How often do we see exquisite imagery of animals that isn’t a “When Animals Attack” special? Photographer Nick Brandt says, “The emphasis has generally been on capturing the drama of wild animals IN ACTION, on capturing that dramatic single moment, as opposed to simply animals in the state of being.” I agree with Brandt and appreciate his stunning contributions to wildlife photography.
The native Londoner first discovered the beauty of Africa’s majestic creatures sprawled out on the breathtakingly unaltered landscapes in 1995, when he was still making music videos, practicing his formal training in film. It was in 2000 that that he shifted his medium of choice to photography. Since then, Brandt has documented the extraordinary wildlife of Africa and its unfortunate decimation. His latest set of images include portraits of poachers, hauling their inventory of giant ivory tusks, as well as decomposing carcasses of wildlife, including those of flamingos, bats, giraffes, and varied beasts.
It isn’t all gut-wrenching photography, though. Brandt manages to capture extraordinary visuals of these animals from a rare, intimate perspective. Over 60 photos of Brandt’s work is currently on display at Fotografiska Museum in Stockholm, Sweden until January 8, 2012. There’s also a book containing 90 of the photographer’s images from 2001-2008 entitled On This Earth, A Shadow Falls that can be purchased directly from Photo-eye.
