Jul 31

Jul 31 The Photographic Alphabet: H is for Erik Hijweege

African Lion © Erik Hijweege

Project: Endangered

The whole Endangered project was a remarkable and sometimes shocking journey of discovery around our planet and its threatened animal species. My guide on this voyage of discovery was the IUCN’s Red List. What I find downright shocking is the fact that in 2018 there are more than 22,000 species on the list with a status ranging from vulnerable to critically endangered.

It’s just over four years ago now that I went back to the roots of photography -- the 19th century collodion process which involves pouring the emulsion on the glass plate yourself. Fascinated by the beauty of the imperfections inherent in this manual technique, I started on 'Endangered'. The fragility of the glass and the authentic nature of the process seemed to me to fit well with the animals’ vulnerable status.

By capturing and immortalising threatened animal species in ice I’ve put a small number of the animals on a pedestal. I hope that 'Endangered' will serve as an inspiration to people to be careful with our planet.