We’re very excited about our interview today! Jim Zuckerman (that’s him, above) has been keeping himself very busy for many years hopping around the globe, making images of nearly every ilk. You may remember we took a look at his poison dart frog images a few weeks back. His enthusiasm for his work is infectious- have a look at his images and hear what he has to say, below:
I love how varied your photography practice is- animals, places, conceptual, even impressionism- how do you do it all? Do you have a true passion among them?
My true passion is wildlife and primitive cultures, but beyond that, what gives me great pleasure is capturing beauty. It can be a poison dart frog, a child, the ceiling of a cathedral, or a volcanic eruption. I don’t know another photographer who shoots the variety of subjects that I do. There may one some out there, but I don’ t know their work. I have never put limits on my love of making photographs.
"The incredible ceiling of the cathedral in the Monastery of Melk, Austria. This is one of the most stunning cathedrals I've ever seen. To get this unique perspective, I used a 14mm wide angle lens on a full frame sensor. "
Poison dart frog (Dendrobates azureus), Surinam
Ati-atihan festival, Borocay Island, Philippines
What is your bread and butter, photographically- have you made a living from stock work, and is that still possible in the current climate?
My bread and butter has been stock. The market has changed a lot, and because my business is very diverse — books, photo tours, workshops, on-line courses, print sales, as well as stock — various parts of it can fluctuate. Right now my stock income is down, as all other stock photographers know, so I am putting more energy into the other facets of my business.
Friendly cow, Mannlichen, Switzerland
I love the poison dart frogs! How did your fascination with them come about?
As I said, I love photographing beauty. Poison dart frogs are beautiful, intriguing, and few people ever really get a good look at them. So, I have recently been trying to photograph as many species as possible. But I just returned from Costa Rica where I captured some great shots of hummingbirds. Now I’ll be pursuing these little gems.
Violet Sabrewing Hummingbird, Costa RIca
You have images from all over the world, but I’m not sure I would consider you a travel photographer. How would you define your approach to photography?
I like to shoot what is beautiful, exotic, primitive, and captivating. I don’t limit myself to a narrow specialty. If I create a new collection of images from something I’ve never done before, I then try to find a market for the pictures.
Lavender fields and approaching storm, near Valensole, Provence, France
Maasai girls, Maasai Mara National Park, Kenya
"Porter Ranch fire, Oct. 2003, 1/4 mile from my home"
What features are most important to you in a tripod? (do you have particular needs for something great for long exposures, or that can flip upside down for macro shots)?
My Induro tripod allows the center column to go horizontal for shooting straight down on macro subjects. It gives me sturdy reliability and it folds down with short legs that will fit into a carry-on piece of luggage for the airlines.
What projects are you currently working on? Can you show us any sneak peeks? How do you continue to balance commercial and personal projects?
I am working on producing a body of work on classic cars and street rods with beautiful backgrounds and some other digital work. I’ve attached three photos so you can see what I’m doing. Regarding balancing commercial versus personal, I’m not sure if I have an intelligent approach to time management. I work all the time and try to squeeze everything possible into a day. I love what I do, and since my wife also loves photography and we work together, I don’t feel like I have time away from my family.
Thanks, Jim! See more work, here.
