Your Story: Jonathan Lee In our Your Story feature, we ask our members about what inspires their pho

Your Story: Jonathan Lee

In our Your Story feature, we ask our members about what inspires their photography, the processes they use to make images, and the stories behind their pictures.

Q. What’s the story behind this photo?

A.While changing lenses on a hill in South Georgia, this king penguin chick took an interest to me and waddled over. I must look like a penguin parent because it then started to chirp, beat its wings, and open its mouth as if waiting to be fed. Just as my wide-angle lens snapped on, it mustered up the courage to start pecking me, and I captured this shot just that was happening.

Q. How was this image made?

A.Shot with a 14-24mm lens, I kept the focus on the eyes with a wide aperture, and got a sense of motion as well. I think it is a pretty fun image.

Q. What do you think about when you’re photographing?

A.I try put as much of myself into my images as possible, whether it is how I am feeling, or a story I am trying to tell - this can be related to subject, or the place. I think context is everything - visual clues which get the viewer thinking, and immerses them in what I am seeing, and more importantly, what I am feeling.


Q. Why do you take pictures?

A.Pictures freeze a moment in time, and if done right, that means everything that was going on in that one frame which I am actually not able to process on the spot: emotions, thoughts, observations, reflections. It buys more time with special moments. This serves as a visual diary for myself, but also allows me to share all of those things with someone else. 


Q. What do you like to take pictures of and why?

A.Wildlife. It’s both a lifelong passion, but also an incredible challenge. Strong wildlife images don’t come easy - it’s the product of research, planning, skill, and luck, and there’s nothing more rewarding for me.


Q. What do you want to say with your images?

A.I try to show how interconnected we all are in the natural world - this is life on earth, we share it with other incredible beings, and we are all in it together.


Q. Are you a self-taught photographer? If not, how did you learn to make photographs?

A.Yes, I’ve been very fortunate to have had many wonderful influences in the world of photography from my father, and from my friends.


See more photographs by Jonathan Lee on Your Shot.

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