Award-Winning Photographer Greg du Toit's Two Decades Pursuit of Perfect Wildlife Shots

Playing it safe is not an option for wildlife photographer Greg du Toit. The South Africans have been capturing lions, rhinos, and elephants for the past twenty years, getting more adventure and risks than anyone would endure in an entire lifetime.

An Authentic Approach to Wildlife Photography

Unlike many in his field, du Toit doesn't use bait, camera traps, digital manipulation, captive-bred animals, or drones. All he needs is his Nikon camera, a chance to get close to his subject, the right natural light, and a lot of patience. It's a combination that has won him international accolades, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2013 and, more recently, the wildlife category at the Fine Art Photography Awards in April for "The Enchanted Forest," a series showing elephants in a forest on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Speaking with CNN by phone on the way to Tanzania for his next project, du Toit shared his approach to fine art photography, what the past two decades have taught him, and why taking pictures in Africa feels different than anywhere else in the world. Du Toit learned to photograph on film and prefers his work to resemble a moment he experienced from behind his camera. He never does multiple exposures, emphasizing that the fundamental element remains the same as it always was: light. He likes to work with beautiful quality light, whether golden or blue and aims to add a touch of mood or mystery.

Creating mood in his photographs involves spending significant time in nature. He gets up super early for the excellent light, stays up late, and finds places in the forest where a beautiful window or light is coming through. He then waits for an animal to show up. For instance, his Enchanted Forest series, comprising five photographs, took him five years to complete. From a business perspective, this approach makes no financial sense, but for du Toit, it's all about creating art, even if it comes at a great expense in terms of time. He loves being outdoors, so it's not a major sacrifice.

In an era dominated by social media, du Toit's approach is refreshingly patient. He always focused on quality, often getting only six photos a year. The advent of social media, particularly Instagram, demanded more frequent postings, but du Toit couldn't adapt to that model. He gave up on social media, a move that felt like committing career suicide, but he stuck to his guns. He couldn't produce quantity because his working method did not allow it.

Preserving Africa's Wilderness

Du Toit's photography aims to convey that it's not too late to appreciate and conserve Africa's incredible wildernesses. When he photographs, he focuses on the animal itself and the environment in which it lives. The winning series of elephants exemplifies this focus. There are still incredibly wild places full of amazing animals, and it's not too late for us to enjoy, preserve, and conserve them.

While du Toit has photographed wildlife in other parts of the world, he finds Africa uniquely compelling. Other regions, like the Arctic for polar bears or India for tigers, lack the energy that Africa has. Africa exudes a wild energy, a feeling of mystery and intrigue, vastness, and a touch of danger, which du Toit loves.

Du Toit's dedication often leads to dangerous situations. Famously, he spent 16 months photographing lions at a waterhole in Kenya's South Rift Valley. The reality of getting those photographs differs significantly from the polished images seen by the public. Often, he endures bites from flies, hot and sweaty conditions, and dusty environments. Despite these challenges, he loves the end product. Getting a good photograph is the best feeling for him, and he loves nature, preferring to be there more than anywhere else.

Du Toit does not use camera traps, digital manipulation, or captive-bred animals because he wants to capture animals in their natural habitats. For him, it's all about wildlife, the subject's environment, and light. Using good quality light brings mystery, and he enjoys working with good angles and backgrounds.

Du Toit is excited about his next project in the Ngorongoro Crater in northeastern Tanzania, which he describes as "nature's own game reserve." He is attempting to develop a portfolio there and is eager to spend a week at this awesome location, thinking of the movie - Jurassic Park.

By his inspiration for the true spirit of wildlife photography and his respect for nature, Greg du Toit insists on invigorating the unknown charm of the wild and the glory to protect these magnificent animals and our planet.