Mr. Peter Stanley is not only a talented photographer, he is also a caring father, and an inspirational teacher. His passion for photography, the environment, and the empowering message he wishes to communicate with each of his works is another trait of his, that I admire immensely. Specifically: "I am driven by the challenge of turning decisive moments into images that inspire an ethic of respect for the natural world and appreciation for diverse cultures" (Mr.Stanley) 👏 Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing him about his award-winning photography and how he uses his work to raise awareness of conservation efforts. 🌱
Mr. Peter Stanley has worked as an IB Biology 🧪 teacher and currently teaches in Madagascar - where he lives alongside his wife, Vera, and children. He grew up in Tanzania, Kenya, and Papua New Guinea. Afterward, he attended high school and the University of Colorado in the United States. 🏫 During university, he studied Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and is currently working on his master's degree in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the London College of Communications.
Mr. Stanley's work has been published in the following esteemed sources:
National Geographic
National Geographic Online
BBC
The Guardian
The Telegraph
CNN
Business Insider
500px
Demotix
And don’t worry, you’ll see some of his award-winning photography attached in the interview!
You can check out more of Mr. Stanley's work such as his book, Speaking with Photographs, and his website Photopoa
Question 1: What inspired you to pursue photography, and how did you become involved with National Geographic?
Answer: I’ve always loved the art of photography. I’m dyslexic and and reading was always challenging so I was naturally drawn to images… both interpreting them and using them to speak for me. I got my first camera at 14 and joined the school newspaper and yearbook team and loved it. Then I studied wildlife conservation in university and loved using photography to share stories about wildlife and use the images to also push for more conservation. I used to share my images to Nat.Geo hoping to get selected in competitions, etc and I’ve been lucky that they have picked up several of my shots. Would be a dream to actually get contracted by them… one day hopefully ;)
Question 2: How do you choose the subjects and locations for your photographic projects?
Answer: A famous photographer once said something like this, “if you want to make better pictures, go to better places”. I love traveling and find myself in far-off places often. Sharing these landscapes, culture, and wildlife is a pleasure and I think people enjoy traveling vicariously through images. My personal interest is in wildlife and nature but living in Antananarivo is getting me back into street and urban images. Everywhere I look is a spectacular moment waiting to be captured and shared.
Question 3: Can you describe a particularly challenging or memorable shoot you've experienced?
Answer: Anytime there is no definite subject and the light isn’t great is a challenge but I actually like those moments because it forces you to really think about composition and make intentional photos.
Question 4: How do you prepare for a photography expedition, especially in remote or extreme environments?
Answer: Extra batteries and memory cards! That’s number one. Next would be a dust blower and kit to clean your sensor. I go places that tend to be very dusty can destroy cameras easily.
Question 5: Can you highlight any specific initiatives or projects you have been a part of that aim to raise awareness for wildlife and natural habitats?
Answer: This year I’m staring an environmental group that will focus on deforestation (and reforestation) in Madagascar. Being one of the poorest countries in the world, most people use charcoal to cook with. Even to make a cup of coffee, most people will need to light a fire. The problem is that charcoal comes from trees and 85% of our forest has been cut for charcoal, agriculture and export. It’s brutal. I hope my environmental group can help raise awareness and work with local conservation groups to develop biofuels and also to do some tree planting. I look forward to documenting a lot of this work through the camera and hope the images can help with our goal of raising awareness and targeting the problem.
Question 6: What role do you think photography plays in raising awareness about environmental issues?
Answer: It’s almost like you read my mind with this question ;) I pretty much talked about this in the previous question. It’s a HUGE role and I feel photos can be equal to scientific data when it comes to sharing with the public and getting people to connect.
Question 7: How do you ensure that your photographs tell a compelling story and engage the audience?
Answer: You never can and it’s tough in the day of Instagram with high-speed scrolling and more video taking a central roll on these platforms. But, if anything, we are more reliant than ever on images to inform us and connect us. So as a photographer, we just adapt. Rather than putting out one image on Instagram, I put out several for one story... And I need to get better at mixing in video clips too. I have lots but don’t share enough.
Question 8: What are some of the technical challenges you face when photographing wildlife or natural environments?
Answer: I studied wildlife ecology and worked as a field guide for several years in Tanzania. Knowing wildlife behavior is a huge plus because I was able to predict the movements and put myself in places that worked for images. Being new in Madagascar is a challenge because I don’t know the places, language, and wildlife very well yet. So in summary, learn your subject and it will make for more intimate photos. Also if you love where you are, your images will show that.
Question 9: How do you manage to capture spontaneous and candid moments in the wild?
Answer: Wake up early, have a plan for where you want to go, and then let luck take over. So much of wildlife is chance and being ready with the camera. Light is key to this. Having your settings ready to match the light will allow you to shoot quickly when something cool happens. I had this in Rwanda with gorillas. It was dark in the forest so I used a lens that could handle low light and had my settings ready… then a juvenile showed up and started flipping and dancing in front of me for just a couple minutes. National Geographic used one of these photos to market a global photography contest. Here’s a link to BBC talking about the contest and my gorilla photo below:
Question 10: What advice would you give to aspiring photographers who want to work with National Geographic and contribute to environmental conservation?
Answer: I wish I could say that I have formerly worked with them but I haven’t been contracted. I just managed to have images selected through contests and randomly for publication.
Question 11: What qualities or skills do you believe are essential for a successful career in photography, particularly in conservation and wildlife?
Answer: I’ve mixed photography with my other passion, teaching. I really like connecting high school students to photography because it can be such a healthy and powerful outlet. But if I was going full-time conservation photography, I’d say you should look at studying lots of biology/ecology and enjoy getting dusty and dirty chasing animals around with a camera.
Question 12: How do you see the role of photography evolving in the context of global environmental challenges?
Answer: I love teaching and through my classes, I like using photography to connect people who might have otherwise been intimidated to learn about these environmental challenges. I think photography will always be a powerful tool in connecting people. It won’t disappear, just look at how much time and money Apple (and Google, Samsung, etc) spend on each iPhone upgrade with such attention on their camera system. But I do think video needs to be incorporated in order to keep the attention of the viewer. It’s an exciting time!
Mr. Stanley, thank you so much for allowing me to interview you and shine light upon your talent, passions, and valuable insights for aspiring photographers and environmental conservationists! 📸 🌳
Dear Wholesome reader, I really hope you enjoyed this Wholesome interview, and if you have any suggestions to improve, I would love to see what feedback you have for me! Please leave me a comment at the end of this article to let me know what you think, and thank you to those of you who have already shared your thoughts with me via the comment feature or privately.
Sending virtual hugs and lots of happiness your way! 🧸 🌻 🤪
Thank you Alexia for reaching out with such thoughtful questions. It was great to hear from you and share my passion in photography with you and your readers. Keep up your wonderful work and go Vampires. - Peter (Stanley)