ARTIST STATEMENT

 

I have worked as a wildlife photographer for more years than I care to remember. Over time, I have continually assessed what I was doing and evolved to take a more reflective approach to my photography.

In photographing wild animals, I think I have one advantage over other fields of photography in that I believe there is an authenticity to their personalities. To me, the mental state of a wild animal is neither covered by a mask that a human subject is tempted to wear nor adulterated by human influence that a captive animal acquires.

To lend voice to the mental state of a wild animal, I have established an approach that is very personal. I try to be accepted by wild animals, be intimate with them, and try to sense what may be in their mind.

I now employ black and white photography. Perhaps it emphasizes a wild animal’s mind more emphatically than color photography and also serves to create an atmospheric context. Perhaps, I am also expressing myself better. I don’t really know why but it works for me.

Books and Reviews

This is the visual story of life in Maasai Mara, Kenya, wild home of African big game and one of the world's most famous wildlife reserves. Anup Shah's distinctive style of photography propels the reader into the middle of this evocative land and its resident animals, immediately and intimately.

Artist Statement

ARTIST STATEMENT

 

I have worked as a wildlife photographer for more years than I care to remember. Over time, I have continually assessed what I was doing and evolved to take a more reflective approach to my photography.

In photographing wild animals, I think I have one advantage over other fields of photography in that I believe there is an authenticity to their personalities. To me, the mental state of a wild animal is neither covered by a mask that a human subject is tempted to wear nor adulterated by human influence that a captive animal acquires.

To lend voice to the mental state of a wild animal, I have established an approach that is very personal. I try to be accepted by wild animals, be intimate with them, and try to sense what may be in their mind.

I now employ black and white photography. Perhaps it emphasizes a wild animal’s mind more emphatically than color photography and also serves to create an atmospheric context. Perhaps, I am also expressing myself better. I don’t really know why but it works for me.