Interview with Jose Luis Rodriguez, winner of Wildlife Photographer of the Year
By Amy Davies
Posted on Friday, 23rd Oct 2009 at 01:05pm GMT10 Comments
Spanish photographer José Luis Rodriguez was crowned winner of the Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009, scooping a £10,000 prize. His image (above), along with the category winners and highly commended images will be on display at the Natural History museum until April 2010.
I spoke to him yesterday about his love of Spain, passing on his camera skills to his sons and the surprise of winning.
Image: The Storybook Wolf © José Luis Rodríguez / Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009
Me: This is a beautiful image of a wolf, do you have a favourite animal to shoot?
José: My favourite animal is the wolf, but I also love all the hunting animals such as eagles.
Do you have a favourite location to shoot in?
Anywhere in Spain, it’s a paradise for wildlife photographers. Although Spain is fantastic however, I’d love to travel around the world to places like South Africa and the South Pole where there’d be even more chances to take great shots.
It’s a bit difficult to do this though because it’s so expensive – I need to stay in a location for a long time, I can’t go just for a week or two, I need to stay for a few months!
Where you there when the image was taken?
No, I wasn’t, I used an infrared barrier to shoot the image. I went to get some sleep! I don’t know what time the photograph was taken, but judging from the light I think it is early in the night.
Is the wolf the most difficult animal to shoot?
Not really, it depends on where the wolf is. In Spain there are areas where wolves are chased continuously, so if it’s a more remote area where they’re not so afraid of the humans, I can get closer, and leave food for him to get his confidence.
Wolves look like pretty dangerous creatures – how much would you risk to get the best shot?
Now I have 3 sons, so I can’t do it so much anymore, but when I was young I used to do really stupid things to get a nice picture!
Do you encourage your children to take photographs?
Yes, I’m trying to teach my 3 sons. The youngest one is 7 and really loves it. He asks for my camera all the time, he runs around taking pictures – he’s really good. He says to me ‘stay away Dad, you don’t know how to do it!”
Do you trust him with your expensive equipment?
There’s no chance to say no!
Do you think your son will enter the competition himself?
No, not at the moment! Probably in the future.
What will you do with the prize money?
I didn’t know what the prize award was, I only found out today what the amount was! I really don’t know, probably a trip.
Have you got any tips for next year’s entrants?
There is no special advice, you just need to find something that you really love and don’t be afraid of trying.
For more information on the exhibition, see our news stories on the winners. The Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition runs at the Natural History Museum until April 2010. Adult tickets are priced at £9, children £4.50.
Read my interview with Mark Cawardine, chair of the judging panel, to see what he thought of the winning image.
Update: On 20 January 2010, the winning image by Jose Luis Rodriguez, was disqualified for breaking one of the key rules of the competition which states that animal models must not be used.
A bit disappointed to find he didn't take the image but left it to chance! Not much chance of doing that here as your gear would be nicked.
#1. Posted on Tuesday, 27 Oct 2009 at 01:48am GMT. Report this
That wolf portrait is simply stunning!
#2. Posted on Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009 at 01:28pm GMT. Report this
I agree with the first comment and considering Jose' comment about travel "It’s a bit difficult to do this though because it’s so expensive" he seems to spend a lot of time away with no money? While the picture is stunning I would feel no gratification from not actually pressing the shutter button and I think this should be took into serious consideration when judging and may be another category introduced for such shots.
#3. Posted on Saturday, 14 Nov 2009 at 03:58pm GMT. Report this
The result is great, but the guy was long time preparing for it, I am not sure this is really something we should admire, as it was a forced situation by taking advantage for the carnivorous hunger of these animals. Still, hat's off for the final product.
http://oscarelmexicanopics.blogspot.com/
Oscar el Mexicano
#4. Posted on Saturday, 14 Nov 2009 at 10:12pm GMT. Report this
perhaps given his disqaulification, it would be better to remove this interview from the site - and given some serious ambiguities in his answers here, it become more and more clear that he has purposly deceived the judges of the competition and Amy during her interview with him.
To say it was remotely triggered and he had gone off to sleep, but he did not have a clue what time the photo was taken - surely the exif would tell him.
It is, however, a great image, and nothing can take away from that, but all the other 'issues' means that, in my opinion, we should not be promoting it here on this site.
#5. Posted on Wednesday, 20 Jan 2010 at 11:01pm GMT. Report this
Exif? Thought the picture was taken on film?
#6. Posted on Thursday, 21 Jan 2010 at 10:30am GMT. Report this
At least there is justice in the end. Reading this interview again it gets really clear how false he sounds in some of his answers. I am sorry for the interviewer who must be feeling bad for being disappointed of having spent time with such a fraud...He has been banned for life of the WPY competition, that is a fair punishment.
I agree to remove this interview, no more promotions for this guy. I only hope that at least the wolf Ossiana is Ok. I don't know what kind of freak this guy can be to the point of doing harm to the wolf.
#7. Posted on Thursday, 21 Jan 2010 at 01:07pm GMT. Report this
Isn't it amazing how we all leap to condem pontificating with self righteousness at someone who is caught stretching the rules. Is this any worse than the use of photoshop to distort to advantage an imagine or posing someone to win a "candid" competion or any of the many other manipulative processes used to gain advantage. At what point does a wild animal become a tame or "model" animal" Is it a wild Iberian Wolf or is a tame wild Iberian wolf, Whatever you believe it is a magnificent photograph of an Iberian wolf however it was taken. If the photographer understood the rules then he has been rightly disqualified so now step forward and criticise all you who have never manipulated a photograph for advantage or gain. Maybe all competions should be for "out of the camera" photographs this would sort out the great uaers of a camera from the great manipulators. Mr Rodriguez I salute you Photograph its a shame about the rules
#8. Posted on Friday, 22 Jan 2010 at 12:11pm GMT. Report this
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlrodriguez/ I went on flickr and did a little search and found the above. I dont know if it is the same guy but there is a similarity in the style. If it is he is clearly a talented photographer who probably never heeded to cheat.
Regards John at Tramsteer http://www.flickr.com/photos/tramsteer/
#9. Posted on Friday, 22 Jan 2010 at 06:14pm GMT. Report this
When I first saw it it reminded me of a very well trained show-jumper, as opposed to a wild animal. I'm suprised that alarm bells didn't ring with the judges at the time.
#10. Posted on Thursday, 15 Apr 2010 at 02:13pm GMT. Report this
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