“Just sit and wait. Sometimes for 8–9 hours”: interview with wildlife photographer Sergey Tsvetkov
Miscellaneous / / July 24, 2022
About a guest marriage of kingfishers, a meeting with a blind boar and a game of chess in a shelter.
Sergey Tsvetkov's photographs feature cheerful foxes, hares and wild boars. However, in order to get at least one such shot, he has to work hard: to leave 200 km from the city, get up at 3 a.m. and sit in a shelter for 4–5 hours without talking or moving.
Lifehacker asked Sergey how to properly photograph wildlife and what you need to know when going to the forest to meet a wild boar or a bear. And yes, there are a lot of pictures of animals in the article!
Sergey Tsvetkov
Wildlife photographer.
About the profession
— How did you get into photography?
“Before my son was born, my wife and I loved camping. We went to spend the night in beautiful places. Waking up at dawn, I loved to watch how nature awakens: red sky, fog, dew ...
On one of these trips, we went to explore the area. Passing by the bay, I noticed two slits there - orange-colored ducks. Then I saw them for the first time, but I did not have time to admire them: they got scared and flew away. However, when we made a circle around the area and returned to the bay, I saw that the birds were sitting there again.
The thought came to photograph them. The bay was overgrown with reeds, and it was easy to disguise. I lay down. After a while, I heard a stir. A hare sat a meter away from me. For about a minute we looked at each other without taking our eyes off. I understood: if I move after the camera, the beast will immediately run away. And he ran away.
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Hare. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
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Geese. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
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Ducks. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
I was about to go to the tent, when suddenly a large swan wedge flew over me - very close. It seemed that you could touch the birds with your hand. I was smitten.
These three meetings gave me an idea: the beauty of nature should be shown to people. And I began to purposefully get out into the forest to photograph animals and birds.
- It turns out that at the initial stage you already had a camera. But, as far as I know, wildlife photography requires a special technique.
Yes, the camera and lens were beginner level. I, like everyone else, took pictures of landscapes, flowers - everything I saw. I didn't think much about the frame.
For a long time, I could not afford to upgrade the technique: it is quite expensive. I had to shoot on an amateur, not at all adapted for wildlife photography. But when I realized that this hobby had swallowed me up, I made a serious decision to change it: first - the lens, then - the camera.
- In addition, what, in your opinion, is the main difficulty of this profession?
- Find a place. In the Rostov region, 92% of the territory is occupied by agricultural fields and settlements. You can only find something on the remaining 8%. Therefore, we usually leave for 200 km from the city - deeper into the thickets.
— And what about the commercial side of the issue?
— There is quite a strong competition in the field of wildlife photography. It was possible to sell works: both to publications and on photo stocksand for souvenirs.
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Page from Sergey Tsvetkov's calendar.
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Page from Sergey Tsvetkov's calendar.
Almost every year I print calendars, I sell them too. I also often participate in photo exhibitions.
What should be a wildlife photographer?
- Diligent. There are two ways of shooting animals: from cover and from the approach. The second way is when the photographer moves and looks for some object for a photo. There are many drawbacks to this practice, since animals most often notice a person much earlier than he notices them, and manage to escape.
When shooting from cover, there is a greater chance of getting good photos. It is worth preparing the place in advance: remove excess debris and leaves so that a beautiful picture is obtained in the frame.
And then just sit and wait. Quietly, without moving or speaking. Sometimes 8-9 hours. And it’s not a fact that it will be possible to photograph someone at all!
This is not for everyone. Usually beginners get bored after the first hour of waiting.
- And what do you do these 8-9 hours if nothing interesting happens around?
— I read a book, play chess on my phone, or just observe nature: I try to notice new patterns of animal behavior. It is a very meditative process - especially in the morning. Nature wakes up, birds sing around ...
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Fox. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
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Roe. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
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Kingfisher. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
Even if I didn’t manage to shoot anything, I feel that my soul has rested.
— What are your plans for the future?
- Next year I would like to organize photo and video projects. During the filming, I have accumulated enough video material about birds and animals. I want to unite them and show people that there are not only cities around them, but also nature.
I will not talk about the photo project yet, but I will hint that the most successful shots are obtained when you study the same type of animal for a long time. I will try to follow this path.
About filming
How many shoots do you do in a year?
- Hard to say. Last year I kept statistics on how many nights I spent in a tent. Got about 35. Accordingly, they were followed by evening and morning shooting. It turns out that in a year there are at least 70 photo shoots, not counting those cases when I got out one day, without spending the night.
I think the number would be around 80. But we must understand that shooting is not always successful. We can go out into nature and return "empty".
How do you choose locations for filming?
- Initially, we look at satellite photos - we find interesting places. Thanks to experience, we know what kind of animals can be found there.
In shallow bays, for example, we will definitely meet waterfowl - waders, ducks. Deer, roe deer, and wild boars can roam in the forest clearings. In the border zone between the thicket and the field, hares and foxes run.
The time of year also plays an important role. In spring, for example, it is interesting to photograph waterfowl in their mating season. And in the fall, the rut begins with deer. They roar all night. At such moments, we try to come: the animals are busy with their work, they don’t care about photographers, but it’s easier for us to shoot.
- And how often and in what company do you go to the shooting?
- Usually we go together with photographers Anton Mostovenko and Anastasia Braerskaya. We try to get together almost every weekend: on Saturday we stopped, on Sunday we left. We find ourselves at a point in the late afternoon, exploring the area. At that moment just a beautiful light for the photo. Although morning shootings are usually more successful than evening ones. But I don't want to waste time.
We get up at dawn. In the summer, you have to get up at 2:30-3:00 in the morning in order to be in time before 7:00 - by that time the sun becomes very bright, and filming has to be completed.
— Have you filmed outside the region or even the country? Where would you like to go?
- They haven't left the country yet. But in other areas, yes. Mostly during the holidays or during the May holidays. For example, almost every spring we leave for Kalmykia. It is not very far, but the nature there is different: there are practically no trees - continuous steppes and wind. There are many shallow lakes and birds living on them. We don't have that.
I would like to go to Kamchatka and take pictures of bears. But so far I haven't thought about it. When the opportunity arises, then I will plan. I want to go to places as remote as possible from civilization and shoot virgin nature.
“What about the savannah, where there are lions?” Would you like to go there?
- Probably not. Lions don't really interest me. Our local foxes, hares and the Bears dearer. Yes, I like the forest.
“You talk so fearlessly about bears. Are you afraid to meet them?
- Unfortunately or fortunately, there are no bears in the Rostov region. But in the Caucasus I managed to see them. And they didn't scare me. If you know the habits of animals and the rules of behavior when dealing with them, then a dangerous situation can be avoided.
For example, once I shot wild boars. And, of course, it was scary when they walked around me. But I saw that they were not aggressive - rather, they showed interest.
I always try to keep the minimum distance at which the animal and the person feel comfortable. It is important not to violate personal boundaries. Usually animals attack people out of surprise, because someone has invaded their space. It is important to remain predictable and not cross the line.
“But there must have been life-threatening situations. Remember this one?
- Yes. Last autumn, Anton and I sat in the forest and waited for deer. We knew they were coming out into one of the clearings nearby. But then suddenly there was a rustle from behind. We turned around and saw a large boar coming towards us. I tried to whisper it away so as not to growl at the whole forest and startle other animals nearby.
First he stopped and thought. However, later, when I started to get up, he again jumped up and ran in our direction. I had to twitch at him with a scream in response, so that he was frightened and left.
The fact is that boars do not have very good eyesight. Therefore, I think he was defending himself - he ran at us out of surprise. He didn't expect anyone to get in his way. Now Anton and I try to look around more often.
To be honest, there are no particularly dangerous animals in our area. Except for those who are sick rabies. But we have never met them. Therefore, yes, the boar can be called the most dangerous.
- And which of the shootings was the most difficult?
I can't single out one. But it happens that we go on five-day trips and for the first three or four days we cannot find someone to shoot. We arrive at the usual places, but for some reason there are no animals there. We have to change the route drastically on the go.
Or it happens that you have found the subject of shooting - for example, a kingfisher. A beautiful bird with a long beak and blue plumage. But you have to walk around and around for a few days so that she just sits next to you and you can take a picture of her.
- Which of the shootings was one of the most memorable?
- Probably, these are shootings from the category “I saw a deer for the first time”, “I saw a wild boar for the first time”... For example, in Kalmykia we found a hole of corsacs - these are steppe foxes. They were very friendly - jumping, playing. We liked them so much that we filmed them for several days.
Who do you like to shoot the most?
- Hares, foxes, little boars. They look cute and funny. And hares in general behave interestingly. They can sit still, and then jump sharply, do some some somersault, turn around and land back. And then stand on your hind legs and start drumming with your front legs in the air.
On the one hand, it seems that they do some incomprehensible things, on the other hand, if you understand, each of them has its own meaning.
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Fox cubs. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
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Boar. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
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Gopher. Photo: Sergey Tsvetkov.
For example, it is believed that they drum their paws on the ground, warning relatives of danger. But why they drum them in the air is a mystery. Probably training.
About animals
How do you learn about animals? Do you read any scientific articles, monographs?
- You can also read general information about the animal on Wikipedia. And if I am interested in some narrow topic, then I turn to scientific articles and monographs. It's also good to watch documentaries - I prefer films from the BBC or National Geographic.
This allows not only to study animals, but also to accumulate visual experience. Helps develop as a photographer. I look at how the frame is built, how the shooting process itself works. By the way, I advise everyone who is interested in animals to watch the film "Planet Earth".
What fact about animals surprised you?
- The first one is about stag beetles. They hatch from larvae that live in rotten stumps. And these larvae mature there for five (!) years. And the stag beetle itself - if it is a male - lives only one month. The female is a little longer, two months.
The second is about kingfishers. These birds live in burrows on the steep slopes of water bodies. In early spring, the male and female form a pair there. But then autumn comes, and they fly away for the winter. And separately, and sometimes even in different places! But the next year, both kingfishers again return to the family nest and continue cohabitation until autumn.
- Could you give an example of unusual behavior of animals, peeped from the shelter?
— There is an interesting moment with deer. When they notice a person, then, of course, they dive into the thicket. But before that, they always stop at the border of the forest and the field, look around the area and disappear.
Do you have any rules for handling animals?
The main rule is do no harm. It should be vaccinated for everyone, not just wildlife lovers. For example, sometimes we walk across the steppe, we find a nest of a lapwing. The bird sees us, gets scared and flies away, but the eggs that she hatched remain.
The first thought that comes to the mind of a photographer is: why not wait until the lapwing returns to photograph it with its future offspring? But while you are looming on the horizon, the bird may be afraid to fly up to the nest, and the eggs will cool down during this time, and the chicks will not hatch.
This does not mean that birds on nests cannot be photographed. You just need to prepare them, and this takes a lot of time. So, on the first day, you need to be away from the nest, then approach a little, then a little more. And each time the bird lets you get closer and closer, realizing that you are not dangerous.
— Can wildlife photography change people's attitudes towards animals?
- I think it can, but not to the extent that I would like. I am convinced that if people are shown more nature, they will begin to relate to it better. Now, even when you arrive in some kind of dense forest, in a thicket, which can only be reached on foot, you see scattered garbage along the way. The more we mention nature and tell people what to do and not to do, the better it will be.
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