ROAD WARRIOR 41
Has photography always been a passion?
I’ ve always enjoyed photography; my parents took a shot of me taking my first wildlife picture when I was just two, at Jersey Zoo! I bought my first camera when I was at school and always had it with me at university, but it was when I started working for the BBC Natural History Unit that I became really gripped by photography. I had some wonderful opportunities on the award-winning series Planet Earth and The Blue Planet and fulfilled a lifelong ambition to work with Sir David Attenborough. After 11 years at the BBC, I realized that I was enjoying my photography more than being a producer, so I decided to leave to go freelance. I was lucky to be taken on by Getty Images and absolutely love my job as a wildlife and travel photographer.
This year wildlife photography takes you to the Zambia, Greenland, the Caribbean and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, among many other destinations. Do you have a favourite place to shoot?
I must admit that I’ m very keen on the polar regions, having had around 35 trips to the North and South Poles over the last 15 years. However, I’ m increasingly enjoying working in warmer climes. I’ ve just returned from a month photographing at three fabulous lodges, The Hide in Zimbabwe, Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia and Karen Blixen Camp in Kenya, all of which are great wildlife experiences and in beautiful locations. In 2014, I will be guiding several small( no more than eight guests) exclusive photo trips to Zambia, Madagascar, The Pantanal and Kenya, so that’ s a chance to thaw out! My favourite places usually involve great wildlife and wilderness areas.
Wildlife photography can be a risky business. Has there ever been a moment when you thought you might have taken your last photo?
Two things spring to mind; I was photographing leopard seals underwater when a very large female seal started trying to bite my hands, feet and head. She kept opening her jaws right in front of my face, wide enough to swallow my head! I was very glad to get out of the water unscathed, especially as a scientist had been killed by a leopard seal in the Antarctic a few years earlier. Also, there was a time filming The Blue Planet when I floated off on a tiny ice floe, just 100ft across, when it broke up beneath our tent whilst filming in the Canadian high Arctic. We had to be rescued by helicopter and had a very anxious few hours on the floe, wondering if it would break up beneath us. I definitely had a few extra gray hairs after than experience!
You spend a lot of time working on expeditionary cruise ships. Why do you think this style of cruising has become so popular?
I do enjoy working on expedition ships as they get you to some interesting, relatively out of the way places, both in comfort and with the ability to explore with zodiacs. For example, I’ ll be spending several weeks on board Silversea’ s expedition ship Silver Explorer this year in Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, which is going to be both very comfortable and adventurous. Likewise, I’ ll be the Artist in Residence on board Quark Expeditions’ South Georgia trip in November.
Can you suggest an expeditionary cruise for newbies?
Much as I love the Antarctic and Southern Ocean, that’ s probably not a good first trip if you’ re not used to potentially rough seas. Svalbard would be great- a lovely combination of adventure, great wildlife and comfort! I’ ll be guiding a trip there in 2014 so come and join me photographing polar bears! I’ d also recommend SeaDream Yacht Club’ s Asian voyages in 2014, visiting some wonderful locations like Papua New Guinea, Burma, and Vietnam in style!
Many of these cruises sail in remote waters and to destinations rarely visited; what role do you think expeditionary cruises afford these fragile ecosystems?
“" I was photographing leopard seals underwater when a very large female seal started trying to bite my hands, feet and head. She kept opening her jaws right in front of my face "”
It’ s imperative that such ecosystems have guidelines in place for their protection. For example, the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators has a code of conduct for vessels operating in the region. I am of the view that if you show people how beautiful and spectacular a place is, not just the charismatic megafauna, like elephants or tigers or polar bears or lions, but everything from the smallest creature in the ecosystem upwards, then they will hopefully be inspired to want to protect it. I have seen first hand very successful projects where local people are genuinely interested in conserving their wildlife because of the interest( and income) from wildlife tourism.
Where do you like to travel when you’ re off the clock?
I love being at my lovely home in North Wales! I don’ t get to spend enough time there, but I’ m working on it. I also love Jade Mountain in St Lucia, a stunning location, with beautiful rooms and fabulous service.
Do you ever find it difficult photographing the often cruel side of nature?
When I’ m looking down the lens, I’ m so caught up in the action that I often don’ t have time to reflect on how draining some behavior can be to witness. For example, I’ ve photographed killer whales hunting gray whales in California, and polar bears hunting beluga whales caught in the Arctic ice – both behaviors which hadn’ t been filmed before, which I was fortunate to witness when working on The Blue Planet. It’ s hard because as a biologist it’ s amazing to witness interesting animal behaviour, and as a wildlife filmmaker and photographer it’ s thrilling to document something for the first time. But as a human being, of course it can be upsetting to see an animal being killed by another animal. Nature is red in tooth and claw, as the saying goes, and the predator has to eat too! But what I can’ t stand to witness is animal cruelty by people.
What’ s five things we will find in your day pack?
My trusty Canon camera of course, an iPhone( even if I’ m not in range of a phone signal, I have so many apps on there that are incredibly useful), a Swiss army knife, my Paramo Halcon jacket, and a good book.
You’ ve teamed up with Sir David Attenborough on several occasions; what’ s he like to work with?
David is a wonderful human being and a genius at communicating his knowledge and love of the natural world. To have had the opportunity to work with him on and off for 11 years whilst I was at the BBC Natural History Unit was, truly, one of the best experiences of my life and a total privilege. He has inspired everyone in our industry to want to do the job that they do, as well as educating millions of people around the planet about the natural world, and he is as lovely as he comes across on television.
Do you ever find yourself getting‘ viewfinder vision’ when travelling?
I really try to find time to put the camera down and simply enjoy the moment when I’ m away. Easier said than done sometimes, and when I’ m on a long shoot it’ s hard to switch off. But I can’ t complain … it’ s a wonderful way to make a living.
What advice can you extend to amateur shutter bunnies looking to capture better images on their travels?
Think about composition; don’ t always put your subject in the middle of shot. Keep your horizons straight – unless you’ re after a deliberately skewed angle – and try to capture the moment, that special split-second moment that turns an ordinary shot into a wonderful image.
For more info on Sue Flood check out www. sueflood. com
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