Back in 2016, I was walking around at my girlfriend’s grandmother’s house. I was daydreaming and not paying much attention but suddenly a squirrel came very close to me, maybe a metre away.
I stood still while the squirrel did his thing. He wasn’t scared at all! I knew I wanted to get closer to these animals so I bought a feeder for the tree and filled it with walnuts. Then, I waited each day for the squirrel to come and eat.
I was spending all my free time observing the squirrels through a motion-detection camera and saw how they opened the feeder. I soon realised that I needed some equipment to capture these lovely animals so on my 30th birthday I bought myself a Nikon d5200 with a sigma 150 - 600 zoom lens and a camouflage tent to capture my first images of the squirrels and that’s how it all started!
I have never followed a course or attend a school to learn photography. I made many mistakes and learned from it, that is how learned photography!
Trial and error made me the photographer that I am today!
The personal challenges I've faced in my life serve as a source of inspiration for me to capture greater joy in my photographs. Having encountered numerous hardships, my desire is to motivate others to focus on the brighter aspects of life.
I try to capture the dark side of nature but I also try to capture moments of joy and positivity. It depends on my personal mood and share them with others. There are many ways to spread positivity and inspire others and I think I have finally captured the essence to portray all these powerful feelings through my photography.
When choosing my pictures to enter for the 2023 European Photography Awards, it was important for me to consider the theme and criteria of the competition. I wanted to make sure my work aligns with the requirements needed and to ultimately stand out from other entries.
I love to select unique and creative photos that showcases their individual style and perspective. By doing so, I can differentiate myself from other photographers and I hope to increase my chances of winning!
Understanding the technical aspects of photography is definitely important if you want to take great photos. Exposure, aperture, and ISO are three key elements that you should understand.
In addition to these technical aspects, it's also important to understand how your subject behaves. Whether you're photographing humans or animals, knowing how they move and react can help you capture more spontaneous and natural-looking photos.
Fun story I was actually focusing on a different subject in the garden and suddenly in the background this robber ... (Read more at European Photography Awards)
I took this shot because I want to showcase the red squirrel expression when they leap through the air I ... (Read more at European Photography Awards)
Niki Colemont embarked on his photographic journey by capturing an image of a squirrel just a few meters away. He aspires to impart his knowledge to fellow photographers.
Read more about this interview with Reka Csulak of Three Pod Studio from Finland, the Platinum Winner of the 2023 European Photography Awards.