It is not uncommon that nature and wildlife photographers connect deeply with their subject and engage in conservation through their photos. For Bernd Wasiolka, this connection of conservation and photography is even more profound. Bernd has been a member of the Cheetah Research Project for four and a half years – wildlife research has been the third pillar next to nature and art that connected him to southern Africa and Namibia in particular. He recently published a coffee table book about the place that haunts and fascinates him like no other. Here he shares some memories of the time with the CRP and talks about what being a wildlife photographer with a scientific background means to him.
All photos on this page by Bernd Wasiolka.
Hi Bernd, tell us about your first visits to southern Africa and what these experiences triggered in you.
It was back in 2000 when I came to southern Africa for the first time. I visited friends in Johannesburg and travelled for six weeks in South Africa and Namibia. Besides other places, Kruger National Park or Addo Elephant National Park were high on my to-visit list in SA. But the absolute highlight was the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a place I simply fall in love with. It’s still my favourite spot in southern Africa. In Namibia I spent time in Etosha National Park and Sossusvlei. This orange sea of sand is incredible and one of the few really magical places on earth. All in all, I was blown away by the sheer numbers of wild animals in the National Parks and the wide, open spaces in Namibia. I knew I had to come back to experience more of the fantastic bush life in southern Africa.
In these days you combined a deep passion for light and land and a keen interest in its wildlife. How did your work with the Cheetah Research Project fuel these two sides?
First of all, working for the Cheetah Research Project gave me the chance to work with cheetahs, which are my favourite animals. During this unforgettable experience the best times were always when I was in the field, setting up traps, checking traps, searching for marking trees or whatever task came along. You could see so many interesting things in the bush, you had a lot of unexpected encounters or you could just enjoy the sheer beauty of nature. This fitted perfectly with my desire to be in nature and experience its wildlife.
On the photography side it wasn’t that easy. Working as a researcher and doing photography at the same time don’t mix well. Either you do one or the other properly. Luckily there were times when I could get away from my part-time position for couple of weeks to fuel my appetite for wildlife photography while concentrating on research in the rest of the time.
What exactly was your part in the Cheetah Research Project?
During my time at the Cheetah Research Project I was mainly responsible for the field work in Namibia. These included among other things capturing of cheetahs, planning and running of the aerial radio-tracking of cheetahs and leopards. Furthermore, I was deeply involved in the communication with stakeholders (e.g. livestock farmers).
Would you say there has been a co-evolution of your scientific interest and your passion for photography? How did these two worlds merge?
I wouldn’t call it a co-evolution rather call it an evolution in a circle. Many moons ago everything started with my love for wild animals. I travelled a lot to places such as Australia, southern Asia or central America, spending most of my time in National Parks or remote areas, always a camera on hand to photograph the wild wonders.
To understand more of the natural world and to help to change things I got involved with science. I started my career in animal ecology and nature conservation, which finally culminated in the work for the Cheetah Research Project, which has a strong emphasis on conservation. During this time, working as an animal ecologist in South Africa and Namibia, my passion for wildlife photography grew stronger and stronger. And finally, I decided to combine my passion for travel, wildlife, photography and nature conservation in one. I left science and went back to the beginning albeit with a different approach. Travelling wild places in the search of spectacular images, dreamlike atmospheres and thrilling animal encounters to tell the story of nature’s uniqueness which has to be protected. Somehow the circle closed.
You are now working primarily as a nature and wildlife photographer. In what manner does your wildlife photography benefit from the PhD in Animal Ecology and the CRP experience behind the viewfinder?
I believe being an animal ecologist or wildlife photographer are quite different affairs. What both sides connect is the love of animals. Good knowledge of animal behaviour definitely helps photography. I gathered a wealth of that during my studies, more the theoretical side, and a more practical by my time as an animal ecologist in South Africa and Namibia. Working for about four and a half years for the CRP, I accumulated a profound knowledge about large carnivores in Africa, at least of two of the big cats, the cheetah and the leopard. I fine-tuned this knowledge by many hours observing wildlife in its natural habitat. While photographing wildlife it helps to anticipate behavioural reactions or the next move of an animal.
On the output side, e.g. talks or articles, my scientific background helps to set everything into an ecological context. Furthermore, it lends me the necessary creditability to make a deeper impact within the audience while talking about nature and conservation.
Nature photography as storytelling always has to strike a balance between showing the wonders of the natural world and educating about environmental challenges. This is particularly true for cheetahs – the charismatic rarest big cat in Africa. Do you see your photography as a part of a mission to advocate for conservation?
First of all, it is my passion being in the bush and photographing the wonders of the natural world. And secondly: Yes, it is my aim to make a difference. Luckily, writing articles, publishing coffee-table books or giving multi-visions shows about all these amazing wild places – their beauty as well as their problems and threats – enables me to reach an audience and to make an impact. Most of the time a small one, but an impact nevertheless. By sharing the beauty and uniqueness of nature, I hope to inspire, to motivate people to protect this wild world. I believe in David Attenborough quote “No one will protect what they don't care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced”.
To strengthen the conservation side of my photography I’m currently working, besides other photo projects, on a coffee-table book with a strong emphasis on conservation. Once published I hope the book makes a larger impact. Due to the travel restrictions caused by the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic it is postponed into the near future.
You only recently published your second book, “Wildes Namibia”. Tell us a bit about the idea and concept of the book and what went into making it.
As I already lived for a quite some time in Namibia, it was an obvious choice to stay on and photograph intensively in this stunning country. Of course, a selfish motive was included – spending as much time as possible in the Namibian bush while travelling into every corner to discover all the wild secrets Namibia has on offer.
The idea, the concept behind my coffee-table book “Wildes Namibia” was to capture the atmosphere and soul of Namibia’s wilderness, its wide-open spaces, its unspoiled scenery and its untamed wildlife. I planned to include all the classical sights such as Sossusvlei or the Spitzkoppe. On the other hand, I wanted to show the unfamiliar Namibia, places unknown to the regular visitor, or seldom seen animals such as the aardwolf. This included showing places and animals seen many times before in a different, a creative way like for example in my chapter “Schwarz, Weiss, Farbe” were I only depict high-key and low-key images.
The book “Wildes Namibia” can be purchased here: Wildes Namibia - Books Bernd Wasiolka | Wildlife Photography (wildphotolife.com)
All in all, I spend more than 800 days photographing in Namibia. I travelled about 80,000 kilometres on rocky bush tracks, in sandy riverbeds, on terrible gravel roads and on boring tarmac. I took thousands upon thousands of photographs, always with the idea to capture Namibia’s wild soul. After a very difficult selection process just about 150 pics landed up in “Wildes Namibia”.
Last but not least: In a few words, what makes cheetahs so fascinating to you?
Cheetahs were always my favourite animal, just beautiful and graceful. When you see a cheetah hunt for the first time you will never forget it, the speed, the agility, just amazing.
Thank you!