Nature, first prize singles – Francis Pérez
Underwater photographer Francis Pérez won the single shot Nature category this year and, here, reveals how it has changed his life.
What was your first reaction after the blast at the hospital?
“I wondered what I should do, whether I should leave the hospital for my own safety or not. It was not the first time I got caught in a blast – I have been injured in three different explosions. During this attack, I was worried that a second explosion would take place. I had two choices: to cover the event or to leave the hospital. My commitment to photojournalism compelled me to continue working. It was my responsibility to show what the innocent people caught in this blast were going through.”
What makes your approach to photographing underwater different to others?
“I am a quiet person and my friends tell me that my pictures show that same peace and calm that I enjoy in my life. I prefer wide-angle views and I feel that my preferred choice of lenses allows me to show that peace and tranquility when I am underwater.”
How challenging is making a living as a freelance photographer?
“It’s not easy for a wildlife photographer to make a living. For an underwater photographer it is harder still. But having won this prize, I am busier now for sure!”
What is your relationship with Canon equipment?
“For the last 12 years, I have been taking photos on the camera I used to capture this shot, and have achieved many things with it. I do, however, think it’s time to get a new lens and body to improve my work.”
Survivors and onlookers help those injured in a suicide bomb attack at the Civil Hospital in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan, 8 August, 2016. Taken on a Canon EOS 700D, the exposure was 1/512sec at f/13, ISO 800.
© Jamal Taraqai
What camera do you use?
“I have been using the 5D series for many years. I love the full frame, the size of the camera is perfect for underwater shooting and the focusing is exceptional when it is in a Seacam housing. Even when the water is not very clear it can still focus very well. I use the 5D Mark III with the EF8-15mm and 15mm Fisheye lenses most of the time. The Fisheye is the king of the ocean.”
What did you learn from taking this picture? Did you know it was going to be a special one?
“I knew it was going to be a powerful image because the turtle is looking straight into the lens. The water was really clear and the sea turtle was face to face with me; the picture is like an arrow to your hearts.”
A loggerhead sea turtle swims entangled in abandoned fishing gear off the coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Taken on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with an EF8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM lens; the exposure was 1/125sec at f/9, ISO 200.
© Francis Pérez
