Africa Photography

I thought Nick Brandt's work was amazing. From his interview, it sounds as if he puts a lot of time and effort into capturing the photos. He doesn't just take pictures of zebras from 100 feet away-he takes pictures of animals' souls and their uninterrupted life.

This is my favorite photo because I love the way the giraffes are accented against the background. The angle from which the photograph was taken is perfect because you see the entire scenery, the giraffes are perfectly seen, and there are no distractions in the picture (avoiding mergers woo!) and the main subject (front giraffe) is off centered, following the rule of thirds.

Brandt uses a Pentax 67II with only two fixed lenses. He doesn't use a telephoto lens because he believes that being close to the subject better captures the animal's essence and personality.

Brandt takes the photos because he wants to show the animals in their state of being, not posed or in action. He wants to photograph the animal in their natural habitat, going about their daily life, before they disappear forever.

He hopes to not only raise awareness for the conservation of Africa's wildlife and ecosystems, but to also capture African animals before they are forever destroyed by man.