Wildlife photographer Harry Skeggs shows portraits of wild animals with a message in his book Creation

More and more photographers in their work not only show the beauty and biodiversity of our planet, but also increasingly focus on nature conservation and the threat to the natural habitat of animals. This is certainly true of Harry Skeggs, who, with his debut Creation, Masterpieces from the Natural World, with more than 100 photos in a beautiful coffee table book (teNeues Verlag), movingly reflects on the vulnerability of our Earth.

In his book Creation, Masterpieces from the Natural World, British photographer Harry Skeggs has collected his beautiful photographs from recent years. Inspired by the famous animal painter George Stubbs, Skeggs travelled across continents, spending weeks, sometimes months, in the wilderness; lying in snow or in rivers to capture stunning and emotional images of lions, tigers, rhinos, giraffes, elephants, penguins, wild horses, gorillas, and bears in their natural habitat. Wild, as they should be (with the exception of the white rhinos in Kenya and a dog on page 249).

Statement

The 256-page book, consisting of both black and white and colour photographs, is divided into seven chapters, with the author highlighting the biodiversity of our planet per continent. The respect for nature and wildlife shines through the images. Skeggs makes a statement right from the first lines of his introduction: "96 percent of the world's mammalian biomass consists of humans and our livestock, while only 4 percent of mammals truly live in the wild. The fact that our wild neighbours now make up such a small part of our world makes it clear how little of our planet is truly 'free'."

Photos as connection

Skeggs sees photography as a connecting medium between global issues and its audience, striving to win people's hearts by not only showing breathtaking images, but also by taking them into the animal kingdom and showing how they should be able to continue to live freely and wildly in unspoiled landscapes. The Brit always photographs with the camera in hand: "I think the audience needs to feel like they are sharing my experience to connect with it - to share that moment when you feel the warm breath of a gorilla on your face, or feel the ground tremble as a 1000-pound grizzly gently walks past you."

Awareness

Creation is more than a collection of beautiful images; it is an invitation to see the world through the eyes of the creator, who tells stories in each chapter that make you, as a viewer, want to be part of the solution. With his photos, Skeggs tries to create an urgent awareness among his spectators; to let them look into the soul of animals and nature that we risk losing around us every day if we don't take action ourselves.

About Harry Skeggs

Photographer Skeggs has published extensively in National Geographic Traveler, won various international photography awards, made several documentaries, and his work hangs in acclaimed photo galleries. In addition, Skeggs is a member of Generation Tusk and is passionately committed to nature conservation. He also supports various charities dedicated to preserving our planet's vulnerable ecosystems.