Perhaps you think baby animals are pretty cute? Suzi Eszterhas agrees.
Suzi is an award-winning nature photographer who has recently published a new book of animal portraits called New On Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild.
Suzi shared a few of her incredible photos with Mongabay:
Bengal tiger cub (about 6 weeks old) with mother at den, Bandhavgarh National Park, India. Photo courtesy of Suzi Eszterhas/New On Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild/Earth Aware Editions.
Two-week-old Chinese pangolin clinging to mother, who was rescued from poachers and is now part of captive breeding program at Taipei Zoo. Photo courtesy of Suzi Eszterhas/New On Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild/Earth Aware Editions.
Brown bear with 3-4 month old triplet cubs, Katmai National Park, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Suzi Eszterhas/New On Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild/Earth Aware Editions.
Suzi has photographed wildlife for as long as she can remember.
Suzi: When I was six years old my parents bought me a point and shoot camera, which I used to photograph my cats in my backyard and then later told people that they were lions on the African savanna or tigers in the jungle.
Suzi especially loves to observe and photograph baby animals. She thinks they are very cute. But photographing baby animals is not always glamorous …
Suzi: I’ve found ticks and beetles in my nose, had bugs lay eggs in my feet, was swarmed by bees, chased by a mamba, was charged and smacked (lightly!) by an alpha male chimpanzee …
Nature photography is challenging work. A photographer has to be extremely patient. It can take days or weeks to habituate animals, or make them comfortable with human company. Once the animals are used to her being around, Suzi might spend additional weeks or months observing them in order to capture powerful “wow” moments on camera.
When she’s not behind the camera, Suzi is a conservationist who works to support environmental organizations. Suzi is also a mentor – someone who offers advice or training. Suzi founded a nonprofit organization called Girls Who Click that helps empower girls to become nature and conservation photographers.
Suzi: It is my greatest hope that my images might inspire someone to love and to take an action, no matter how small, to care for our planet, to help save an endangered species, or to live a life of kindness …
I truly believe that this job is not about collecting pretty pictures, it’s about making an impact with the imagery.
Capybara baby resting on mother, Pantanal, Brazil. Photo courtesy of Suzi Eszterhas/New On Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild/Earth Aware Editions.
Young African elephant calf (less than 3 weeks old) in Masai Mara Conservancy, Kenya. Photo courtesy of Suzi Eszterhas/New On Earth: Baby Animals in the Wild/Earth Aware Editions.
Adapted with permission from an original article on mongabay.com.
