I understand the difficulty of capturing wildlife and believe it deserves appreciation. However, is photographing animals in zoos considered a lesser act? The trigger for me to start photographing was not initially animal photography, but rather landscape photography. I didn’t have much interest in animal photography at all. I live in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, where there is Maruyama Zoo. In the 2010s, the facilities of Maruyama Zoo were renewed, allowing visitors to see and observe animals in environments closer to their natural habitats. Upon hearing this news, I casually visited the zoo. More info: Instagram One of the shots from that time is “Hello!”. This piece was selected for the Daily Dozen on the Your Shot photo submission site by National Geographic during that time. It was the moment when I was convinced that the world-renowned National Geographic recognized a photograph of polar bears taken at a zoo. Initially, I was shooting without much prior knowledge, just vaguely. However, I found it challenging to achieve the desired results in that manner. So, I started to study the behavior of animals in advance and made efforts to understand their personalities and behavioral patterns through careful observation. Each animal has its own personality, after all. I believe that observation is as important as photography itself. If they were in the wild, meeting animals itself would be difficult, let alone being able to observe them as desired. When photographing at the zoo, my challenge is to always be considerate of other visitors and avoid causing inconvenience. The zoo is not a space solely allocated to me, nor is it a priority for photographers. I am mindful not to ignore other visitors and occupy space for photography, causing disturbance. The main focus should be on the animals for the visitors at the zoo, not on photographers. I strive to photograph the animals without causing them stress as much as possible. The animals at the zoo are not domesticated as pets. To capture appealing images, I must find favorable conditions by being flexible and adapting to the situation. Sometimes, it’s important to switch to photographing other animals if necessary. This can lead to new encounters and discoveries. However, I believe that the value of a photograph as an artwork is not determined by whether it was taken in the wild or at the zoo. Just as there are photos that can only be captured in the wild, there are also photos that can only be captured at the zoo. With a little creativity, we can elevate a simple “animal snapshot” into an “animal portrait” artwork. Life is short, and there’s no time to stand still. I want to continue sharing my work while enjoying the process. I’m grateful for the opportunity provided to me on this occasion. Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
