Klaus Nigge started his photographic career at 17 with a Super 8 mounted on a self-made tripod. After studying philosophy and art and taking a degree in biology, he worked as a biologist. But wildlife photography was his real passion. In 1992, he became president of the German wildlife photographers association, and in 1995, he turned full-time professional photographer and has published several books and numerous articles since then. He regards himself as a "slow photographer," returning to the same place until he really knows the environment or species. His aim is to show the animal as an individual with a personality and to achieve an intimate portrait. Rather than taking commercial, decorative pictures of animals, with strong light and bright colours, he prefers to try to achieve the subtle, everyday light that is typical of the animal's environment.

Yucatan TIS Slideshow
Slideshow
Yucatan TIS Slideshow
by Klaus Nigge
Klaus was able to take great aerial pictures from the birds and the coastal wetlands where they live.
Lighthawk and iLCP took to the air in the Yucatan Peninsula in southeast Mexico for their first Tripods in the Sky flight. David Cole, a pilot with Light Hawk and Eduardo Galicia, a Mexican scientist working on aerial flamingo surveys for 2 Mexican organizations, Niños y Crias and Pronatura Yucatan, were joined by German photographer, Klaus Nigge, a Fellow of the iLCP and a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine. A year ago Klaus met Eduardoduring a RAVE, a Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition in which both iLCP and Lighthawk helped create a photographic snapshot of this region to call attention to the rapid development from tourism, agriculture and human growth. The mission flew over the northwest coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and they were able to get very important information about flamingo distribution during this time of the year. In addition Klaus was able to take great aerial pictures from the birds and the coastal wetlands where they live!
The information obtained during the flight will complement the scientific surveys, and will assist with Pronatura’s efforts to promote sustainable tourism and protect the coastal wetlands of the states of Campeche and Yucatan, thus helping the conservation of this key species of the Yucatan Peninsula and its habitats.

