having the island to yourself from 5pm to 10am the next day is magical.

What is your favorite shooting position?

Whichever suits the image I’m currently trying to take.  Sometimes it means being nice and comfortable, such as sat at my kitchen window waiting to remotely trigger the camera in the garden, whereas other times it might mean laying on rocks at awkward angles. In fact it was in doing that at Lake Kerkini in Greece, that I tore the cartilage in my knee.

Which nature photographer do you admire?

There are many talented photographers out there whose work is inspirational for different reasons. To pick one or two would be unfair on the rest and I’d probably forget to name someone I wanted to. What I can say is that there is some incredible inspiration to be found from other photographers who have taken part in this interview process…

What quality must a nature photographer absolutely have?

A respect for wildlife is first and foremost. Followed by patience and the ability to enjoy spending time alone, as often you are in your own company for long periods of time. It is also essential to have a built in desire to create imagery because there can be long periods of not producing the images you can see in your head, and pushing through that requires a huge level of motivation.

Which light situation do you prefer?

I have a strong pull towards very contrasty and dynamic lighting that creates atmosphere and mood. I love the play of light versus shade so although when out in nature I’m at the mercy of the lighting conditions, I find myself in my element when I am able to play on strong contrasts, often favoring images that take on an overall dark tone.

Which setting do you prefer: Manual-Aperture Priority-Shutter Priority?

90% of my photos are taken in Manual with Auto ISO. It’s such a versatile exposure mode that works well with exposure compensation, so it’s always my default setting.

In percentage terms how much time do you take to create an image and to process the image?

It can vary greatly depending on the image. A straight forward photo in good light can take 30 seconds to capture and the same to process but a camera trap image taken at night, with a combination of ambient and artificial light, can take weeks or months to capture and sometimes half an hour or more to process depending on the subtle attention to detail within the frame where the light sources need to be balanced. Both types of image are rewarding for different reasons. I like the simplicity and speed of off the cuff moments captured that are not planned but I also like the satisfaction of planning an image and it being months before I see a payoff.

Which processing program do you use?

Lightroom for everything. I used Photoshop a long time ago but since Lightroom 5 I’ve always used that, and now CC.

Do you have any advice for future nature photographers?

You need to be passionate, either about nature or photography or ideally both. There are often many unrewarding experiences in nature photography so you need that passion and enthusiasm to push you on and keep you motivated. It’s also a crowded market, especially in the UK, so it’s important to worry less about what others are doing and concentrate your time and energy on your own work. That’s some of the best advice I’ve ever been given and I stand by it!

You can find out more about Richard Peters on his website: http://www.richardpeters.co.uk/

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