Closer: Tomasz Gudzowaty

Tomasz Gudzowaty became established as a wildlife documentary photographer in 1999, when he won the first of his World Press Photo awards in the nature category with a remarkable image of two cheetah cubs just about to take down their first prey. He has since traveled extensively through- out sub-Saharan Africa, amassing thousands of images of elephants, lions, cheetahs, wildebeest, zebras and other species. In 2008 Gudzowaty documented a remote emperor penguin colony in the Weddell Sea, a project he continued through his work on South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Gudzowaty’s wildlife photography is characterized by a technical and aesthetic sophistication that is particularly visible in his depictions of large-scale natural spectacles, such as the annual wildebeest migration in Tanzania or the breeding season on the penguin rookeries. This book captures Gudzowaty’s passion and deep knowledge of his subject: keenly observing both general patterns and minute details, he brings the viewer closer to nature’s inner workings and beauty.