The Circle of Life

Award-winning Swiss nature photographer captures stunning imagery of African wildlife; depicting the harsh realities of survival in the wild

Zurich, 11 April 2017

• Photographer Chris Schmid set out on an awe-inspiring photography expedition to the dry salt planes of Namibia
• The shoot was part of Chris’ documentary ‘The African Survivors’; filming and photographing endangered species across Africa; looking at how the same animals behaved differently in differently environments
• The enigmatic beauty of the wild is enriched through the lens of Sony’s RX10 III camera; combining an extended 24-600mm 25x super-telephoto zoom with a powerful sensor poised to capture sensational close-up detail

From tracking the Black Rhino to a rare sighting of a Caracal to witnessing a pride of Lions hunting their prey; this outstanding wildlife photography series captures the desolate beauty of the wild.

Chris Schmid, a Swiss native, award-winning photographer, captured the stunning collection in December; a time of year when the weather can be changeable which, as the collection shows, offers its own challenges but also opportunities for imagery.

Chris provides tips on how best to capture great wildlife imagery -

• Ensure you have a good tracker; seek out the good trackers as they will be an invaluable aid

• Be prepared to get up early to attach yourself to a group of animals like a pride of lions and be prepared to wait; lions tend to sleep up to 20 hours per day so you need to be vigilant to know when they will be on the move and be ready with your camera
• Be observant; Sounds simple but it can lead to wonderful and unexpected shots. If you spend a day watching cheetahs or lions and they don’t make a kill, the chances are that they will try the next day so keep tracking them
• Keep properly hydrated and drink lots of water; A general rule of thumb is drinking about a litre of water every 3 hours
• Use camera filters; the elements, at least on the African planes, are harsh therefore camera filters can offer a lot of protection

Award winning photographer Chris Schmid, commented: “I find photographing the local nature in Namibia fascinating; seeing how the animals have adapted their behaviour to be able to survive is a wonderful story to tell through the camera lens. Vegetation and water supplies are a lot more limited in such dry environments, we see that groups of animals split up more often when hunting for their next food source. With precious few places to hide, this makes the territory extremely effective and deadly.”

“Photographing in such harsh environments can provide multiple challenges but here dust can be a real issue. On the upside, the vast planes mean that you can see for very long distances so good telephoto lenses are essential. Using the Sony RX10 III gave me confidence on this particularly testing shoot. The camera’s impressively quick autofocus and the zoom range were crucial to capture the wild.”

“When coming face to face with rare animals, I had to react quickly not to miss a shot, and couldn’t get too close, therefore, the silent shutter speed of the camera was vital. Also, using a 600mm at an aperture of F4 would normally mean carrying around a lot of weight in lenses but thanks to everything being in one bridge camera body, it made the shoot a whole lot easier.”

Yann Salmon Legagneur, Head of Product Marketing, Digital Imaging for Sony Europe, commented: “The RX10 III is the ideal accompaniment for professional and amateur wildlife photographers. Chris’ wildlife collection showcases just what the camera is capable of; just one camera with a fixed lens. Additionally, thanks to its 24-600mm super-telephoto zoom and silent shutter capability, it ensures that these beautiful animals are not disturbed whilst photos are taken.”

The Sony RX10 III camera is available now.

About the RX10 III

With vast zoom range out to 600mm, efficient 1.0-type image sensor, large-aperture 24-600mm lens and 25x zoom lens, subjects now stand out beautifully, even when shot at extreme distances or close up.

Key features:

• The first 25x super-telephoto zoom lens in the RX series
• Incredible focal range of 24-600mm covering a range from wide-open vistas to extra-close-up action
• Fast and silent shutter capability ensuring sharp, undistorted images can be captured without disturbing the surrounding environment
• Optical image stabilisation technology prevents camera blur to ensure smooth, stable framing and shooting

Further information on this project can be found in the appendix to this press release.