Samuel is a wildlife photographer from Finland with a focus on birds. His work has been featured in People's Choice Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Bird Photographer of the Year.
- “Our guide told us there was a bear cave 300m away. We didn’t take him seriously. It was a miracle we survived”
- “I glanced in the mirror and saw a huge, deadly creature crawling out of my shirt. I've never disrobed so quickly in my life.”
How did your career start?
I’ve always been fond of birds and nature, but the interest waned when I was a teenager. At university in Paris, I started photography by shooting metal concerts.
I then rediscovered wildlife as an exchange student in Helsinki, where I eventually settled. I bought a second-hand telephoto lens and never looked back.
Which of your shots is most significant to you?
A northern giant petrel sitting on a nest at the edge of the Rātā forest, Enderby Island, New Zealand. It featured in the People’s Choice selection of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024.
Which species have you found most challenging to capture?
I have an obsession with birds of open habitats, but they are difficult to photograph because they are shy and can see you from a mile off. I love great bustards, for example, but I still haven’t figured out how to get a close-up.
As a result, I’ve embraced the small-in-the-frame style, especially when I can take advantage of atmospheric conditions such as fog.
What species is still on your bucket list?
I love ducks, particularly eiders. They are so weird! I would love to travel to Alaska to photograph the spectacled eider.
Any epic fails to share?
Yes, when photographing a capercaillie lek. I had slept in a tent and was up at first light. I could see a bird displaying in the distance, but there were too many branches in the way to get a decent shot. Unable to leave before the birds did, I went back to sleep.
A little while later, I awoke to some strange noises, and realised a pair of capercaillies was right outside my tent. I managed to get a few images, but how much I missed because I was asleep, I will never know.
What’s been your most memorable encounter with wildlife?
I was once attacked by a ‘crazy’ capercaillie while hiking with a friend in northern Finland. These birds sometimes behave in a strange manner, displaying to nobody and becoming aggressive. This individual saw us as competitors and tried to send us packing.
It was an impressive creature, with a massive bill and equally massive claws. It approached with rushed movements, uttering the strangest clicking and wheezing sounds I have ever heard. Luckily, we managed to run to a safe distance.
What’s been your most costly shoot in terms of time invested?
I’ve spent a lot of time watching red-throated divers doing nothing. They breed on tiny taiga ponds, which they leave to hunt fish. When the parents are away, the chicks usually sleep, and when the parents are at home, they all sleep together. Take-offs and landings are spectacular and difficult to photograph, but little happens in between. It’s a meditative experience…
Have you lost any kit to a wild animal?
Nearly! I was in Kyrgyzstan, 3,000m above sea level, photographing a fabulous sunset. I wanted some wide-angle shots, so I left my long lens by my car and started walking. Suddenly, I heard horses cantering along the road – one of many free-ranging herds in central Asia.
They were heading right for my car and my €20,000 lens. I tried to scare them away, but that only made them run faster. Fortunately, they veered off through the fields at the last minute.
What’s been your most physically challenging shoot?
I once spent two hours by a river in -20ºC, hoping to see a dipper. It never arrived, and I was so incredibly cold.
What’s your one piece of advice to budding wildlife photographers?
Photograph for yourself. Learn from your idols, but don’t let algorithms and contests influence your creativity. It’s more rewarding to fall in love with a story and deep-dive into it than to chase the illusion of fame.
See Samuel's work at: samuelbloch.fr
