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![Profile picture of Landie Fourie]()
Landie Fourie posted in the group Wildlife Photography
Landie Fourie. Baboon with Kill, Kruger National Park, Nov 2020
ISO 3200, 1/4000sec at f/9. Nikon D610, Tamron 150-600mm @600mm
It’s no secret that wildlife and nature photography is a male-dominated area. More men enter wildlife photography competitions and more men win. The first female winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the year was in 1995 and thereafter in 2002. There could be many reasons for this. Perhaps there is just a misconception that wildlife and nature photography is a man’s job?When I posted this image on a Facebook group I immediately started getting hate mail. From men. Telling me to take it down as it’s offensive or to take it down as women shouldn’t take images like this. So maybe it’s not misconceptions, maybe it is just expected that women would take photos of the cute, the fluffy and the small?
Regardless of my gender. When nature shows me a scene worth documenting – it is my perogative to capture exactly what I see.
This scene was hard to see naturally. A baboon female carrying her baby was feasting on the carcass of a baby impala – while the mother impala was standing nearby. But such is life and such is nature.
I am forever grateful for every scene shown to me in nature and the opportunity to capture it and share it with those who understand.
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3 Comments-
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![Profile picture of Landie Fourie]()
Thank you Danie. I was quite shocked at the time.
I feel this is in the same category as a lion on a kill or a leopard in a tree with a kill. But it was not received with the same awe for raw nature. Perhaps because baboons are not viewed as hunters?Understandably people won’t print this as A0 and hang it on a wall. But just viewing the moment for the insanity of what transpired is a win for me.
A good photograph should rip your heart out…. And make you think.
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![Profile picture of Bruna Mentrup]()
Landie, as a female wildlife photographer, I totally understand where you are coming from. The reason why we are wildlife photographers is because we are the voices in the wild. We are blessed with witnessing a moment and share it with someone not so fortunate…We tell the story, it’s got nothing to do with gender👍
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Landie, I was taken aback to hear about the discrimination you faced, especially in a field that should ideally be free from gender bias. Women have every right to engage in wildlife photography just as much as men do. There’s no reason why you should back off or limit your subject matter based on outdated expectations.
Your work is a compelling portrayal of the raw, unfiltered reality of nature, and it’s crucial that perspectives like yours are included in any conversation about wildlife photography. Keep capturing what you see; your voice is important.