History of wildlife photography

In the late 19th century, wildlife photography began to gain prominence, coinciding with the expansion of photographic societies and the developing interest in photography as an art form. In the 1850s, technical limitations caused significant challenges, and back then, humans were more interested in hunting animals than in raising awareness about the need to protect endangered species. Shiras shifted his perspective over time from a sportsman to a naturalist. In 1889, at 30, he started to favor the camera over the gun and concentrated on documenting wildlife behaviors without causing harm. His early experiments in wildlife photography were groundbreaking. He customizes techniques like using tripwires connected to cameras to capture images of animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them. He even used flash for the night, which allowed him to document nocturnal behaviors previously unseen. Shiras earned recognition as a pioneer of wildlife photography because of his dedication and innovative methods of capturing wildlife without harming them. In 1906, National Geographic published his nighttime photographs as a series, and this magazine’s first use of wildlife photos became more popular and gained a huge audience's attention. When he was twelve years old, he visited India with an Indian guide through a pristine wilderness to a beautiful lake hidden in the forest.

An Indian guide discovered the lake, and George Shiras III named it white lake because a small river of that same name entered the lake. After some time, the connection was not verified until a few years later. He visited that place after “sixty consecutive years,” accompanied by relatives and friends. The natural beauty of nature-inspired Shiras captured the interesting wildlife inhabitants, and he shot his most famous first deer, and also shot his first daylight and flashlight photographs of wildlife, and became “an observing field naturalist.” The capture of Shiras was breathtaking, dynamic, and unique for the times. The pictures of deer at night are the most famous “Midnight Series,” and it is captured entirely around Deerton, which won the gold medal in the forestry division at the Paris Exposition of 1900. In 1904, the series also received the grand prize at the St. Louis World Fair.

As he gets older, his eyesight starts to dim, and he recalls Roosevelt’s persistence and determination to finally write his “Big Book.” After some time, because of his failing eyesight, he forces himself to stay apart from his camera. At that time, he created his two-volume book about his wilderness photography titled Hunting Wild Game with Camera and Flashlight. He was so passionate about wildlife that, even after his failing health at the age of 78, he worked to make necessary corrections as soon as he could. He was the first to capture wildlife in the daytime and birds from a blind or canoe. The first person operates the camera from a distance by a string running from a blind. He worked very hard till his last time to discover new technologies and work on wildlife, but with so many regrets, he passed away on March 24, 1942, in Marquette, Michigan. The work he did in his lifetime endures and inspires both the art of wildlife photography and ongoing efforts in conservation.

There are other recognized pioneers in wildlife photography, the Kearton brothers, Richard and Cherry. They usually worked to show that, without harming or killing a specific species, bird photography is possible. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, rich people practiced collecting bird specimens. At first, they collected the feathers from dead birds. Soon, this practice became an obsession, and people didn’t even hesitate to kill them. This behavior led to overexploitation and even the extinction of species like the great auk, and the people were called ‘twitchers.’ The Kearton brothers demonstrated that it was possible to document birds and wildlife without causing them harm. With their innovative techniques, they used natural hides and disguises, like hollowed-out oxen and artificial trees, to approach animals. Their legacy continues to inspire ethical practice in wildlife observation and photography today. Anyone who aspires to work as a wildlife or bird photographer must educate themselves before taking pictures. Studying species is particularly crucial since it can help one comprehend the characteristics of particular animals and birds, their behaviors, threats, etc.

In 1909, two wildlife safaris arrived by ship in Mombasa, Kenya. The trigger-happy president and his son, Kermit, killed 20 rhinos, 11 elephants, 17 lions, nine giraffes, 19 zebras, more than 400 hippos, hyenas, and other large animals, and thousands of birds over several months. In contrast to this practice, the first man in the world hunted with his camera and killed just one animal in self-defense. In the same year, the Kearton brothers met Theodore Roosevelt, who was on his African adventure and killed large animals. Even with the huge differences between them, they became good friends, which lasted for a long time. The footage of wildlife was used to develop the world’s first wildlife documentary film by the Karton brothers. Their 19 books and seven films were meant more for the general public rather than the scientists. At the start of 1809, the Kearton brothers arranged a cheap box camera to capture the first-ever picture of birds’ nests with eggs and made the first recordings of birds in the wild. These pioneering photographers set an example of actual conservation, the actual meaning of conservation of nature and wildlife.

The evolution of wildlife photography shows a journey from simple documentation to a sophisticated mixture of art, conservation, encouragement, and technology. The history of wildlife photography is more than the books we read or learn from others. But if we have to understand nature or wildlife, we must learn by observing them. Before taking the approach to capture wildlife or nature, we have to learn about the specific topic, and without rushing, we need to stay calm and patient. It also holds the responsibility of upholding ethical standards and leveraging new tools to both protect and celebrate the natural world.