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Konstantin E. Mikhailov, Ph.D. Biology
Professional zoologist and paleontologist (PhD), environmental activist and expert in ecological tourism, Konstantin pays much attention during the last fifteen years to photo-illustrating wild nature of Russia and other regions, as well as writing about it in books and magazines (see Publications). He is based in Moscow and is recently engaged as a senior researcher in Paleontological Museum of Russian Academy of Science (www.paleo.ru).
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A way from pure science to wildlife and nature photography
There are many ways to appreciate nature, and in this appreciation one can easily drift from vocation to obsession. When I was a boy I painted animals. Later, after graduation from the Biology Department of Moscow University, I dreamed of living in the wilderness of protected areas, but instead have worked as a zoologist and paleontologist in the institutions of Academy of Science. This work involved many nature expeditions around Russia and Mongolia and the camera always was a good companion in my travels along with binoculars and field diary. In 1994 – 2000, I have been a five-year field researcher-grantee of the National Geographic Society, exploring one of the most fantastic wild regions of the Russian Far East, the Ussuriland (Sikhote-Alin Region). By then I already stood with one foot in the camp of wildlife photography and got a serious interest to video-work.Visiting most wonderful and wild places in Russia I observed with sadness how nature was being destroyed every year.
People were killing forests, and polluting fish habitats - how could people who were born and living right in the middle of nature be so indifferent to it? This was a reason to move me in writing not only scientific articles and monographs, but also the popular articles and books which could help people to touch deeper with the aesthetic value of nature.
My photo-expeditions include various World’s Heritage sites of Russia, in particular many state nature reserves in the Caucasus Mountains, Russia North, Siberia and the Far East, as well as some other great wild regions of Asia (the Gobi Desert, Himalaya) and North-West of America (Alaska), with particular interest in photo-documentation of World’s boreal forests and their wildlife. At the same time my education in biology and extensive personal experience in field zoology and paleontology are a great asset in accurate perception and rendering of nature in photography and writing. My motto is that nature photography is not for fun and vainglory, but for getting knowledge and education. Nature photographer should be a serious naturalist who is responsible for his behavior in the wilderness and the way he learns the people to observe and illustrate the nature.
Other Konstantin's web sites:
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