Micha Schipper

Wildlife Photographer

I was raised in Holland during the 80’s, the last years of the so called cold war period. We lived close to Camp New Amsterdam, an American Airbase in the centre of the country. I used to go there on my bicycle, rain or shine, to take pictures of passing airplanes. My passion for photography started in those days.

Due to my interest in aviation, I became a civil aircraft maintenance engineer. And my photography subjects changed. Instead of photographing aircrafts, I started to take pictures of birds.

 

Over the years I became more and more interested in nature and wildlife photography. Through my job as an aircraft engineer I traveled to many places on the globe. In my free time I took pictures from the nature around me.

In my home country, The Netherlands, it is easy to look at birds. When you drive around, you see them everywhere. Photographing them however, can be a bit more challenging.

 

When changing from analog to digital camera’s, I choose for Canon cameras to capture the nature around me with lenses from 15mm to 600mm. Over the years I updated my system with newer camera body’s; lenses and other accessories. The current smartphones have great camera’s and I don’t hesitate to use them. Also the small action cams, are useful for me. With their wide angle camera lenses and ease of use, I am able to take photos with a special appearance.

 

During my voyages for my work, I really enjoy new nature around me. I remember when I was working in Chad on the airport of the capital Ndjamena, I had a lovely hotel room overlooking the river. Every evening dozens of egrets where roosting in a tree in front of my balcony.

 

And when I was working in Poland on the airport of Warsaw, in my free time I photographed common garden birds in a city park. The birds are sometimes handfed by people there. During a winter, one of these birds was so tame that it landed on my telephoto lens. That occurrence gave me the inspiration to use also wide angle lenses for wildlife photography.

 

But not only birds have my photography interest. Apes and monkeys are great subjects too! These animals you will not find in The Netherlands however, except for zoos. In 2010 I went to Malaysia to photograph the Orangutan in it’s own habitat on Borneo. This was my first photo expedition with professional guides. Since then I go on similar trips a couple of times a year.

 

Dedicated photography holidays and workshops are great to follow my passion. You meet fellow photographers and get new inspiration. I participated in a few of these trips, guided by professional photographers such as Marco de Paauw, Han Bouwmeester, Edo van Uchelen, Yves Adams, Bart Siebelink and Andy Rousse.

 

Joining a group on a photography trip is great but I like to make trips on my own as well. Organizing a trip by myself is almost doubling the pleasure. When traveling abroad, I often use the service of professional guides. The places I have been photographing the last few years are for example: Borneo, Svalbard, India, Alaska, South Georgia, Falklands, Tanzania, Rwanda, Costa Rica, Canada, Suriname, China and Sweden to mention a few.

Hope you enjoy my “New Ode to Nature” and do not hesitate to contact me on micha@schipperphoto.com!