Photographer Tim Flach spent two years documenting fragile species on the brink of extinction.
The resulting endangered animal photos give a human-like existence to these creatures.
Flasch hopes it will encourage us to take action to help ensure that these species thrive.
Photographer Spends Years Capturing Poignant Portraits of Animals on the Brink of Extinction
Tim Flach: Website | Instagram | Facebook
We know that the fate of endangered species is a global issue, but it remains an abstract concept to many of us. We aren’t confronted with the faces of these creatures on a daily basis; but thanks to the work of photographer Tim Flach, these mammals, reptiles, fish, and birds are shown in striking portraits that make it impossible for us to turn away. His poignant series (and book), aptly titled Endangered, features these creatures locking eyes with us—it’s much different than the typical pictures of animals where they are captured within their grandiose natural environment. Flach instead pits them against a stark backdrop and completely divorces them from their habitat.
The decision to visually remove some of the endangered creatures from their environment was deliberate. “The romanticizing, free, wild images [of animals] weren’t necessarily getting people to take action,” Flach told NPR.“I wanted to think about what kind of images people engage in and how you tell a story to get people to connect to [the animal].” The “mild anthropomorphizing” of animals is shown in research to make us feel a greater connection because the creatures have personalities we can relate to. “Images often done in a style and representation that was more like humans was more likely to make us care more.”
Although the up close endangered animal photos are striking, some of Flach’s images do pull away from the subject and examine the creatures within their environments. “It’s important for a book that has a lot of portraits to also [have] a sense of the habitat,” he explained. The species depend on us to help keep their homes safe; it’s not just for their well-being, but for ours, too. “We’ve got certain animals that turn the soil or forests that make fresh water. Our future depends on them. It’s pretty basic really.”
It took two years to document all of these animals. In 2017, Endangered was published by Abrams and is now available on Amazon.
AesthesiaMag 
Reblogged this on Le Bien-Etre au bout des Doigts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Breathtaking !!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am in total and complete ahhh…….this is such a great post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh yes thank you!!!
but l don’t put a like your artworks?
You have not need to widget perhaps…
I love your work
Vanina
LikeLike
I am really glad these photographs exist.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Astonishing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you – got teary looking at so many different “eyes of God” we are at risk of losing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There are some exceptional images here, but perhaps on of the most impactful is the Giant panda gazing at the painting of its natural habitat on a cage wall. Very confronting! I was going to say that it is not a great photo, but it slaps you round the face. That does make it a truly great photo and I have learned a valuable lesson from it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
si vous le voyez ainsi, c’est bien! Je suis très triste aussi.
LikeLike
those glaring orange eyes and black and white fur of the Ring-Tailed Lemurs, just cannot stop viewing on comfortable they look in their pose. beautiful work here.
LikeLiked by 2 people
These are amazing. They each made me feel emotion and connection.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🌺🌺
LikeLike
🌻
LikeLike
Reblogged this on My Life on the Chicago # 36 Bus and commented:
I am reblogging this from the “Flow Art Station” not only because of the interest in the whole thing but also because of the beautiful Hippo photo. I started a Facebook club called The Hippopotamus Alliance and want to forward it to that club. Thank you for this.
LikeLike
Quando amiamo, non dobbiamo privarci!
LikeLike
Perfectly!
LikeLike
Beautiful post. Sad though.
LikeLike