Nick Brandt (British, b.1966) is a professional photographer who works exclusively in Africa. He is famous for his powerful
black-and-white photos that are distinct from the colored, action-packed photos of his contemporaries. He was born in London, England, and he studied Painting and Film at the Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design. In 1992, Brandt moved to California and made a name for himself directing music videos. He has worked with notable musicians such as Michael Jackson, Jewel, and Moby. During a 1995 shoot of Michael Jackson's
Earth Song in Tanzania, Brandt was struck by the beauty of the animals and
East Africa. After that shoot, he felt that he could not sufficiently express his love for animals in any way other than capturing them on film. In 2000, he embarked on a project to capture the beauty of East Africa before it disappeared due to human activity.
Brandt prefers not to use zoom lenses because he feels the personality of the animals he photographs can only be well captured up close. He has held solo exhibitions at different galleries all over the world, including the Shapiro Gallery in Sydney, Australia, the Bernheimer Fine Arts in Munich, Germany, and the June Bateman Gallery in New York, NY.
Brandt’s first book,
On This Earth, features 66 photos he took from 2000 to 2004. The introductions to this book were written by Jane Goodall and author Alice Sebold. Brandt’s second book,
A Shadow Falls, is made up of 58 photos he took from 2005 to 2008, and features an introduction by Peter Singer. Since 2010, Brandt has been working on a third book that will complete his trilogy. Its title will only be revealed once it is published. In September 2010, the photographer formed the Big Life Foundation in response to the increased number of
elephants that were being poached for their tusks; the foundation was formed to help in the conservation of Africa's wildlife and ecosystem. Brandt currently resides in Topanga, CA.