WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER BRET CHARMAN OG'06

What I have come to realise is that the School instils a confidence in its pupils that can shape their future and help them forge their own path, no matter how unusual that may be.

When I left the RGS I had the idea that I would become a high-flying professional, but it never even occurred to me that I could make my living travelling the world and coming face to face with some of the planet’s most incredible wildlife.

At the RGS I would say that my strongest subjects were Geography and Art, although I am sure my two Art teachers got incredibly frustrated with my methodical, precise approach to drawing and painting. After moving away from the Guildford area and attending a separate sixth form, I went on to university to study Architecture.

After four years training to become an architect I took the brave, if not rash decision, to leave university and work in the safari industry.

It was during my university holidays that I fell in love with the African continent and spent time volunteering in South Africa. After four years training to become an architect I took the brave, if not rash decision, to leave university and work in the safari industry. I moved to Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park and took along a digital SLR and some ‘affordable lenses’.

It was make or break for me. I was living in a remote sector of the park running a bush camp with no running water or electricity, but I loved every minute of it. The seed was planted, it was now

I realised that this was the life for me; getting up close and personal with wildlife gave me a thrill that I hadn’t experienced before. Fast forward a couple of years and I was working in the wildlife travel sector, visiting some of the most magical places, including the icy realm of Spitsbergen, the tough conditions of the Ecuadorian Amazon and the plains of East Africa.

Working for a travel company allowed me the opportunities to see some incredible sights and take some beautiful images, but I was working full time and never really had the chance to focus on my photography. So at the age of 26 I decided to leave my role, and financial security, to move to Australia. I was going to focus my efforts on the weird and wonderful wildlife ‘down under’. I spent a magical time living and breathing Australia’s natural beauty. This vast country is home to a staggering array of endemic species and as a wildlife photographer it has near limitless potential. Quite simply I was in heaven, building up an impressive portfolio of images from all over the eastern and southern regions of the country.

I returned to the UK with a pretty unusual set of images and a comprehensive knowledge of the species I had encountered. This is a fundamental part of being a wildlife photographer; knowing your subjects and studying their behaviour is the only way to capture striking images. Perhaps I should have focussed more on Biology at school, but it is always easy to look back on such things many years down the line. I entered a series of photography competitions and won major international awards in Australian Nature Photographer of the Year and Bird Photographer of the Year. It was my image of an Australian pelican, titled ‘A Perfect Landing’ that really caught the eye of the wider public and appeared in the world’s press. The image featured on news channels across the globe, was shared widely by National Geographic and led to me appearing on the BBC’s The One Show.

Fast forward a year and I am now busier than ever. The life of a modern wildlife photographer is an odd one. Much of my time is spent on the lecture circuit, sharing my stories and photography or making appearances at shows and other events. The rest of my time is spent either photographing wildlife of my own choosing or developing and leading dedicated photography tours around the world including trips to the Arctic, Africa, Papua New Guinea and India.

To be allowed such an intimate experience with a completely wild animal is truly life changing.

I thought I should share a magical moment from my most recent trip. I visited Uganda with my girlfriend and drove across the country in search of its magnificent wildlife – certainly not for the faint-hearted. We spent time with mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a heavily protected mountainous forest in Uganda’s south west. We were with the Habinyanja group, comprised of 15 gorillas, one of which was a magnificent silverback called Makara. The experience was quite simply breath-taking. There we were, sat within only a couple of metres of a gorilla weighing over 150kg, who allowed his offspring to approach us. Coming face-to-face with a gorilla toddler was magnificent, the intensity of the gaze and that complete ease in one another’s company was remarkable. To be allowed such an intimate experience with a completely wild animal is truly life changing.

A Perfect Landing

When I left the RGS, I never had any intention of becoming a wildlife photographer, but what I have come to realise is that the School instils a confidence in its pupils that can shape their future and help them forge their own path, no matter how unusual that may be. It is only now, looking back on my time at the RGS that I realise the foundations for my self-belief, drive and ambition in part came from my time at this historic School. ■