Combining his love of nature with his passion for photography, a Warsaw-based student has won global acclaim for his striking images of the avian world.
Already the recipient of numerous awards and commendations, 22-year-old Grzegorz Długosz returned to the spotlight earlier this week after being named the ‘gold award winner’ in the Urban Birds category of the coveted Bird Photographer of the Year competition.
Titled ‘Treacherous Journey,’ Długosz’s winning image depicts a mother Goosander leading a tightly bunched group of chicks across a busy road close to Warsaw’s Łazienki Park.
“Goosanders breed in the park about one kilometer from Poland’s life-giving Vistula River,” Długosz explains in the accompanying caption. “Each mother has to move her brood to the river as quickly as possible due to the lack of food, and they make this journey through a series of underground passages and over a six-lane highway.”
Titled ‘Treacherous Journey,’ Długosz’s winning image depicts a mother Goosander leading a tightly bunched group of chicks across a busy road close to Warsaw’s Łazienki Park.
“Goosanders breed in the park about one kilometer from Poland’s life-giving Vistula River,” Długosz explains in the accompanying caption. “Each mother has to move her brood to the river as quickly as possible due to the lack of food, and they make this journey through a series of underground passages and over a six-lane highway.”
Continuing, he adds: “Each year, a group of volunteers help them cross this deadly road by stopping the traffic.”
It is a touching image, one that captures the imperious stride of the mother and sets it against a busy urban backdrop. Discernible in the distance, a line of cars waits patiently while a man in a hi-viz vest calls them to a halt.
“I was ecstatic when I managed to take this photo,” Długosz tells TVP World. “It was the culmination of a three-year effort - in fact, it was the seventh time this year that I’d tried to get this image. I was lucky that they crossed when they did.”
It is a touching image, one that captures the imperious stride of the mother and sets it against a busy urban backdrop. Discernible in the distance, a line of cars waits patiently while a man in a hi-viz vest calls them to a halt.
“I was ecstatic when I managed to take this photo,” Długosz tells TVP World. “It was the culmination of a three-year effort - in fact, it was the seventh time this year that I’d tried to get this image. I was lucky that they crossed when they did.”
Good fortune, says Długosz, is vital in his field: “When it comes to wildlife photography, I’d say 70% is about preparation and perseverance, and the rest is down to luck.”
Of course, this is a gross simplification. Despite his age, Długosz has amassed years of experience under his belt.
“I’ve been doing this now for 14 years,” he says. “I was lucky enough to grow up just outside Warsaw and discovered my fascination with the natural world by exploring the forests around my house and watching nature documentaries on the TV.”
Of course, this is a gross simplification. Despite his age, Długosz has amassed years of experience under his belt.
“I’ve been doing this now for 14 years,” he says. “I was lucky enough to grow up just outside Warsaw and discovered my fascination with the natural world by exploring the forests around my house and watching nature documentaries on the TV.”
Compelled to pick up a camera soon after, the quality of his images belies his years.
“There are more and more young wildlife photographers out there,” says Długosz, “but there is a feeling of being a novelty at times.”
Długosz’s enthusiasm for nature shines through via his pictures: scrolling through his portfolio, viewers see beautifully framed pictures of bison, foxes, deer and suchlike.
“There are more and more young wildlife photographers out there,” says Długosz, “but there is a feeling of being a novelty at times.”
Długosz’s enthusiasm for nature shines through via his pictures: scrolling through his portfolio, viewers see beautifully framed pictures of bison, foxes, deer and suchlike.
“My goal is to convey stories about nature, habitats and the beauty of the world surrounding us,” he says. “I strive to show what’s fleeting and worth protecting as, even at my young age, I have already seen the changes happening in the natural world.”
Birds, however, are his primary subject. “I love the incredible diversity of the bird world,” he continues. “They’re everywhere. You can see them in the city center, the desert, or even the North and South Pole. I love being able to tell stories about their lives and their behaviors.”
Birds, however, are his primary subject. “I love the incredible diversity of the bird world,” he continues. “They’re everywhere. You can see them in the city center, the desert, or even the North and South Pole. I love being able to tell stories about their lives and their behaviors.”
This diversity is demonstrated through his photographs - there are sensitive portraits, dynamic action shots, as well as more minimalistic shots that lend his subjects an enigmatic air that’s both majestic and mysterious.
Taken as a whole, the sheer scope and variety of his oeuvre is impressive, and explained via a blog entry on his website: “At the start of working on a particular project, a lot of photographers (myself included) want to get a good, clean portrait of their target species… A lot of people stop after getting this image, or go after the same shot again and again, but I urge you to try and expand - after all, wildlife is more than just a pretty close-up.”
Taken as a whole, the sheer scope and variety of his oeuvre is impressive, and explained via a blog entry on his website: “At the start of working on a particular project, a lot of photographers (myself included) want to get a good, clean portrait of their target species… A lot of people stop after getting this image, or go after the same shot again and again, but I urge you to try and expand - after all, wildlife is more than just a pretty close-up.”
Already widely traveled, Długosz lists Iceland as among his favorite destinations alongside northern Norway and the Arctic. “There’s something about this habitat that piques my interest the most,” he says.
It was during a recent stint in Spain, though, that saw him take his most popular photo to date. Snapped during an Erasmus placement in Seville, Długosz’s shot of a Hoopoe silhouetted against the sun has garnered over 35,000 likes. Incredibly, it was taken in what Długosz describes as being “a busy city park.”
It was during a recent stint in Spain, though, that saw him take his most popular photo to date. Snapped during an Erasmus placement in Seville, Długosz’s shot of a Hoopoe silhouetted against the sun has garnered over 35,000 likes. Incredibly, it was taken in what Długosz describes as being “a busy city park.”
Now back in Poland and studying for his master's at the Warsaw School of Economics, his academic schedule has not curtailed his time in the field. “I do about 100 trips a year,” he says.
Whereas foreign trips have been many, Poland too offers a rich bounty. “The Białowieża National Park and the Biebrza Valley are my favorite destinations here,” he says, “and also anywhere that’s thirty minutes from Warsaw!”
Often scouting a location first with his binoculars, come shoot-time Długosz says he typically arrives at a location about an hour before sunrise before spending approximately three-to-four hours waiting to see what happens next.
Whereas foreign trips have been many, Poland too offers a rich bounty. “The Białowieża National Park and the Biebrza Valley are my favorite destinations here,” he says, “and also anywhere that’s thirty minutes from Warsaw!”
Often scouting a location first with his binoculars, come shoot-time Długosz says he typically arrives at a location about an hour before sunrise before spending approximately three-to-four hours waiting to see what happens next.
“You need knowledge about the birds to make sure you don’t harm them at all, and of course to know where they live or where they can be expected - some birds, for example, will only display certain behavioral patterns for one week over an entire year,” he says.
“But,” he adds, “you also need to be an excellent observer. Wildlife photography demands a lot of patience - you’re waiting alone for hours, yet you need to remain super focused as often things can suddenly happen in a matter of seconds.”
“But,” he adds, “you also need to be an excellent observer. Wildlife photography demands a lot of patience - you’re waiting alone for hours, yet you need to remain super focused as often things can suddenly happen in a matter of seconds.”
Patience is not the only virtue. “The reality is you have to be prepared to deal with failure,” says Długosz. “You can be waiting for a long period of time, only for a wild boar to suddenly emerge and scare away the birds.”
The variables at play make Długosz’s devotion all the more admirable. “I’d say 60-70% of my shoots end in success,” he says, “but even so, of all the photographs I take there will only be around five to 10 a year that I’d consider to be great.”
The variables at play make Długosz’s devotion all the more admirable. “I’d say 60-70% of my shoots end in success,” he says, “but even so, of all the photographs I take there will only be around five to 10 a year that I’d consider to be great.”
This self-effacing modesty masks the consistency of his output and the effort involved. More than merely documenting the animal kingdom, Długosz ushers viewers into a serene, hidden world, allowing us to see the unseen. By doing so, he provides a powerful glimpse into the private lives of birds.
“Light, composition, balance are all significant when aiming for a great photo, but you also need to make people want to look at it,” says Długosz. “An image will often begin in my mind, imagining how the animal lives; then, I try to visualize the story I want to tell.”
It is this ability to transform birds into multi-dimensional characters that has made Długosz such a breakout talent. For him, however, the mounting adulation is simply nice to have. “I’m fortunate to have won some great awards,” he says, “but really, for me, the most important thing is to enjoy this hobby and spend my time out in nature.”
“Light, composition, balance are all significant when aiming for a great photo, but you also need to make people want to look at it,” says Długosz. “An image will often begin in my mind, imagining how the animal lives; then, I try to visualize the story I want to tell.”
It is this ability to transform birds into multi-dimensional characters that has made Długosz such a breakout talent. For him, however, the mounting adulation is simply nice to have. “I’m fortunate to have won some great awards,” he says, “but really, for me, the most important thing is to enjoy this hobby and spend my time out in nature.”
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