138. Renato Granieri: Capturing nature from behind the lens

Award-winning photographer Renato Granieri discusses with host Sue Stockdale his transformation from a corporate career to becoming an wildlife and travel photographer. Born in Sardinia and settled in the UK, Granieri shares how a trip to the Faroe Islands sparked his passion for photography at the age of 40 and the pivotal role his partner, a travel journalist, played in his career switch. Granieri emphasises the importance of patience, visualisation, and planning in capturing stunning wildlife images and describes the diverse global locales he explores from Antarctica to the jungles of Africa. He also shares his insights on using new technologies like drones for photography and how his work has become a lifestyle deeply rooted in nature conservation. 

About Renato Granieri
Renato has been a wildlife photographer since 2014. Since his first visit to the Arctic, Renato has travelled regularly to the Arctic and Antarctica. In 2024, Renato has reached the geographical North Pole on an expedition vessel. Renato has won several awards, including the Grand Prize of the National Geographic Traveller on two separate occasions, the Bird Photographer of the Year and the Asferico International Contest. Renato has been commissioned by newspapers, magazines, tour operators and tourist boards and also leads specialist photographic tours to a number of destinations around the world.
 
Amongst all, he spends considerable time with chimpanzees, both with those in the wild and those under rehabilitation, contributing to raising money for the preservation of the species. Renato has a strong passion for conservation and is actively involved in a project with Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone. In 2022, he was made an official ambassador for the chimpanzees of Sierra Leone. He has two main long-term goals: help with the preservation of wildlife, particularly with great apes and the habitat they live in and inspire others to take care of our planet and travel the world responsibly.
 
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Key Quotes

• I started touching my first camera at the age of 40.
• Visiting a colony of puffins was the turning point when I started getting very obsessive about wildlife and the natural environment
• You get paid to do something that you really like and change your life and change the way you see things
• Click less and think more
• One excellent shot is worth millions of average shots
• Learn the rules because they're very important, but also learn how to break those rules

Time Stamps
03:29 Discovering Photography: A Life-Changing Journey
06:13 The Creative Process and Inspirations
11:00 Wildlife Encounters and Photography Techniques
25:36 Tools of the Trade: Renato's Equipment
28:53 Building a Photography Business
30:35 Reflections and Advice for Aspiring Photographers

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