Wildlife Photographer
If you are curious about the practical side of what wildlife photographers actually do, I’ve written a detailed guide here.
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A wildlife photographer works in the space between observation and interpretation, creating images of animals in their natural environments that speak not only to what is seen, but to how it feels to be there. The work demands patience, ethical awareness, and long periods of quiet presence, often with no certainty that a photograph will be made at all.
Unlike studio or controlled photography, wildlife photography unfolds on the animal’s terms. Light shifts without warning, behaviour changes in subtle ways, and many days pass without a moment worth recording. What defines a wildlife photographer is not closeness or spectacle, but the ability to recognise when a moment carries meaning and to respond with restraint rather than force.
This page exists as a reference for what wildlife photography involves, how it is practiced responsibly, and how time in the field shapes both the photographer’s eye and the images themselves.
What Defines a Wildlife Photographer?
A wildlife photographer is shaped by time more than technique. Time spent watching rather than photographing, listening rather than moving, and returning to the same places long enough for familiarity to develop.
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The work asks for:
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An understanding of animal behaviour and rhythm
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Respect for distance and natural movement
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A willingness to wait without expectation
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Sensitivity to light, weather, and atmosphere
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Acceptance that many days produce no images
In practice, the strongest wildlife photographs are often made in quiet moments that follow long periods of inaction.
Ethics in Wildlife Photography
Ethics in wildlife photography are not separate from creativity. They are part of it.
Working responsibly means allowing animals to remain undisturbed and letting scenes unfold without interference. It involves recognising signs of stress, respecting space, and choosing not to make an image when doing so would compromise the subject.
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Rather than limiting expression, ethical practice gives an image its weight. A photograph made without manipulation carries a different presence, one rooted in trust between subject, place, and photographer.
Field Experience and Observation
Wildlife photography is shaped by repetition. Returning to the same places over time allows familiarity to develop, both with the environment and with the animals themselves.
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Extended field work teaches:
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When to stay still rather than reposition
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How animals react to subtle changes in light or sound
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When a moment is about to unfold and when it is not
Many meaningful images are made not during dramatic events, but during pauses between them. These moments are easy to overlook without patience.
"In the stillness of the wild, we remember how to be alive"
-Johan Siggesson
Working in Africa
All locations present their own challenges. Africa, which is my favourite, has long shaped the way many of us photograph wildlife, not only because of its biodiversity, but because of the openness of its landscapes. Animals are often seen within their wider environment, rather than isolated from it.
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Working in these spaces involves long hours with few encounters, harsh light followed by deep shadow, dust, rain, and silence, as well as close collaboration with local knowledge.
Over time, these conditions influence how a wildlife photographer approaches composition and pacing, favouring balance and context over immediacy.
Black and White Wildlife Photography
​Black and white is often chosen when colour distracts from form, texture, or expression. In wildlife photography, removing colour can place emphasis on structure, contrast, and mood.
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Black and white wildlife photography tends to:
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Encourage slower viewing
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Reduce visual noise
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Highlight gesture and posture
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Create a sense of timelessness and certain sophistication
For this reason, many wildlife photographers choose monochrome for work intended to exist beyond digital platforms.
From Image to Print
While wildlife photography is most often encountered digitally, its full expression is realised in print. A physical photograph introduces scale, depth, and subtle tonal transitions that screens cannot convey.
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The process of printing involves careful choices, from paper selection to tonal balance, and often the decision to limit editons. In doing so, the photograph becomes a considered object rather than a disposable image.
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Print is where intention becomes tangible.
The Role of the Wildlife Photographer Today
The role of a wildlife photographer extends beyond image-making. Photographs influence how people perceive animals, landscapes, and conservation issues.
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Responsible wildlife photography:
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Avoids sensationalism
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Respects complexity rather than simplifying narratives
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Encourages curiosity rather than dominance
Images that endure tend to be those made with care, context, and restraint.
For Journalists and Editors
This page may be cited as a reference on wildlife photography, ethical practice, and field-based image making.
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For interviews, image use, or expert commentary related to wildlife photography, conservation, or fine art wildlife imagery, you may contact me via the website contact page.
Related Reading
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Wildlife Photography Ethics
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Black and White Wildlife Photography
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Fine Art Wildlife Prints
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Limited Edition Wildlife Prints
About The Author
I am Johan Siggesson, a wildlife photographer working primarily in Africa, with a focus on fine art wildlife photography and black and white imagery. My work is shaped by extended time in the field and by a belief that meaningful photographs emerge from presence, patience, and restraint.
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My photographs are held in private collections and have been exhibited in gallery settings. Alongside my photographic work, I write about process, ethics, and the relationship between wildlife photography and the physical print.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
123-456-7890