9 minute read
Conservation through the lens
CONSERVATION PROFILE
Cservi THROUGH THE LENS
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ROSS COUPER, SINGITA RESIDENT PHOTOGRAPHER
By Anthea Campbell Photo Credits Singita/ Ross Couper
We chat to the talented award winning photographer Ross Couper about his love for the bush, the wild and conservation. It’s through his stunning photographs and videos he is able to tell a story of the magnificence of what the bush offers.
EBL: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?
ROSS: I was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in a national park where my father worked as a Park Warden for the National Parks Board for several years. I was fortunate to be exposed to wildlife at an early age and this was a catalyst for my love of wildlife today. Due to the remote area I grew up in, the limited schooling entailed listening to a teacher broadcasting the lesson on a radio frequency. On the days when there was no signal, my mother would encourage me to get out a pen and paper and draw. And so, the bush was my entertainment.
EBL: WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO CHOOSE PHOTOGRAPHY?
ROSS: I pursued my love of wildlife and I studied to become a field guide (ranger). As I have a strong background in art, I was paying for my tuition by selling my animal pencil sketches at the local market but became frustrated with the slow pace of sketching and selling my art.
My wife bought me a camera as an impromptu Christmas gift and that shifted my focus to a different form of artistic development. I am extremely fortunate to have both my passions encompassed in a career.
EBL: YOUR LOVE FOR THE BUSH AND PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWS IN YOUR INCREDIBLE PHOTOS, HAVE YOU COMBINDED THESE TO BECOME A QUALIFIED GUIDE?
ROSS: I loved guiding. It was the perfect opportunity to share my passion for the bush with guests and it was truly rewarding.
As an artist, photography was secondary. I would spend early mornings guiding and return to the bush around midday to hone my photographic skills, but more importantly, I just wanted to be out in the wilderness, away from a desk. I was fortunate that it coincided with the rise of online platforms in the marketing space and the growing need for imagery for storytelling. I transitioned from guiding into a full-time role in the Singita Marketing team in early 2020.
EBL: WHAT CAME FIRST- BEING A GUIDE OR PHOTOGRAPHY?
ROSS: I was in a field guide at Singita for eight years. A strong drive to be outdoors all the time was my true calling. Later, there was an opportunity to submit content consistently and then my photographic skills grew with more exposure. It was a learning curve, but
“Being able to share the serenity of Africa through imagery of wildlife and open spaces, shows the true beauty of the continent. What it offers humbles the spirit and touches the soul – the photographs simply embrace a moment in time in Africa. Now, more than ever, unspoiled wild, open spaces should be a bucketlist for everyone, as they are rapidly disappearing.”
Ross Couper
challenges are good, once you learn from a mistake in photography, you never forget it… and yes, I have left my memory cards behind (early in my career), and it has never happened again! Especially in the bush, where you literally never know what's going to happen next.
EBL: ARE YOU DRIVEN TO BRING AWARENESS THROUGH THE LENS ON THE FLIGHT OF ENDANGERED WILDLIFE?
ROSS: Yes, I can showcase the beauty of various species widely, which highlights the plight of (critically) endangered species.
I think subconsciously the story and the image creates an emotional connection with the tragic realisation that a species (such as lion or rhino) could actually be lost within their lifetime – and we can't allow that to happen. These types of social media posts tend to have a profound impact and they become a conversation that drives more focus towards the plight of the species and a willingness to assist somehow.
For example, we have used stories to highlight the incredible work of Singita's conservation partner – Singita Lowveld Trust in South Africa – and its successful canine anti-poaching unit in the Sabi Sand. We used the opportunity to raise funds for the anti-poaching team, and this was so fulfilling. See more: https://vimeo.com/468537533
I have worked with various NGOs to help them raise funds for conservation efforts of some of the most vulnerable species in Africa.
In the Sabi Sand, where I am based, with one of the highest densities of leopards (12 leopard per 100 square kilometres), I feel privileged to photograph so many regal leopards and document their incredible journeys from cubs to adulthood. As field guides, we also contribute to Panthera's long-standing study of leopards in the area. Panthera, another conservation partner, has various programmes dedicated to the study and conservation of leopards.
During 2020, 394 rhino were poached for their horn in South Africa. This is 33% less than the 594 killed in 2019, and marks the sixth year that rhino poaching has continued to decrease in South Africa.
Source: environment.gov.za
The Sabi Sand Leopard Project includes data collection and creating life histories dating as far back as the 1970s. At the moment, we collect leopard scat for Panthera's exciting DNA analysis. It's never boring!
While it may seem easy to spot leopards in this region of the Kruger Park, the truth is that they are on the brink of serious threat – there are likely fewer than 5 000 leopards remaining in South Africa and their numbers decline annually at an alarming rate. This is just one example of what drives me to do the work I do.
EBL: WITH YOUR LINE OF WORK HAVE YOU COME ACROSS AND CAPTURED THE DEVASTION THAT THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS HAVING ON OUR ENVIRONMENT?
ROSS: During my ten years as a guide and photographer in various Singita regions, I've witnessed a severe drought in 2016. Given the impact of the drought, it took several years for the area, and the animals, such as hippo and buffalo, to recover.
With a change in weather patterns, summers have certainly become much hotter, and winters are seemingly shorter than previous years. The changes seem small at present, however when you review the statistics over a longer period, it's evident that there is a shift in environmental patterns. It's just not fast enough to see the difference in real time.
Travel, like all industries, contributes to the world's carbon emissions. It's amazing to work for a company, such as Singita, which is fiercely committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and emissions and has long-term sustainability goals and has the 'One Planet Living' framework as a guiding light. On 1 August, we introduced a carbon-offsetting levy for all guests as another way to make a difference.
EBL: HOW DID YOU LAND UP BEING RESIDENT PHOTOGRAPHER AT SINGITA?
ROSS: When I was on leave, I used to day dream about returning to the only place I wanted to be. So, I would often forfeit my time off to stay in the bush. I used my time to explore the wilderness areas and capture imagery that showcased the best of Singita. It was evident that my photos were required more and more, and for a few years, I split my time guiding and creating content for Singita's Marketing team. At the beginning of 2020, I assumed a full-time role within the Marketing Department and was fortunate to team up with my wife, as content creators for Singita. Lindsay does a lot of the editing and videos. The Resident Photographer title was an idea at first, however it has become steadfast.
In fact, during the first global Covid lockdown, while we were at the lodge, the Marketing team and I very quickly created a series of live game drives from the Sabi Sand, broadcast live across the world on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We also posted virtual game -drives and recorded sounds from the bush for Soundcloud. This brought comfort to many people who were stuck at home in the city. We will never forget the reaction and comments we received during those live game drives.
EBL: I AM SURE YOU HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE AN INTERESTING JOURNEY, WITH LEARNING CURVES AND TRIUMPHS. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT AND WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER ONE TRIUMPH?
ROSS: As a self-taught photographer, it has certainly been a learning curve. Initially, I started my photographic career with Singita, as a wildlife photographer, but I have since moved into all genres of photography and videography such as staff portraits, drone footage or Go Pros hidden in animal dung and near waterholes! https://vimeo.com/413098371
David Attenborough
Fortunately working with my wife has been incredibly helpful as her insight into editing all media has been a recipe to our success.
EBL: DID YOU GO ON A SPECIALISED COURSE TO LEARN ANY NEW SKILLS OR DID YOU LEARN AS YOU WENT ALONG?
ROSS: Reluctantly, I've spent hours behind a computer learning new skills, scrolling through YouTube photographic tutorials. The best form of learning is by diving into the deep end. Unfortunately, in photography it can be a costly learning curve as you may only have one opportunity to capture an image with the perfect light or vantage point. It's been a position to learn-as-you-go and masterfully set your mind to achieving the best results - with the goals of always getting better.
EBL: WHAT ADVISE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANY BUDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
ROSS: Create a workflow and be consistent with the quality of imagery. It will save you a lot of time working with thousands of images and hard drives all over the place. Trying to find a specific image will be nightmare until you have mastered a workflow with keywords on all your images. I only discovered this very late in my career and never used keywords, categories or filed my photographs properly. Needless to say, I need a lot more time - with over 250,000 in my current catalogue library – I now know why I spend so much time in the bush!
EBL: WHERE CAN CUSTOMERS BUY YOUR STUNNING WORK?
ROSS: Singita's online Boutique & Gallery have my images framed and are available for purchase, shipped anywhere in the world. or at all Singita www.singitastores.com Boutique & Gallery stores at each lodge.
