Why do you often use black and white backgrounds for animal portraits?
The reason I often choose to present my subjects on simple backgrounds is to emphasise their character and personality to make nature more personal. I collaborated with social scientists Professor Linda Kalof and Assistant Professor Cameron Whitley to explore the effect of animal portraiture on empathy in viewers compared to more traditional wildlife photography. Our study found that creating an animal portrait taken against plain backgrounds and thereby removing the animal from its natural environment evoked greater empathy and a deeper emotional response. Our research paper concluded that such portraits were more likely to “galvanise public attention.” Photographing animals in this way brings the animal into the viewer’s world, bridging the geographical distance and creating a more intimate connection.