| A
nature photographers' philosophy by László Novák
"...As you can see from a glance at our CVs, we started
taking nature photographs when photographs were usually a
family portrait hanging on the wall. Of course we did not
think of it like that at that time. In those days it was only
the cockerels, warblers, flowers and chirring crickets in
the field and the mushrooms and trees in the forest that were
important to us.
Important?
Yes, most important perhaps. At that time, they meant life
to us. What remains of them today, though? We could say all’s
well; there are still birds and flowers in the fields and
the sound of chirring of crickets can still be heard in the
air. But every year there seem to be fewer of them, and we
seem to have to walk longer to catch sight of them. These
days we all have cars that are faster that we drive on bigger
roads. But what does this mean? Is our world richer or more
beautiful for it? Do we feel better or worse for it? Do we
even want this at all? What about the old treasures of nature,
where have they gone? What sort of world are we leaving for
our children if we lose nature's living treasures?
In
interviews we are often asked how we started taking nature
photographs? Did we start with other subjects first and then
graduate to photographing nature? Looking back, this line
of questioning is really no longer relevant. 'Taking photographs'
is something that anyone can learn, young or old. Indeed,
anyone can photograph anything, whether it is studio-snaps,
photos of architecture or for advertising. But in our view,
nature should be approached in a different manner because
nature has a mystery of it's own, a profusion of hopefully
never recognizable miracles. It's silences must be heard,
it's sweet fragrances experienced, all it’s vibrations
absorbed, and the colours of it's rich palette carefully observed.
If we do not succeed in doing this first, we cannot hope to
take photographs which we or anyone else can genuinely appreciate,
even unconsciously.
The
same holds true for professionals and amateurs alike: nature
photography is a type of outdoor pursuit. During the past
two decades we have practised nature photography as a partnership.
Some people were frankly sceptical about our approach at first,
with some viewing photographic collaboration as an impossibility.
Perhaps we might even have shared something of this view ourselves
when we first met at a slide show and criticized each other’s
photographs. But clearly there something was there between
us that, when combined, amounted to more than the sum of our
parts because in 1990 we co-founded naturArt. Since then we
have meet ’officially’ every month, in addition
to regularly working together in the field. It was through
these monthly encounters that we began to discuss our chosen
art in detail, from the setting up of the hide to the movements
of the stars. Later we joined the staff of GreenEye, contributing
our enthusiasm and photographs to help promote their ecotours
and support their promotion of conservation in Central Europe.
In
1993 we were awarded the title of “Nature Photographer
of the Year” in Hungary, an annual competition in which
until that year we had been vying with each other to win.
In subsequent years we gave up making individual entries and
now only submit collaborative photographs, thus also saving
ourselves a little time.
After
all these considerations it seems, sadly perhaps, that we
cannot change the world with photographs alone. But on the
other hand if we do not even try to do so we will surely come
to regret it with the passing of time. With the help of our
photographs we would like to draw people’s attention
to the reality of nature, to it’ beauty, it’s
inconvertible virtues, as well as to it’s vulnerability.
As more people tire of the hectic pace of modern life they
often seek more relaxing ways to spend their time. Thankfully,
nature photography now has a distinguished position among
the alternatives. So, in a way, our job as photographers is
to take up this challenge and to make the most of the possibilities
that the natural world offers us. Through our photographs
we strive to give people new insight into nature’s treasures.
It is our hope that our work will be appreciated and used
to decorate their homes as worthy companions of the family
photographs that already hang on the wall..."
László
Novák, 2001
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