The Wildlife Photojournalist
With a doctorate in biology and an eye for rich biodiversity, Tim Laman's extraordinary wildlife photography is captivating and raises awareness about the complex ecosystems he shoots
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New England-based photographer Tim Laman has climbed to the top of his field both figuratively and literally. His pioneering research in the rain-forest canopy in Borneo led to a Ph.D. from Harvard and, in 1997, his first of many articles for National Geographic. His training as a field biologist has allowed him to go deeper into his subjects' lives. He believes that awareness through photography can have a positive impact on the conservation movement. In recognition of his efforts, in 2009, NANPA presented Laman with the prestigious Outstanding Nature Photographer Award.
Outdoor Photographer:Let's assume I've already made the four- to five-day journey from home in the U.S. to my field location in a rain-forest camp in New Guinea somewhere. This might have involved two days of international travel and another day of domestic flights. Then after a day of buying food and repacking, a Cessna flight to a remote airstrip is followed by a hike in with local porters to a field campsite. Let's also assume we've already spent several days scouting, and my biologist colleague or local guides have helped me find the display site of the bird I want to photograph. I also spent a day shooting a fishing line over a tree near the display site with a bow and arrow, pulling up climbing ropes and working for several hours in the canopy, building a blind. When it came time for shooting, this would typically involve waking up at around 4:00 a.m., having a quick bite to eat and hiking a half hour in the dark with perhaps a couple of porters helping carry gear to my blind tree. Then after climbing my rope with ascenders in the dark, hauling a bag of camera gear below me, I would get in my blind and get set up before it gets light and the birds start arriving around 6:00 a.m. Now let's say this is a species that just displays in the mornings. I'd spend three or four hours in the blind, which is really nothing more than a frame of short poles or a couple of boards lashed between branches that I can sit on with a pad, surrounded by camouflaged cloth and netting. I get lucky, and the males actually come and display that day and I get some shots, but unfortunately, no females come. I really want to get a female visit, so I'll be back for several more days. Since this is a morning displaying bird, I head down the tree in the late morning after the activity dies down. Then in the midday and afternoon, I usually have other plans.
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