I just finished a short birdwatching tour in Austria, and when we finished, we had a day in Vienna. Some Cofee Central, a sundowner in the bar of Hotel Bristol, a cake at Zacher, a dinner in the Drei Hussaren, and I never missing to show the Natural History Museum' exhibition, which is among the best of the entire World.

During a stroll I noticed a new book of Nick Brandt, my very-very favourite nature photographer, and I was - again - just blown away! I was speechless. There is nothing new to say about photography, and not too much was born since Cartier-Bresson or the autochromes, but Nick made something exceptional, just like another englishman, Martin Colbeck did. According to a critics "...The composition of Nick Brandt’s nature photographs couldn’t be more perfect if he posed the animals himself. His images have an almost magical quality, as seen in his incredible ‘Lion Before Storm’. ...Brandt’s photographic eye elevates the photography of wildlife from journalism into fine art...". And this is what I am missing most in this digital age. I enjoy action wildlife photography... for seconds. But thats all about technics, money and competition. I am also working on digital only, but its doesn't mean I like it. Commercionalism kills everything... Somebody said and I am agree with: "...Digital is like shaved legs on a man - very smooth and clean but there is something acutely disconcerting about it..." Nick brought back something almost lost, not only the ethernality of the vanishing Eastern African landscape, but the quintessence of true photography, made on film, large format, and B&W.

Here is a great interview with Nick (PDF, 0.7 MB)...
... don't miss his website!...
...and some example of his artwork bellow.

(27, October, 2009)

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