Wild World

WILD WORLD NATURE THROUGH AN AUTISTIC EYE

Alfie Bowen. Foreword by Chris Packham

Contents

Foreword by Chris Packham Foreword by Dr Duncan Rollo Preface by Alfie Bowen

AFRICA Cheetah Chimpanzee Colobus Elephant Flamingo Giraffe Lemur Lion Rhino Zebra

AMERICAS Eagle Geoffroy’s cat Monkey

ASIA Koi Leopard Red Panda Snow Leopard Tiger

EUROPE Birds Deer

LANDSCAPES 2

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Contents

Foreword by Chris Packham Foreword by Dr Duncan Rollo Preface by Alfie Bowen

AFRICA Cheetah Chimpanzee Colobus Elephant Flamingo Giraffe Lemur Lion Rhino Zebra

AMERICAS Eagle Geoffroy’s cat Monkey

ASIA Koi Leopard Red Panda Snow Leopard Tiger

EUROPE Birds Deer

LANDSCAPES 2

3

Introduction

It was back in 2013 that this incredible journey began . . . well, the photography part anyway, because the obsession with wildlife began the day I was born.

Wildlife has always been a passion of mine, and almost all of my childhood was spent either playing with pretend animals or feeding the nearby ducks. I always remember being told that I was a difficult child to entertain, because if it wasn’t animal-related then, quite simply, I couldn’t care less!

Many happy hours were spent outside in all weathers exploring the garden, playing in the mud and watching the many creatures that called it home. These experiences fuelled a great respect for the world.

Perhaps my favourite childhood pastime was visiting my local wildlife park, where I could experience the sights and smells of wildlife from around the world. I spent hours reading about these species but seeing them in person was invigorating. I hold many memories from these childhood explorations; but perhaps the one that remains most fresh in my mind is witnessing my first giraffe birth. I watched this calf enter the world, watched her grow from a six-foot calf to a sixteen-foot adult, and then had my heart broken when she passed away in 2016. The experience taught me so much, and I will hold its teachings dear for the rest of my life. We must protect these most beautiful creatures.

I am still as obsessed with the natural world and its wildlife as I was at four years old, and I now know that I have autism to thank for that, because autism brings with it obsessions. I was diagnosed with autism at an early age, after my mum had fought for years to get an accurate diagnosis so that I would get the best support throughout my life.

I owe so much to Centre Academy East Anglia and the passion invested by every single staff member.

Without them I am not sure where my life would have taken me. They further fuelled my love of photography, and I haven’t looked back since.

I am now a globally-renowned fine art photographer, signed with many leading galleries around the world – something I still struggle to believe!

Ansel Adams, the American landscape photographer and environmentalist, said, ‘You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.’ This couldn’t be more accurate. Photography provides me with an output for my emotional energy, and I often travel back to the tougher times in my life to provide emotional energy for my imagery.

I work largely in wildlife conservancies, investing hours into every image. The world has seen many images of animals; the challenge is to garner unique imagery, and this is never going to be easy. It can be lonely, cold and frustrating, and I often fail; but that’s all part of the game and, as I’ve learnt throughout life, nothing worth having comes easily.

We photograph best what we know best, and thus this book is largely made up of wildlife. But it does contain a handful of landscape and portrait images that match my extremely high standards of what truly transcends.

Many people have suggested that it is brave and slightly bonkers to release such a revealing essay in what can be a very judgemental, and often cruel, world; but change does not happen by sitting back, it happens when we stand up and educate. This book is simply to tell stories and share artwork. It is up to the reader to form their own opinions on the matters mentioned within.

5

Introduction

It was back in 2013 that this incredible journey began . . . well, the photography part anyway, because the obsession with wildlife began the day I was born.

Wildlife has always been a passion of mine, and almost all of my childhood was spent either playing with pretend animals or feeding the nearby ducks. I always remember being told that I was a difficult child to entertain, because if it wasn’t animal-related then, quite simply, I couldn’t care less!

Many happy hours were spent outside in all weathers exploring the garden, playing in the mud and watching the many creatures that called it home. These experiences fuelled a great respect for the world.

Perhaps my favourite childhood pastime was visiting my local wildlife park, where I could experience the sights and smells of wildlife from around the world. I spent hours reading about these species but seeing them in person was invigorating. I hold many memories from these childhood explorations; but perhaps the one that remains most fresh in my mind is witnessing my first giraffe birth. I watched this calf enter the world, watched her grow from a six-foot calf to a sixteen-foot adult, and then had my heart broken when she passed away in 2016. The experience taught me so much, and I will hold its teachings dear for the rest of my life. We must protect these most beautiful creatures.

I am still as obsessed with the natural world and its wildlife as I was at four years old, and I now know that I have autism to thank for that, because autism brings with it obsessions. I was diagnosed with autism at an early age, after my mum had fought for years to get an accurate diagnosis so that I would get the best support throughout my life.

I owe so much to Centre Academy East Anglia and the passion invested by every single staff member.

Without them I am not sure where my life would have taken me. They further fuelled my love of photography, and I haven’t looked back since.

I am now a globally-renowned fine art photographer, signed with many leading galleries around the world – something I still struggle to believe!

Ansel Adams, the American landscape photographer and environmentalist, said, ‘You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.’ This couldn’t be more accurate. Photography provides me with an output for my emotional energy, and I often travel back to the tougher times in my life to provide emotional energy for my imagery.

I work largely in wildlife conservancies, investing hours into every image. The world has seen many images of animals; the challenge is to garner unique imagery, and this is never going to be easy. It can be lonely, cold and frustrating, and I often fail; but that’s all part of the game and, as I’ve learnt throughout life, nothing worth having comes easily.

We photograph best what we know best, and thus this book is largely made up of wildlife. But it does contain a handful of landscape and portrait images that match my extremely high standards of what truly transcends.

Many people have suggested that it is brave and slightly bonkers to release such a revealing essay in what can be a very judgemental, and often cruel, world; but change does not happen by sitting back, it happens when we stand up and educate. This book is simply to tell stories and share artwork. It is up to the reader to form their own opinions on the matters mentioned within.

5

Africa If there was a vote on the world’s favourite animals, excluding exceedingly popular pets, I suspect that at least three of the top five would originate from Africa. We have all grown up to love and admire the strength of the lion, the iconic stripes of the zebra or the unusual characteristics of the giraffe. Only the world’s most isolated communities would be unable to instantly recognise these species and that makes my job rather difficult; everyone has seen these species thousands of times before, so if my images are to have the desired effect they must reveal something different.

This collection of imagery is the culmination of over four years’ work, and I have pondered over how to photograph these species differently for much of that period. My work has evolved dramatically over the last four years due increased emotional intelligence, a restless brain and a meticulous approach to observation afforded by my diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

My mind is always formulating potential compositions for future images with a telescopic-like clarity, it can be both exhausting and exhilarating.

Autism is renowned for bringing with it obsessions and it is evident that my obsession is photographing the world’s wildlife; I couldn’t do what I do without Autism.

I came up with the composition for ‘Prince of Darkness’ at 2am after a restless night and quickly set about sketching it out; my mind flutters between ideas and so it is quite likely that I would forget the idea otherwise. Next, I research the animal in great detail, this knowledge can prove invaluable when shooting on location. I know the common behavioural patterns of most well-known animals and this has allowed me to capture some of my most renowned images.

After I’ve gathered a wealth of knowledge on the species, I head out to create the image. The process often takes a considerable investment of time, patience and emotional energy; the animal has no reason to enact what I have mentally envisaged and to get the desired images takes time.

I am always working to a brief and the aim is always to turn the storybook-like vignette in my head into a physical image. I do not simply take images, I spend hours making them.

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Africa If there was a vote on the world’s favourite animals, excluding exceedingly popular pets, I suspect that at least three of the top five would originate from Africa. We have all grown up to love and admire the strength of the lion, the iconic stripes of the zebra or the unusual characteristics of the giraffe. Only the world’s most isolated communities would be unable to instantly recognise these species and that makes my job rather difficult; everyone has seen these species thousands of times before, so if my images are to have the desired effect they must reveal something different.

This collection of imagery is the culmination of over four years’ work, and I have pondered over how to photograph these species differently for much of that period. My work has evolved dramatically over the last four years due increased emotional intelligence, a restless brain and a meticulous approach to observation afforded by my diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

My mind is always formulating potential compositions for future images with a telescopic-like clarity, it can be both exhausting and exhilarating.

Autism is renowned for bringing with it obsessions and it is evident that my obsession is photographing the world’s wildlife; I couldn’t do what I do without Autism.

I came up with the composition for ‘Prince of Darkness’ at 2am after a restless night and quickly set about sketching it out; my mind flutters between ideas and so it is quite likely that I would forget the idea otherwise. Next, I research the animal in great detail, this knowledge can prove invaluable when shooting on location. I know the common behavioural patterns of most well-known animals and this has allowed me to capture some of my most renowned images.

After I’ve gathered a wealth of knowledge on the species, I head out to create the image. The process often takes a considerable investment of time, patience and emotional energy; the animal has no reason to enact what I have mentally envisaged and to get the desired images takes time.

I am always working to a brief and the aim is always to turn the storybook-like vignette in my head into a physical image. I do not simply take images, I spend hours making them.

6

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Chimpanzees

I love chimpanzees. I love the way they attack life with gusto, dig their fingers in and never let it get the better of them. I love their tender souls and wild tempers. I love gazing into their eyes and seeing an intelligent, self-assured personality staring back at me.

Indeed, the big question when it comes to chimpanzees is how to offer a glimpse of that wonderful personality in a single photograph. You cannot simply walk up to a chimpanzee and photograph him, do that and you are more likely to witness their wild temper rather than their tender soul.

These are intelligent primates and thus they do not automatically grant you their trust, it must be earned, and this doesn’t happen easily. The central premise of my photographic approach is always emotional intimacy, it is simply an essential prerequisite in any strong photograph and requires me to gain the chimpanzees’ trust before even considering picking up a camera.

I’ve learnt a lot of lessons throughout my life and my career, and one of those lessons was never to rush the process of gaining an animal’s trust. Rush and you will likely leave empty-handed.

I have been patient over the last five years, and have spent countless hours with chimpanzees, resulting in a handful of images. The idea that you can return with 200 photographs and release them all is viable if you are looking to show the animal’s physical beauty, but I am looking to show their soul, and glimpses of that are rare, hence it took five years to capture this moving collection.

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Chimpanzees

I love chimpanzees. I love the way they attack life with gusto, dig their fingers in and never let it get the better of them. I love their tender souls and wild tempers. I love gazing into their eyes and seeing an intelligent, self-assured personality staring back at me.

Indeed, the big question when it comes to chimpanzees is how to offer a glimpse of that wonderful personality in a single photograph. You cannot simply walk up to a chimpanzee and photograph him, do that and you are more likely to witness their wild temper rather than their tender soul.

These are intelligent primates and thus they do not automatically grant you their trust, it must be earned, and this doesn’t happen easily. The central premise of my photographic approach is always emotional intimacy, it is simply an essential prerequisite in any strong photograph and requires me to gain the chimpanzees’ trust before even considering picking up a camera.

I’ve learnt a lot of lessons throughout my life and my career, and one of those lessons was never to rush the process of gaining an animal’s trust. Rush and you will likely leave empty-handed.

I have been patient over the last five years, and have spent countless hours with chimpanzees, resulting in a handful of images. The idea that you can return with 200 photographs and release them all is viable if you are looking to show the animal’s physical beauty, but I am looking to show their soul, and glimpses of that are rare, hence it took five years to capture this moving collection.

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Asia Asia is not only the most humanly-populated and biggest continent on Planet Earth, it is also lucky to be home to some beautiful wildlife – the tiger, red panda and snow leopard to highlight a few personal favourites.

In India, the Bengal tiger roams across the country in over fifty conservancies. These conservancies have played a considerable role in solving the problem of tiger-human conflict by providing a safe home for the tigers away from the dangers of poaching and habitat destruction.

I think the tiger is a symbol of the important role that wildlife conservancies play in conservation efforts. There are fewer than 300 Siberian tigers left in the wilds of China and were it not for captive breeding efforts, this tiger sub-species would now be extinct.

I think those that are very vocal about whether an animal is ‘wild or not’ are missing the point – we should be thankful to have these most gracious of animals living alongside us, and very thankful to those conservancies that champion these species and do their all to maintain the genetic pool.

The conservancies also provide an effective method for the country to raise the funds required to finance extensive tiger protection, rehabilitation and breeding programmes. As the global human population continues to grow, we must find new and effective methods in order to live in harmony with the world’s wildlife, otherwise we face the stark reality of losing them forever.

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Asia Asia is not only the most humanly-populated and biggest continent on Planet Earth, it is also lucky to be home to some beautiful wildlife – the tiger, red panda and snow leopard to highlight a few personal favourites.

In India, the Bengal tiger roams across the country in over fifty conservancies. These conservancies have played a considerable role in solving the problem of tiger-human conflict by providing a safe home for the tigers away from the dangers of poaching and habitat destruction.

I think the tiger is a symbol of the important role that wildlife conservancies play in conservation efforts. There are fewer than 300 Siberian tigers left in the wilds of China and were it not for captive breeding efforts, this tiger sub-species would now be extinct.

I think those that are very vocal about whether an animal is ‘wild or not’ are missing the point – we should be thankful to have these most gracious of animals living alongside us, and very thankful to those conservancies that champion these species and do their all to maintain the genetic pool.

The conservancies also provide an effective method for the country to raise the funds required to finance extensive tiger protection, rehabilitation and breeding programmes. As the global human population continues to grow, we must find new and effective methods in order to live in harmony with the world’s wildlife, otherwise we face the stark reality of losing them forever.

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Tiger

Of course, the tiger is a fabled and magical beast introduced to many of us

by Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. I am sure he would be devastated if he knew that so few of these beasts are in existence now.

The challenge I face when photographing these animals is one of romanticism versus reality. Both of these mindsets have differing messages, and it is important to create an image that smoothly blends both romanticism and reality into a visually intoxicating image.

I think the image ‘Savage Beauty’ plays with people’s romantic visions of the tiger, the image certainly reminds me of Rudyard’s ‘Shere Khan’, but it also touches the viewer in a very direct way, which, I hope, encourages them to do their bit to save the tiger.

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Tiger

Of course, the tiger is a fabled and magical beast introduced to many of us

by Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. I am sure he would be devastated if he knew that so few of these beasts are in existence now.

The challenge I face when photographing these animals is one of romanticism versus reality. Both of these mindsets have differing messages, and it is important to create an image that smoothly blends both romanticism and reality into a visually intoxicating image.

I think the image ‘Savage Beauty’ plays with people’s romantic visions of the tiger, the image certainly reminds me of Rudyard’s ‘Shere Khan’, but it also touches the viewer in a very direct way, which, I hope, encourages them to do their bit to save the tiger.

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