Steve Bloom's Spirit of the Wild exhibition

"Steve Bloom’s Spirit of the Wild open air photography exhibition runs from 27 September to 15 November in Millennium Square, Leeds, UK.

The exhibition was seen by an estimated three million people in Birmingham and Copenhagen.

A free outdoor photography exhibition of 100 giant floodlit pictures, open 24 hours
World facts and data of environmental importance.
A short documentary about Spirit of the Wild showing Steve Bloom at work. The film runs continuously in the exhibition shop and information centre.

Steve Bloom brings to us these breathtaking photographs showing the diversity of life from many places in the world; from the depths of the rainforest to the open expanse of the Arctic Circle. He shares his desire to capture the spirit and the beauty of the world’s wildlife and to engage the viewer with these images, but at the same time, show that this world is a fragile place that needs to be protected if these animals are to survive in the future. "
-From the press release on Steve's website.

The thing that struck me about the exhibition, which I highly recommend (and failing that check out his website) is the empathy that Steve creates in the viewer. Everything works together; subject matter, lighting, composition - all deliver emotion which gets us to identify with the animals. There are lots of good wild life photographers but few that can achieve the same sense of being in the animal's presence that Steve manages to create.

I think Jane Goodall's sums it up best for me too. She said, "Steve Bloom's photographs speak directly to the heart." They certainly do and they will send your heart racing.

Do try to see the exhibition. Nothing on a computer monitor can rival the sheer impact of those huge outdoor prints.

Cheers,
Paul

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