Please introduce yourself, where are you based and where do you photograph wildlife?
My name is Bogdan Boev, originally I am from Bulgaria, but at the moment I live with my family in Edinburgh/Scotland. My main wildlife territories are in Bulgaria, Poland, Northern Greece, Scotland, England …, but my wishlists is endless. I dream to visit as many wild places as possible and see/photograph their fauna.
How did you start your career as a wildlife photographer?
It’s my main job since 2015 when I finished with my professional basketball career, but I started with wildlife photography as a hobby somewhere in 2006-2007 when I bought my first digital camera.
For me this is not just work or career… it is pure passion. What is your most memorable sighting?
They are too many and this is the side of wildlife photography, which I love most. It’s always amazing when I am a witness of interesting moments from animals life. If I am able to capture and share it, it’s even better.
Where is your favorite place to photograph wildlife and why?
The area near my home town Dimitrovgrad, it is brilliant for wildlife photography with a variety of different habitats. This is the land where I grew up, thats why I love it and my connection is strong. Last but not least, I spend a lot of time on the terrain there, so I have opportunities to be creative and have freedom to work on my longterm ideas, to try and fail again and again…
Which image are you most proud of and why?
I don't know, there is a story behind every image and this is the most important…, when I look back at my images I don't want to feel proud about the image itself, but I want to remember how that moment felt and to live through it again.
For me this is the real value of my images. How do you think your style has evolved over the years?
Through the years I started thinking more about the light and the moment, not about the technical part of the image. I love improvising, trying different things, some of them work, some are complete failure, but I learn through both, both can teach you a lesson. I believe this is the best way to build know-how. Nowadays digital cameras, lenses, gadgets in general, are better and better and give us huge advantage. I try to use this in my favour, in the best possible way to accomplish my wildlife photography ideas. The Idea is always first and without it even the best gear can be useless, so I rely on my ideas and the process of wildlife photography, not on my photo equipment.