Tom Svensson does not consider himself a wildlife photographer, although he photographs wildlife for a living, and is internationally renowned for it. He describes himself as a conservation photojournalist. Few of his images end up as framed prints on anyone’s wall. ‘My main work is conservation, and photography is just my way of getting the information out there,’ admits the Dane, who lives in Sweden when he isn’t travelling.
‘Most of my work is very dark. I work a lot with the illegal wildlife trade and follow the blood trail from the killing of the rhino in Africa, for example, all the way to Asia, where the market for most of it ends up.’
Some of the stories that Tom shares of his brushes with criminal gangs, warlords and officials in despotic dictatorships are, frankly, terrifying. He has been followed, threatened, chased and even kidnapped. He has had guns pointed at him, and there are places he can no longer go because he would probably be killed.
On the plus side his job takes him to some of the most beautiful parts of the world and brings him into close proximity with the most incredible wildlife. So inevitably he has an impressive portfolio of more-traditionally picturesque wildlife images that celebrate the wonders of the natural world.
Like many
