”I simply love the wild wonders of the natural world and I am very attracted by the strikingly beautiful expressions of many different human cultures. Therefore, with my work, I would like to put my humble weight onto the scales in favor of what I strongly believe in: nature conservation, wilderness, wildlife, rewilding, human dignity, tolerance and respect.”
Staffan Widstrand
Photographer and author
Born 1959
One of Sweden’s internationally most recognized nature photographers. Appointed ”Nature Photographer of the Year” in Sweden and a multiple award winner in international photo competitions such as ”Wildlife Photographer of the Year” (11 times), the ”GDT European Nature Photographer of the Year” (5 times) and ”Emirates Wildlife Photographer of the Year”. A jury member of major international photography competitions, like the World Press Photo (WPP), the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the Golden Turtle in Russia, the Golden Peacock in Xishuangbanna, China, the Baltic photo contest etc.
In 2011, Outdoor Photography Magazine named him ”one of the world’s most influential nature photographers”. In 2012 he was the recipient of the ”Gouden Wimpel” honorable award (”The Golden Streamer”) from the Dutch Postcode Lottery. Staffan is also one of the founders of the ”International League of Conservation Photographers ”(ILCP), the national predator information centre ”Rovdjurscentret De 5 Stora” in Järvsö, Sweden, the mass communication initiative ”Wild Wonders of Europe”, the nature conservation initiative ”Rewilding Europe”, the ”Swedish Ecotourism Association” and its quality label ”Nature’s Best”. He is self-employed since 1990.
Published in several of the world’s major newspapers and magazines, such as National Geographic Magazine, GEO, Stern, Der Spiegel, Le Figaro, La Repubblica, El Mundo, El País, Le Point, Terre Sauvage, Animan, Veja, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, FOCUS, Natur, A-magazinet, Berlingske Tidende, Dagens Nyheter, Metro, Yomiuri Shimbun, SINRA, Science Illustrated and Shanghai-based The Bund Pictorial.
Staffan has had international solo or group exhibitions in Toronto, at the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo, at Tromsø Museum, at Bodø Museum, at the Kunst-und Ausstellungshalle in Bonn, Oslo City Hall, Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, the Swedish Embassy in Washington, in Mérida, Mexico, in Mexico City, in Salamanca, Spain, at the National Zoological Museum in Beijing, in Chengdu, Tianjin, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China, at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, the museum of Torino, Italy as well as major outdoor exhibitions in The Hague, Prague, Berlin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Stockholm. In Sweden, he has had exhibits at Kulturhuset in Stockholm, the regional museums in Kristianstad, Luleå and Malmö, at Fotomässan in Gothenburg and in Stockholm, as well as at the Skansen, Kolmården and Borås Zoos, at Hornborgasjöns Konsthall and at Bränneriet Art in Österlen.
Staffan has published 16 books, four of which have been winners of the WWF Panda book award.
A picture editor at Natur & Kultur publishers in Stockholm for 5 years, a nature tour guide and tour production manager all across the world for many years. Appointed as Visiting Professor at the Beijing Ministry of Culture Old University, and he is also one of the founders of a possible ”Wild Wonders of China” initiative.
Staffan Widstrands work can also be found on the following websites:
”I simply love the wild wonders of the natural world and I am very attracted by the strikingly beautiful expressions of many different human cultures. Therefore, with my work, I would like to put my humble weight onto the scales in favor of what I strongly believe in: nature conservation, wilderness, wildlife, rewilding, human dignity, tolerance and respect.”