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With over 20 years of experience photographing wildlife, Ondřej has built up an impressive catalogue of creatures selling over 400,000 photo licenses worldwide. This is down to his meticulous metadata and having a wide range of subjects in his 17�Թ����� collection.

Read on to find out more about Ondřej’s incredible photography workshops and how education is key when it comes to becoming a great wildlife photographer.

SH: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became a specialist in wildlife photography? 

OP: I started taking photos without any ambitions at the age of 26, when I was writing articles about trips to active volcanoes and wanted to have some visual material to accompany the texts.

I never wanted to be a professional photographer; I was afraid that nature photography would lose its charm for me. But at some point, I realized that with my job and family, I didn’t have time for what I truly loved. I had to change my profession. The decision was easy, especially since photography was already bringing me the same income as my previous job as a geological engineer. I wasn’t entirely stepping into the unknown.

Becoming a wildlife photographer was a coincidence. Back then, I never imagined how it would change my life. I think it was around 2004 when I went to Costa Rica to photograph volcanoes, but there were so many animals in the beautiful biota that I felt compelled to capture them and write about what an amazing place it was. And I still feel the same way; I want my photos to inspire interest in nature and its conservation.

Since then, I’ve written over a thousand articles for around sixty magazines. I’ve sold over 400,000 photo licenses worldwide. I’ve had nearly two thousand clients join me on workshops and photography trips around the world and I give lectures on nature and photography.

I think that “Costa Rican coincidence” really turned out quite differently than expected.

SH: We can see that you’ve photographed animals all over the world, what’s your favourite location you’ve been to? 

OP: I enjoy remote places where there aren’t many people, such places are rare nowadays. I think I’ve felt most at home during repeated trips to see polar bears in the Svalbard Islands and snow leopards in the winter Himalayas. I love returning there. Extreme weather and high altitudes don’t bother me; I love animals in the snow and in the mountains. It’s always uncertain whether I’ll see my dream species, but that excitement about how things will turn out is what I enjoy about these trips.

I also love the tropical areas of Central America, which I return to every year. I enjoy photographing birds, especially colorful species like hummingbirds, toucans and parrots. Perhaps it’s because these parts of nature sparked my interest in wildlife photography in the first place.

I also enjoy trips to Šumava, a low mountain range in the Czech Republic, just two hours by car from my home. There, I know places where I won’t meet anyone. I photograph owls and look for Eurasian lynxes.

SH: We can see that you’ve set up several photography workshops which look really interesting, how long have you been leading them and can you tell us more about them? 

OP: My photographic workshops and wildlife photography trips with clients have a long tradition. This year marks 20 years since I first took photographers to Costa Rica. For the more beginner photographers, I’ve prepared staged sessions with birds of prey and owls, landscape photography, and capturing wild terrestrial orchids in nature.

The more experienced photographers join me several times a year for trips to photograph bears in Finland, Iberian lynx in Spain, bison in Poland, or orchids in the Mediterranean. I regularly organize photo expeditions for wildlife photography in Costa Rica, Botswana, Madagascar, and even in winter on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

In today’s world, where photography equipment for wildlife is easily accessible, there’s a high demand for trips where clients wish to capture attractive wildlife photos. Unfortunately, without experience and knowledge of animal behavior, they usually don’t even catch a glimpse of their dream species in the wild. I believe that with my two decades of experience in the field, I can help them with this. You see, it’s not enough just to find the animal. To get the best photo, you must add something extra depending on the conditions to make the image truly captivating. I think I have plenty of ideas for that, but it would require a separate article to explain them.

SH: If you would like to find out more about Ondřej’s photography workshops check out his website !

SH: You’ve been on quite the photographic journey; do you have any tips for new wildlife photographers? 

OP: In my opinion, a deep interest in biology, animal behavior in the wild and natural processes in general is essential. I believe that only someone with knowledge and respect for the wilderness can capture something interesting in their photos that will then captivate others. As I sometimes say, if you come back from nature photography trips frustrated because you didn’t get a good shot, you’ll never be a great photographer. Every failure and missed opportunity teaches me more about animals and nature. Motivation to bring something new into my photos also plays a big role.

Talent, having artistic abilities and a sense of composition is good. But it certainly isn’t enough. In my case, it’s mostly been about learning. I’ve never been to any courses or read any books about photography, only books on animal behavior and even weather. For me personally, finding inspiration is very important. I study where certain animals live, where the landscapes are attractive, I look at how foreign photographers have approached a topic, and I think about whether I could do it better. Often, it leads to the moment when I can’t wait to dive into it!

The longer I photograph, the more I realize that the most important thing is the drive and patience to keep going, to repeatedly return to attractive places and to have a clear goal. I think I have that drive, but I’ve just become a little “lazy.” Now, when I sense that the conditions for a good photo aren’t ideal, I’d prefer to go on a trip just with binoculars.

SH: Can you tell us about your next big project and where it will be taking you? 

OP: Because what currently fulfills me the most is the joy of taking photographers on wildlife expeditions around the world, I don’t have as much time for my own long-term projects that I’ve been working on for years. However, I am planning another trip to photograph new species of hummingbirds, of which I already have 150 species in my portfolio, and I’ve been working on this for almost two decades.

In February 2026, after a long effort, I’ve finally prepared a trip to the Falkland Islands to photograph penguins. I was in the region in 2009 when I was just starting photography and I believe I’ll have more experience now and be able to capture more captivating images.

We hope you enjoyed reading about Ondřej’s photographic career and are as inspired to start photographing wildlife as we are. Make sure to check out his entire 17�Թ����� collection here or give him a follow on Instagram .

If you’re interested in being interviewed for one of our future spotlight blog posts, upload today and show us your work!