Steve Bloom is a name to remember. Son of journalist, novelist, and political activist Harry Bloom, he is best known for his photography books and essays as well as his large scale outdoor exhibitions called Spirit of the Wild. Bloom’s early interest in photography was inspired by the pictures in Life magazine. In 1972 he trained as a gravure printer, and took portraits of people living under the Apartheid system. In 1977 he travelled to England where some of the pictures were published and exhibited internationally by The International Defence and Aid Fund.
For several years he worked in graphic arts, and in 1999 was jointly responsible for the implementation of the Addison designs for the official posters for the summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, 1992.
Bloom began to photograph wildlife in 1993 using the best affordable camera for landscape photography while on vacation in South Africa. In 1996 he devoted all his time to wildlife photography and spent the following two years working on his first book, In Praise of Primates, which was published in ten languages.[4] In 2004 Untamed, an oversize book that features animals from all the world’s continents, was published in ten language editions for its first printing, and in 2006 he published two monographs: Elephant! and Spirit of the Wild.
In the first few years of their lives they are cute little creatures which even the hardest of hearts can’t help but adore.
But, as this picture clearly illustrates, it’s worth remembering what happens when they grow up.
This incredible picture of a leopard was taken in Namibia by famed wildlife photographer, Steve Bloom who spent a decade travelling the globe and seeking out some of the world’s most lethal creatures.
From brutal battles to tender moments between a lioness and her cubs, these stunning pictures capture the true beauty of big cats on camera.
The 59-year-old, who is originally from South Africa and now lives in Kent, admitted he had a few scary moments during his travels including a face-to-face meeting with a leopard.
‘Once you step out of the car you break the silhouette and that’s when they see you as something different and you’re in danger.
‘I once had a leopard climb onto the bonnet of the open top carI was in. It’s paw reached over and actually touched my camera bag but I just froze.
‘I stayed completely still and it eventually went away. That was a pretty scary moment but you just can’t predict something like that.
‘You have to show them respect because you’re in their territory not the other way around.’
Surprisingly Mr Bloom didn’t try his hand at wildlife photography until he was 40-years-old but just three years later he made it his full-time career.
The dramatic images taken over a period of ten years have now been compiled to form a new children’s book entitled My Big Cats Journal (Thames & Hudson).
The book is the latest in a long line of successes for Mr Bloom who has also published numerous other works exhibiting his photography including Untamed, Elephant! and Spirit of the Wild.
He said: ‘The thing about wildlife photography is it’s a balance of luck and opportunity, it’s so hard to predict what result you’re going to get.
‘You need to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time.
‘I love the glamorous, attractive and dynamic nature of big cats.
‘They’re visually very dramatic but there’s definitely also a primeval fascination with them because we relate them to the fluffy kittens we have at home.
‘I didn’t actually get into wildlife photography until the 1990s and I turned 40.
‘I took a camera with me when I went on safari and I just became completely immersed and obsessed with taking photos.
‘From there I made the decision to turn my back on the hustle and bustle of London and go travelling. I haven’t looked back since.’
