Pro
in
focus
I’ll never forget one
moment where I felt
I had a connection with
a lion. It was a very
emotional moment
with nature. His previous work, The Real
Owners of the Planet, highlighted the fact that
animals have been on Earth much longer than
people. “Rhinos have lived here for 50 million
years, and modern man just 200,000 years,
so we’re newcomers on this planet,” he
explains. “I wanted to talk about the need
for respect in view of our place in the world.
“With the second book, I see a connection
between everything going on in the world
right now, not just climate change but
coronavirus, mass consumption, etc.
They’re all based in a lost relationship to
nature. There is a lot of negativity in the
world right now. That’s why I want to show the
beauty of the world. Trying to inspire people
to act is the purpose with everything I do.”
Björn donated 40 per cent of profits
from his first book to Moholoholo Wildlife
Rehabilitation Centre, in Hoedspruit, South
Africa, helping renovate an old veterinary
clinic. It’s the same area he did his wildlife
ranger training course nearly two decades
ago, in nearby Timbavati Game Reserve,
learning, among other things, about anti-
poaching measures. He was also one of the
photographers supporting 2020’s Prints For
Wildlife print sale, which raised more than
$660,000 for African Parks. He estimates
that images he’s sold or donated have helpedraise 300,000 euros for other organisations,
including Perfect World Foundation, Wildhood
Foundation and Save Wild Tigers UK.
Recently, he took on the role of chairman
with Smart Savannahs, a collaboration with
Linköping University using state-of-the-art
surveillance technology to protect rhinos in
west Tsavo, Kenya. “It’s really exciting. We’re
using the most ground-breaking technology:
GPS monitors inside rhino horns; intelligent
camera supervision that can detect people
moving in the park at night; smart apps that
the rangers are using to do daily reports and
take photos of their encounters. Rhinos have
tripled in that area since work started in 2014.
The big goal is to take the same techniques
to other parks. We’ve already started around
Mount Kenya with bongo antelopes.”Close connection
Björn has been taking photos since he was
seven, but only went professional around five
years ago. “I worked in marketing for quite
a few years,” he says. “That’s been a very
useful skill for communicating my work.
A lot of photographers have amazing
photos, but aren’t sure how to spread
the word and talk about themselves.”
The motivation for his work, in both
photography and conservation, has a
personal element. “About 15 years ago, I had
a personal crisis in my life. I went to South
Africa to get away from it all. I’ll never forget
one moment where I felt I had a connection
with a lion. It was a very emotional moment.
My whole life turned around after that
meeting. So I have a very close relationship
to lions. Seeing and photographing them
really fulfils my heart.”
Like many photographers who need to
travel, the last year or so has been difficult.
Björn managed to get out to AfricaBjörn’s tips
How to find
original
perspectives
Björn has taken time to create his
own style, so we asked him for his
advice for creative photographers...1 Photograph
ɯǝƏɎژɵȒɖǼȒɮƺ
Forget about trends. Stick to what you
really love, and your passion will shine
through in the image.2 (ƏȸƺɎȒɿȒȒȅȒɖɎ
Closer is not always better. Dare
to zoom out and look for interesting
surroundings and compositions.3 nȒȒǸƏȸȒɖȇƳɵȒɖ
Even if everyone is pointing their
cameras in one direction, turn around
and you might discover something
even more interesting.4 Forget the camera
Be in the moment, and look
and grasp what’s around you. Many
photographers miss what’s right in
front of them while they are busy
adjusting their settings.5 (ȒȇټɎǼȒȒǸƏɎȒɎǝƺȸ
photographers
If you’re only looking at what other
photographers do, you’re just going
imitate them. Get inspired by art,
design and the unexpected. That’s
how you become original.6 ȸƺƏǸɎǝƺȸɖǼƺɀ^
Forget what you’ve been taught.
Do the complete opposite and you
might come out with something
really fresh and creative.7 Listen to
ɵȒɖȸژǝƺƏȸɎ
Lions might have been photographed
a billion times, but never in the way
that you portray them.8 JƺɎƬȸƺƏɎǣɮƺ
Develop your own style and look
in post-production. Dare to go wild.Right: Björn in Africa
Opposite top: ‘The
Primordial’, 2019
Opposite bottom:
‘Lord of the Land’, 201812 DIGITAL CAMERA^ MARCH 2021 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com