Q: How did you get into the field of shooting wildlife?

A: I stepped into snapping wildlife by accident. In the summer of 2010, I was taking pictures at the Summer Palace when a charming blue thing passed by like a flash. Eventually, it turned out to be a beautiful kingfisher. It was so surprising that a kingfisher should also live in the Summer Palace! I was totally lost in that extraordinary scenario and have begun my journey of shooting wild birds from then on.

Xu Yongchun

Q: What is the biggest challenge facing the photographing group?

A: For expanding amateur photographers, there is an absence of wild photography rules or ethics and want of specialized technical training. While for the professional photographers, the number of them is too small and unorganized.

Q: Can you recount a story that made a deep impression on you?

A: The snowy owl, favored by people, is a kind of large, distinct owl. It belongs to diurnal birds, hunting for food in the daytime. I really enjoyed the time I was filming snowy owls on the Hulunbuir grasslands of Inner Mongolia in winter; it was hard but cheerful. When you get along well with a vigilant and ferocious “big white cat” which the owl is nicknamed , exaltation in your heart could warm up your cold body. I still remember my first experience photographing snowy owls, which happened three years ago. Image sharpness was severely damaged because of hot, turbulent flow from the car body. That failure taught me a lesson due to lack of

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professional knowledge.When you are in a world of ice and snow, 20 or 30 degrees below zero, if you choose to photograph in the car, you need to try to avoid the impact of hot, turbulent flow on image sharpness. The measure you can take is either to cool down the car or to keep the camera outside the car in a low-temperature environment. Sometimes you have to lie on your stomach in the snowfield for a quarter in order to take an ideal snapshot.

Q: What advice can you give to those young photographers?

A: It is really difficult for youngsters to become China’s professional wildlife photographers because it is extremely hard to make a living through this profession due to the lack of a well-established product sales market. Therefore, potential newcomers should develop their interest, strengthen their conviction and hold a spirit of long-term dedication.

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