My passion for photography was born about two years ago, coinciding with the beginning of a journey of personal growth and solo travel adventures. Initially I started photographing to capture memories from the places I visited. Soon though I felt the need to communicate the natural and cultural beauty of the world to other people.
Looking through the viewfinder removes the lenses that we have unconsciously adopted and with which we used to look at the world as a result of sociocultural conditioning. In my opinion, to photograph is to watch without filters, to feel the inner connection we have with nature and to take on a subjective but pure and unmediated vision.
Having eliminated this filter, I feel free to communicate my own vision as well and to enhance it with my editing. When I’m shooting, I have a particular goal or mood that the subject should communicate. I really love dramatic and contrasted photos. My approach to editing follows certain pre-established steps but I aim to leave space to imagination and creativity.
However, each photograph has its own mood and my color palette is never fixed. There is always this duality between having a design in mind and approaching it more freely and spontaneously. I noticed though that I had a great artistic improvement when I started working on photo projects. I chose a place or subject in advance and made an editorial plan about two months in advance. After shooting, I selected the photographs that seemed most consistent with the design objective and started working on them. However, I try to balance it to also give space to my creativity in the moment itself.
Live adventures that you would otherwise never have lived, discover the beauty of this world and get out of your comfort zone. Only then you will become aware that we are never really alone, that we can find friends and fellow adventurers everywhere. Adventure provides you with courage, makes hearts braver, and makes life worth living.
Photography is definitely something I want to pursue. My goal is to become a full time travel photographer; I will work on that by consolidating photographic collaborations that are currently running and begin others that stimulate my creativity and professional growth. Nowadays I cannot think of living without photography; it would be like living with my eyes closed.
Andy Rider is a passionate wildlife photographer and filmmaker based in South Africa, dedicated to capturing the raw beauty of nature while raising awareness about conservation. Inspired by legends like Steve Irwin, his journey began as a field guide, where he honed his skills and developed a deep respect for ethical wildlife photography.
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