A large wildlife book, start to finish, could take one to two years, but then I would expect to get several good (nature) magazine features off the back of this, plus of course a lot of stock.
A large wildlife book, start to finish, could take one to two years, but then I would expect to get several good (nature) magazine features off the back of this, plus of course a lot of stock.
For sure, all over Poland, kids had my picture of a lemur on their bedroom wall - but the chances are they may never get to see a real lemur in Madagascar. I thought this was great and it really meant a lot to me.
The Kalahari is brilliant - and easy to visit.
Photography started as a means of getting reference material for my paintings of nature subjects.
I also like flyfishing - maybe I would have figured a way to make a living out of that?
Big game photography in Africa is mainly done from a vehicle, so then I feel I might as well take the lot.
These got me into a good UK stock agency - I am still with this same agency now, and they continue to sell the odd badger image taken 19 years ago
So about twenty years ago I gave up on painting - and got into terrible debt after buying a load of camera gear!
Currently I am working on another three books, doing a lot of magazine work, am shooting for fifteen stock agencies, plus my own photo library - all this keeps me quite busy!
Even for an area I know well, I prepare a shooting list of subjects I need.
I very quickly discovered photography suited me better - somehow I could get things to work on film, that simply did not look right canvas or paper.
In The States I would have no edge, no advantage at all.
I also had a tremendous passion for art and read a lot.
I hope to goodness I would not still be working in the corporate world - the money is OK but it is no life at all.
I should point out that I have not worked for National Geographic on assignment - they have merely used my stock agency pics from time to time.
My first serious project was photographing badgers - very, very difficult as they are shy and nocturnal.
Rather ordinary really - I grew up in the UK, was terribly bored at school (and I have to admit rather rebellious, but this was the late sixties), but got as far as passing A levels..
I think few wives would have encouraged this kind of drastic and reckless career shift!
I concentrate on the southern African subcontinent.
I carry a notebook full of sketches of pictures I want to take - they are really scruffy sketches, but at least I am going out there with a clear objective.
All I really wanted to do was wildlife photography.
I tried to paint myself - but was really not much good at it, and fortunately was never stupid enough to try to turn it into a career
One thing you learn fast, when working freelance, is that lots of things do not pan out - projects get canned, clients don't pay, and so on.
For the first few years we lived in a tiny rented cottage at the bottom of a friend's garden. We often joked that there was plenty of film in the fridge, but not too much food!
I would never dream, for example, of going to The States to photograph your wildlife.
© 2020 Inspirational Stories
© 2020 Inspirational Stories