17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß

Explore a selection of Mathias’ work here.

Mathias Putze has been with 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß since 2019, and has built up a great collection of wildlife photography ­– in particular, bird photography. As a photographer myself, and someone with a keen interest in wildlife, I spoke to Mathias about his journey, his passion for birds and his thoughts on wildlife conservation.

Hi Mathias. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey to becoming a wildlife photographer?

I started taking photos at a young age, but soon realized the expense of processing slides. When I became a freelancer ornithologist, I started taking photos again and spent most of my money on equipment.

One of the huge benefits of being freelance was the amount of time I could spend travelling. As a child, I’d always dreamt of travelling to different countries and seeing the array of birds which live there. One bird I wanted to find was a Shoebill! So in between freelancing, that’s what I did.

Before I became a photographer, I studied biology and spent 15 years working as a freelance ornithologist. I continued to follow my passion and currently work at a Bavarian State Bird Conservation Centre. I’m now responsible for the protection of golden eagles in Bavaria, which is amazing. I’m also involved in a research project investigating the habitat of rooks using GPS telemetry.

Can you tell us about your Birds in Flight project?

is a project I started working on with two friends in around 2012.

As professional ornithologists, we often have to quickly identify birds while they are flying, and most of the time, they are far away. Back in 2012, there were no resources which detailed the visual and vocal features of birds while in flight, which made our job very difficult. And that’s where and why our project started.

To date, we have identified almost 300 species. People now have access to pictures of all 300 species and details of their characteristic flight calls.

Ducks and geese, tits, thrushes, raptors, herons, larks and pipits are all families we have nearly finished identifying. Our aim is to identity as many as possible.

You have an impressive collection of bird photography. Are there any birds that you haven’t captured that you plan to?

Thank you very much Shannon! There are many birds I’d like to see. Two species on my list are harpy eagles and secretary birds. I would also like to photograph some asian pheasant species!

I thoroughly enjoy photographing animals myself, and while it’s incredibly rewarding, it can throw some challenges. What has been your most challenging animal to photograph?

I have faced some challenges when photographing certain birds, mainly because they are difficult to find. The sidamo lark, which is on the brink of extinction, can only be found within a few square kilometres in Ethiopia and Somalia – it was challenging to locate.

You do need to be patient when photographing wildlife, which can be a challenge in itself. The temminck’s tragopan mainly lives in China, but if you know where to look, and are patient, you’ll be rewarded.

Wildlife conservation is a hugely important topic. What do you think the role of a wildlife photographer is?

As a wildlife photographer, it is our job to bring biodiversity to the forefront of people’s minds. Conservation projects need strong pictures to catch people’s attention and raise awareness.

We hope that our Birds in Flight project will help play a role in wildlife conservation. The more birds we identify, the more people can learn and recognise different species, some which are close to extinction.

What advice would you give to other wildlife photographers who are just starting out?

Take pictures of a topic you love as passion is the best motivation. My love for bird watching is what led me to be a bird photographer. I’d also suggest they look at other photographers’ work; not to copy, but to take inspiration.

I think all photographers have their favourite photo they’ve taken. What is yours and why?

I have many favourites for different reasons – I love some of them purely because it was the first time I’d managed to photograph that species. I love the first shots I took of a shoebill and a rosalia longicorn. My shot of a ocellated turkey in Guatemala is also a favourite – it even won a prize!

Have you had any close encounters with an animal while out in the field?

The closest – and most excited encounter I’ve had – was with a young mountain gorilla in Bwindi National Park in Uganda. But that is just one of many encounters I have experienced.

What’s next on the horizon for you?

It’s been difficult to make future plans because of the current climate. But of course, there are regions I want to visit. Tibetan Plateau is next on my list.