Even if they are magnificent, wild creatures are typically only visible to us from a distance. That is why Pedro Jarque Krebs’ photographs have such a lasting impact. The renowned Peruvian photographer photographs several wild animal species in a way that makes them seem up and personal. These portraits might easily be mistaken for paintings if we tried!
Krebs also calls attention to issues with extinction, such as that more than half of the animal populations in our world have vanished in the previous 50 years. To view this artist’s incredible work, scroll below.
Pedro’s images all have a distinctive style. When we inquired about how it was made, the artist replied, “My job involves a lot of patience and a little bit of luck. Working with animals may be both extremely gratifying and occasionally frustrating. You must have patience and pay close attention. I would prefer to work in a dark room where I could control the lighting and the background while still having some control over the animal, but it is very challenging or even impossible to get large or dangerous animals into a real studio.
There are other approaches, though, to achieve the same outcome without upsetting them. Although it’s not very frequent, the first option might be to place the animal in front of a cave or other naturally gloomy background. The second way involves using artificial light, such as one or more flashes, plus a specific camera technique to generate the black background, and the third method entails darkening the background or “burning” it in post-production.
Working in a photography studio is more practical for small creatures, like amphibians or reptiles, for instance. In any event, it’s best to avoid disturbing the animal because this will cause it to behave and posture in a more natural way.
“Each animal has its habits, and it is very useful to know them to know when they are most active,” Pedro says. “On the other hand, as most of the time I work with natural light, it is very important to know how the weather will be, and also the position of the light. Once in front of the animal, you have to wait. It can take hours, or sometimes you get a good photo quickly; it’s a matter of having a little luck and above all being prepared.
Then comes the selection phase, which can be long, as you have to examine hundreds of photos thoroughly and generally choose only one to work with. The post-production work will depend on what has been obtained in the photoshoot. Sometimes not much needs to be done, and sometimes it is necessary to work a little more on the background and the lights and shadows.”
When asked about his inspiration sources, Pedro cites the classic baroque painters, “such as Rembrandt or Caravaggio, especially the handling of light and shadow in the style called ‘chiaroscuro’. I try to learn by looking closely at their works. But I also like to look a lot at the work of contemporary photographers, especially studio portraits, such as those made by Irving Penn.”
We wondered whether it’s difficult to develop a unique style nowadays when there are so many great creators, to which Pedro replied: “Having a personal stamp or style, I don’t think it’s something you plan. I think it’s something that emerges as you perfect your work and refine it with your personal sensibility. Style is the fruit of your whole life, all your learning, your successes, and your failures. Even your readings, your travels, your reflections, and your way of seeing the world.”
