Hello, Matthew Huntley & Dani Atanasova, thank you for joining us. For our readers could you please tell us a little bit about yourselves?
My name is Matthew and I am from Belfast, Northern Ireland, my fiancée Dani is from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Together we are MY Wild Conservation and as the name suggests we are passionate wildlife conservationists. We have been traveling to Africa since our very spontaneous and life-changing trip to Tanzania in January 2018. We still remember vividly the excitement as we boarded the bush plane to fly into the wilds of Africa, little did we know that it would change our lives.
When did you realize you wanted to become a photographer/filmmaker, and how did you go about pursuing that goal?
Touching down on a dirt airstrip in a Cesna caravan in the middle of the savanna with giraffe dotted around the runway for our first taste of African wilderness is a moment that will live with us forever. We did not expect that something inside us would fundamentally change through witnessing the magic of wild Africa. Not only did it change our outlook on life in general, but it inspired us to care deeply about nature and the magical creatures that we share our planet with. It was during that first ever safari in Tanzania in 2018 that our passion for photographing and filming Africa’s wildlife really began. However, at that point not only did we have very little knowledge about how to photograph and film wildlife, but we also didn’t have the equipment.
Armed with only an iPhone 6 and 7 we captured what we could of that magical first safari. It was breath-taking. Having the opportunity to capture those moments and to look back at them was such a privilege, even if they were with an iPhone camera. From that trip onwards we were hooked. Since then, we have spent thousands of hours observing wildlife in different parts of Southern and East Africa. On each trip we have spent that same amount of time with our cameras to practice our skills. Thankfully now we have some amazing camera equipment that we are fortunate to have. The bush has been our education, we didn’t study photography or filming, we went out there into the wilds of Africa with our cameras, our favourite thing to do in the world and we lived it. We made mistakes of course but we also learned countless lessons and skills by being out in the field.
What motivated you to enter the field of wildlife conservation?
It’s hard to pinpoint one motivation, I think for us we have been so deeply inspired by the wildlife itself that it is impossible not to be motivated to protect it. We are remarkably privileged to share this planet with a vast array of incredible creatures and as photographers and filmmakers’ wildlife conservation is at the heart of everything we do. Without wildlife not only do we lose a vital part of who we are as humans but we lose everything that makes this planet so special. The human-wildlife conflict is a very real threat to all wildlife on earth and we must do all that we can as a community to help wildlife conservation efforts.
What do you feel or comprehend after spending a great deal of time in the wilderness?
Everyone who has experienced a safari in Africa can attest to gaining a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and our very fabric as human beings that life in the bush arouses inside you. For us it is the feeling of true freedom, the freedom from life’s stresses and fully immersing yourself in the wild experience. It has also given us the freedom to create through film and photography, a passion which we share deeply.
Perhaps most importantly it has given us a deeper understanding of the flow of nature. Having the opportunity to learn something new every day as the magic of nature unfolds spectacularly in front of your eyes is truly a privilege. You will be stunned to the core at its wonder. In truth, it is hard to really put into words the feeling of being out there in the wilderness surrounded by wildlife. Perhaps I could best describe it as food for the soul.
Your thoughts on the impact of wildlife photographs and films on conservation?
The impact of both wildlife photography and perhaps even more so wildlife films on conservation is profound. Of course, no image or film can ever evoke the true feeling of the soles of your feet nestling amongst the African soil or the shivers through your body that occur when you hear an elephant matriarch’s deep rumble, which is why you must travel to the wild. You must experience it all for yourself. However, photography and film can transport you there, they can inspire you and shock you. That is where the art of wildlife photography and wildlife filmmaking serves its greatest purpose. We grew up watching Sir David Attenborough’s incredible BBC documentaries, he inspired us to travel to Africa in the first place. Photography and filmmaking are vital tools in the fight against the human-wildlife conflict and we must continue to inspire others to care for wildlife with our art.
Please describe your experiences as FGSA (Field Guides Association of South Africa)-certified safari guides.
Our passion for conservation and wildlife are deeply woven into our souls through our experiences led us to become professionally qualified safari guides in South Africa. In 2020 we spent six incredible months living in the bush in the Greater Kruger area gaining in-depth knowledge about animal behavior, understanding how the ecosystem functions as a whole, and in addition learning how to be FGASA-qualified safari guides. We are truly thankful to have not only gained this invaluable knowledge but also to have been lucky enough to experience wildlife in such an intimate way during such a difficult time for so many.
The animal encounters we had during this time and the knowledge that we gained was truly incredible. This allowed us to take our photography and filming to the next level as we had a greater understanding of animal behaviour due to this experience. We would recommend anyone who loves nature and wants to learn more by living in the wild to take this course. It will change your life, give you so much confidence and you will meet amazing people!
Could you perhaps elaborate on your “My Wild Conservation” project?
Our passion has developed further than we could ever imagine, not only into a deep passion for wildlife conservation but also for wildlife photography and filmmaking. That is why we created MY Wild Conservation. Unfortunately, the human wildlife conflict is an ever-present threat to all wildlife. It is for this reason that we create independent content with the aim of educating and spreading awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation.
It is our goal to inspire people to become directly involved in wildlife conservation efforts on the ground in Africa. Through our photography and films we share the stories of the wild animals that we have been privileged to spend countless hours with. We want to inspire everyone to take an interest in protecting not only the wildlife itself but the vital conservation areas that are their homes. In the future we would like to work directly with conservation organisations to share the work that they do on the ground. We also plan to develop grassroots projects that get children from indigenous communities involved and inspired to protect their local wildlife. There are so many people that can benefit from healthy wild spaces and wildlife tourism and we want to encourage eco-travel.
Please share your most memorable photograph and video in your journey so far and the story behind it.
This is really a hard one as there are so many memorable moments.
Matt: Witnessing a protective mother carrying her cub to safety is a rare moment that makes the countless hours spent searching and waiting worth every single second. On this particular afternoon, myself and my guide George were searching for the Fig Tree pride as we knew that they had young cubs but we were yet to see them for ourselves. We scoured their territory for three hours with absolutely no sign of the lionesses.
It was not to be our day, that was until a rainbow began to appear on the horizon. When a rainbow appears you cannot miss the opportunity to capture something special. We spotted a herd of eland grazing in the open plains and decided that would be the subject for shooting with the rainbow. As we headed in the direction of the eland I looked out of the vehicle to my right side and couldn’t believe my eyes, there they were. The entire pride was relaxing in a patch of grass close to the dirt road. The feeling of elation was overwhelming.
My attention quickly switched to shooting the pride with the rainbow in the background, my attempts were futile as the lions were lying down and the long grass blocked a clear shot of the cubs. After about 15 minutes the lionesses decided that it was getting too hot, and they would move off towards some shade offered by a thicket close by. One of the lionesses realised that one of the cubs was missing and she quickly returned to reassure the cub that it was safe to follow.
Out of nowhere the lioness picked up the cub and began to walk with it in her mouth. The adrenaline began to pump through my veins and my heart was beating out of my chest, I couldn’t believe I was witnessing this moment and all of it with a rainbow glowing in the background. This was a magical moment; a moment I doubt I will experience again but one that will remain with me forever.
Dani: It is impossible to pick one particular moment, so I think I would have to choose the short film that we made about the Maasai Mara’s Topi Pride. It was truly incredible to spend countless hours with these lions, affording us a wonderful opportunity to learn and understand lion behavior. At the time this pride had 14 lionesses and 10 cubs of different generations.
When there is a pride that big in the area it is inevitable that you will spend a lot of time with them. We watched every aspect of their days from sunrise to sunset. It was special to watch the cubs play amongst each other and learn the way of their world from their mothers. It was also incredible to see the mothers trying to provide for their family, often they would go days without a successful hunt and you would feel the anxiety growing in the pride.
Thankfully we did see the pride successfully hunt a buffalo which was a great relief for the entire family. We were privileged to see the pride again on our most recent trip to the Mara and it was amazing to see how much the cubs have grown. The Topi Pride is one of the strongest lion prides in the Mara and to see them go from strength to strength is remarkable. The beauty about returning to the same wild place year after year is that you get to learn their territories, and you recognize the individuals from their characteristics and their personalities.
In your opinion, what are the best techniques for photographing wildlife in its natural habitat?
The best techniques that will help to improve your wildlife photography are learning to be patient and learning to understand animal behavior. One of the beautiful parts of wildlife photography is that you are not in control of your subject, you are merely an observer in their home. As photographers we have to be patient with wildlife, there will be times you are waiting for hours on end for that split second moment, and it can be really difficult. However, if you can learn to be patient you will be rewarded with incredible moments and incredible images.
Another important technique is learning to understand not only species-specific behavior but also learning about the habitat that you are shooting/filming in. That can only be done by spending an extended amount of time in wild spaces and watching. Wildlife can teach us many things, by learning to understand animal behavior and understanding the habitat you can take your photography to the next level. As a final note we would say that you should always give wildlife space and respect, treating wildlife ethically is at the heart of everything we do as photographers/filmmakers.
As a wildlife photographer and filmmaker, what do you enjoy most about your profession?
The thing we love the most is the feeling of doing something you love every single day. It is truly a privilege. There is something about waking up in the wild listening to a pod of hippos honking in the river or hearing the deep roar of a male lion as he finishes his nightly patrol that evokes a deep primal connection to where we as humans come from.
There is an inevitable sense of adventure when jumping into a safari vehicle with a freshly brewed coffee and your camera in hand. As the sun begins to turn darkness into a breath-taking color palette of purple, orange and yellow light, the excitement builds for the expectation of the unknown that nature provides. Nature teaches you to appreciate the spontaneous and organic way that life evolves and it is exactly this that led us to Africa where we found not only a family but also a home.
What is the most important dream that you have yet to achieve? Your “I Wish” moment?
I think the most important dream that we are yet to achieve is to call ourselves professionals in our field. We aren’t there yet but we have the passion and the drive to achieve that one day. In the future we dream of having a conservation based private safari company that will enable us to share our love and passion for wildlife conservation and Africa, and in addition be a medium for teaching others about photography and filming. The dream would be that we work directly with conservation organisations on the ground alongside having educational programmes for the local communities and that the guests would interact with all of this as a part of their safari.
What are the major obstacles you face as a wildlife photographer or filmmaker?
I think the major obstacle for us comes from the fact that we live in Denmark where there is very little local wildlife for us to practice our skills. That means we must travel far and invest a lot to photograph the wildlife that we are so passionate about.
Have you seen wildlife photography making a difference in a community?
I think it is evident when you are on the ground that wildlife photography is a vital tool in helping communities in wildlife areas. Not only does it offer jobs for locals as photographic safari guides, but we have also seen local Maasai for example become photographers themselves. The impact of sharing wildlife photography with the world has a huge impact on tourism as it encourages people to visit the places where the images were captured. This in turn benefits local communities and has a lasting positive impact. In terms of our own wildlife photography, when we begin to sell our prints, we will be donating a percentage directly to a school project that we are involved with in Kenya.
Can you tell us about the gears you primarily use and why you choose them?
Matt – I am currently using Nikon cameras, specifically the z7ii with Sigma glass. I have always used Nikon gear and the main reason is that I love the ergonomics of their design. Everything is just in the right place and exactly where I need it to be to capture those once in a lifetime moments.
I personally think the build quality of Nikon cameras is greater than the competitors as well which is really important when you are out in the field with the elements. I have been able to capture some amazing things with the Sigma lenses as well and I use them specifically because they are more affordable than the native lenses. However, I do hope in the near future to update my glass to Nikon.
Dani – I am currently using Sony cameras and lenses for my filming, specifically the Sony FX3 alongside a Sony 200-600 for those nice close-up shots. The main reason being that their quality in terms of video is stunning and the colors are really natural which is really important to me. The autofocus system of Sony cameras is also excellent which is of course vital when filming wildlife.
To aspiring wildlife photographers, what words of wisdom would you offer?
Learning the fundamentals of photography and how your camera actually works are incredibly important. However, I think the most important thing you can do is to get out in the wild, or wherever you can where there is nature, and just use your camera. Make mistakes, learn, and of course have fun doing it.
Enjoying time in nature is one of the best things about being a wildlife photographer so you must embrace being out there. Learn everything you can about the wildlife you want to photograph, and you will be a better photographer. Some final words of wisdom would be to always respect and behave ethically towards wildlife, we are privileged to be able to observe them in their natural habitat and we must give them the respect that they deserve, it is their planet as much as it is ours.
