Despite only becoming an Alamy contributor earlier this year, wildlife photographer Phil Judd has already uploaded an extensive portfolio of stunning wildlife images, and we are delighted to be able to host his collection.
At the age of 15 Phil was given his first professional camera which he learnt to use by himself, setting up a dark room using the equipment that he had pursuaded his headmaster to buy. At 21, after living in 11 countries, he was enthralled by the African landscape and the outstanding wildlife it has to offer.
He pursued a career in the military, flying helicopters before retiring and begining a second career in African wildlife photography.
We could have spoken to Phil for days about his time spent out in the African bush, so read on to find out about his close encounters with white lions and scorpions, and why he loves to photograph African wildlife.
LG: Have you always taken imagery of beautiful wildlife and nature? Where did it all start?
PJ: I was brought up in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). My father was in the Foreign Office and by the time I was 21 I had lived in 11 countries.
Africa made an impression on me like no other country, as our house in Zimbabwe was surrounded by the bush and an abundance of wildlife. I love being able to capture animals and insects in their own environment, and display nature’s variety and beauty.
LG: What is it about Africa in particular that draws you back to shoot there over other countries?
PJ: There’s a smell in the air after the rains in Africa called petrichor. It’s difficult to describe unless you’ve experienced it, but it’s very evocative and never leaves you.
No country has ever affected me the way Africa has. I now travel to Africa regularly for anything up to two months, and each time I get into the bush, I feel very much at home.
LG: Can you tell us the story behind your most difficult shot?
PJ: The two most difficult shoots to plan and arrange involved a White Lion in the Timbavati that I’d heard about, and photographing scorpions in the dunes of the Kalahari Desert at night under UV light.
I planned the white lion shoot for nearly three months prior to flying out to Africa, and arranged to have a cage made so that I could lie on the ground to get the low-level shots I wanted. Unfortunately, when I arrived, the cage was little better than a chicken wire box, with a trap door at ground level held closed with a bit of rope. It took a lot of patience and positioning before we got in the right spot and set up.
When the white lion finally turned up he charged the cage and managed to bite the free end of the rope on the door, pulling our door man off his feet. We all had to grab the rope and door to stop the lion getting in with us. Our support vehicle then came to our rescue and got between us and the lion!
Although I got a great photograph, with hindsight, I’m really not sure it was worth the risk.
White lion in the Timbavati, South Africa
The scorpions in the Kalahari are only prolific at certain times of the year. I knew I wanted incredibly detailed shots, but in the natural environment and not staged. I bought four UV flashlights. Two for our guide and tracker to use to locate the scorpions, and two with the correct wavelength to illuminate the scorpions for the actual shot.
Very powerful UV lights are hard to come by, and the only ones that met my requirements came from America. These have a range of about 20 metres, as opposed to the usual shop bought ones, which have a range of about 2 metres. The disadvantage of a powerful UV light is that you realise that you’re surrounded by hundreds of scorpions. Sometimes ignorance is bliss! But the sight of the exoskeletons fluorescing bright blue and green, in the blackness of the desert night, is quite surreal.
I wanted to photograph scorpions in their natural environment and not disturb them, which meant I had to lie down in the sand to get the side shots as they actively hunted their prey. Capitalising on the limited depth of field is difficult, when the subject is always moving, and they do move surprisingly quick!
I was really pleased with the final results, but knowing that I was surrounded by scorpions, which could give a very powerful sting, certainly focuses the mind.
Scorpion hunting under UV light in the Kalahari
LG: When you go out to shoot, do you take any essential items other than photography equipment?
PJ: There are three essential things I take with me on photographic shoots in Africa. The first is a Leatherman tool, as these are phenomenally flexible and useful. I also take military grade first field dressings and finally, a venom pump.
I quite often get close to a variety of animals that can sting, bite or claw, so I’m also inoculated against rabies. Rabies vaccination does not protect you against rabies, but it buys you an extra 24 hours to get to proper medical help.
LG: What advice would you give to a fellow photographer who is just starting out?
PJ: To any photographer starting out, I would suggest they buy the most professional equipment they can afford, including a spare camera body, and to actually read all the manuals. Trying to understand how something works in the bush is usually too late.
Also plan ahead what you want to photograph, in what light and at what angle. The world has an abundance of wildlife images, and trying to make yours stand out, and to have your own style of image presentation takes a lot of thought and practice. Sometimes it takes me many years before I finally succeed in capturing the image I want.
Phil on a shoot with a cheetah
We hope you’re feeling inspred by Phil’s amazing stories. Fancy giving wildlife photography a go? Then why not check out our blog on the ethics of wildlife photography, or our piece on capturing the drama of migrations.
If you’d rather continue on an African adventure from the safety of your own home, we recommend you check out Phil’s fabulous collection on Alamy here, and you can visit his website here.
Check back next month for our next Alamy Spotlight Feature!