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 Revealing
the Last Mystery of Earth
by Martha Hammond
Living Lightly issue 38
Thomas Marent talks to Martha Hammond about his photographic journey
through the world’s rainforests and the creation of his new book.
When I ask if Thomas Marent would be interested in writing an article
for Living Lightly, I’m told that he’s ‘more of a picture man than a
words man’. This makes me smile, but on reflection it seems to be a very
apt way to describe someone who has spent the past 16 years of his life
perfecting the art of photographing rainforests around the world.
Intrigued, I write back and agree that I will interview Thomas via
email. I’m excited at the prospect of finding out more about the
adventures involved in his work and curious to know where his enthusiasm
for rainforests comes from.
Growing up in Switzerland, Thomas bought a camera when he was 16, and
began capturing the alpine mountain scenery and wildlife around his
home. He first entered a rainforest in 1990, while studying in
Australia. “I was naturally drawn to the lush and exotic forests of the
north east,” he writes in the introduction to his new book. “It was the
rainy season and the forest was bursting with life. It was hot, humid
and completely exhilarating... Exploring with a camera was like being on
a treasure hunt, and I found insects and animals of every hue and shape.
I was immediately hooked.”
Rainforest – a Photographic Journey is a testament to Thomas’s enduring
passion for the forest; a book packed with images of life in between the
canopy and ground. It is also very personal – a photographic diary of
Thomas getting to know the tropical environment. “Iwantedtohave a large
selection of photographs from rainforests all around the world,” he
tells me, when I ask why he decided to put his book together. “Since
Australia I’ve been fascinated by the forest’s diversity, with all its
mystic inhabitants, its bright colours and its weird shapes. There are
heaps of unseen things to discover and photograph.”
The challenges of photographing wildlife in its natural habit can be
enormous, a painstaking process, and a game of chance and patience. But
as Thomas writes in his book, it has given him the opportunity to find
out and understand more about his subjects. “Investing time looking for
the places where animals will come to eat and drink is usually my most
useful strategy,” he confides. “After a while I get to know all about
the behaviour of each animal so I know how to approach them and how I
have to behave to get the best shots.” Hunting for the unfound treasure
is evident in the pages of Rainforest. Thomas uses many different
photographic styles to capture each species in a unique, revealing way,
helping readers to understand more about how the animals and plants
co-exist and the lives they lead. There is real contrast between
picturesque shots of forest rivers, perfect for swimming in, and the
intimate portraits of insects, frogs and butterflies. “I wanted to show
what kinds of beautiful animals live in the forests, especially the
small things which do not get enough appreciation,” Thomas says.
I expected this book to be beautiful and it doesn’t disappoint.
Rainforest shouts with life and teems with the hustle and bustle of its
subjects. But
what makes this book exceptional is how evident Thomas Marent’s energy
and passion for his art is. After spending a full 16 years living and
breathing rainforest life, his revealing record of what humanity stands
to lose is more affecting than any speech could be. “I still have hope
that the rainforests can be saved,” Thomas writes and I can’t help but
feel infused and inspired by his dedication.The beauty of the species he
has documented speak for themselves – a quiet but insistent reminder of
the fragility of the natural world.
However, if we want to help preserve Charles Darwin’s ‘wild and untidy
hothouses’ of nature, we must speak loudly and do so soon.
Contact: www.dk.com
A donation from each copy of ‘Rainforest’ sold goes to The Rainforest
Foundation to help preserve this unique habitat.
Photo © Thomas Marent/ DK.com
This is one of many stories available from Positive News newspaper. For more stories like this please visit:
www.positivenews.org.uk
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest
in receiving the included information for research and educational
purposes.) |
