We are thrilled to present the remarkable stories of the talented photographers who triumphed in our Wildlife Photography Contest. Each winner has demonstrated exceptional skill, patience, and a deep respect for nature, capturing the breathtaking beauty and raw power of wildlife in their natural habitats. Their work not only showcases the magnificence of the animal kingdom but also raises awareness about the importance of conservation.
Let’s dive into their stories and celebrate their incredible work!
TURGAY UZER
I want to take you, my reader, to the early 1950s. I was born in Turkey, a country which lies between Asia and Europe and belongs to neither. Photography was all around me while I was growing up: My father was an enthusiastic photographer and as a result my early life is well documented. Those were the days of black and white film photography, of course. Photographs were taken on every occasion, special or not, collectively admired and then lovingly pasted into handsomely bound albums which became the centerpieces of any living room. In the early Sixties, my father's university sent him to Germany for further training, and his first big purchase was a classic Rolleiflex camera -- the kind which you hang around your neck and look down into the viewfinder. He taught me how to operate it -- from putting in the film to choosing the settings. I still have this camera and it works flawlessly, the only challenge being finding a lab to develop the photos these days!
Television (black and white, of course!) was another innovation in our lives. You see, the all-powerful government of the time had decided that television was a luxury that a poor country like Turkey could not afford. I watched German TV voraciously but never with more enthusiasm than when wildlife documentaries were on -- which was all the time. One series stood out among them: Zoologist Bernhard Grzimek and his son Michael filmed these in East Africa. Their long film "Die Serengeti Darf Nicht Sterben" ( "The Serengeti Must Not Die") documented wildlife in this most magnificent region of Africa. In its color version, it played to full houses in movie theaters, and you can still find it on YouTube. It is a splendid and yet melancholy souvenir of a vanished word. Fast forward sixty years: Lion populations have collapsed, elephants are an endangered species now and rhinos have disappered. Little did I know that I'd be photographing what is left of this almost-lost world later in life -- but more about that later.
More visits to Africa followed, but these were all hurried and brief, squeezed into my teaching schedule in my university job. Gradually I began to realize what moved me, namely close-up portraits of animals. Wouldn't it be great, I thought, if I could capture the essence of an animal by the way it looked at me? This is a difficult genre of photography because it requires you to get close to the animals -- or if you can't, use lenses with long reach. And a great deal of time and patience. All of which I have now after my retirement!
Initially, I was not driven by any profound thoughts in my photography. I was simply recording memories: Time stood still in those images. Little did I know, however, that I was recording a disappearing world. Just as the world of the Grzimeks has vanished in the last sixty years, our world will vanish in the next sixty years, or even sooner since it is increasingly difficult to keep up with the destruction of wild places and wild life. What's here today may be gone tomorrow! Therefore I am mindful that I am recording memories of wild places and things with each frame. And who knows? Perhaps I can inspire others to conserve the little that is left.
You can see my photos in my Instagram feed, @upgrademeforfree or in my portfolio at www.turgayuzer.com.
RANDALL BALL
I started in photography as a combat photographer in the US Marine Corps, this is where I discovered the transformative power of photography, capturing the beauty and complexities of life through powerful images of my fellow Marines.
Recently my passion for wildlife photography has since grown, where I find inspiration in the beauty of nature. Through workshops and teaching, I aim to inspire others to unleash their creativity and share their unique perspectives.
Photography is my way of expressing myself creatively, capturing moments that reflect my emotions and ideas visually. Constantly seeking mesmerizing images in nature, I strive to create impactful visuals that draw me in and tell a story.
Instagram: @rballphoto
AVILASH GHOSH
I am Avilash Ghosh from Kolkata West Bengal India. The interest for photography started when I was a kid in class 4-5, because of my gather who was hardcore street photographer. And he was an excellent film developer as well, in my house I saw how my father developed his film roll by himself with chemical processing and this types of things always spark curiosity as a kid.
After that I approached my father for a camera and he was astonished from my words and after that he gave me his Nikon FM2 but I was not much experienced at that time and that is the start of my photography journey. I was starting my journy through Street Photography then my interest grew on Wildlife, Wedding and Fashion as well. But the Wildlife is the genere which gave me immense joy from beginning because nature always amazed you eternally and this is the main reason to continue with nature and wildlife photography.
Nature and Wildlife is my all time favorite genere to photograph but I also like a lot Wedding. Mother Nature always gives you inspiration to photograph. When I am on a wildlife trip I always think about the composition differently which creates spark in the image.
You can check more about my work in my Instagram.
Don't forget to check out our other open photo contests for more opportunities to showcase your skills and creativity. Explore them here: www.theartistgallery.art/open-contests.
Congratulations to all the winners! Bravo Turgay! :D