JOSÉ B. RUIZ – NARODNI CESKE SVYCARSKO, CZECH REPUBLIC

- Ok it fits in the car! Do you think it will fit in the plane?

16th September. Welcome all!

Great expectations.

These are my first words about my mission, and I write them hours before leaving Spain to reach my destination in Czech Republic. After presenting the exhibition 100% Natural in Madrid, I depart very anxious to know more about the people and the land of this country. My work in the past weeks has been exhausting, and sometimes working hard in wildlife photography matters will be the best medicine. That’s a great point of start: Motivation!!!

It is a challenge and a bit stressing, so I decided to go there in two trips. This is the first approach to know about the area, meet the people who care of it and also promoting the project with the authorities. It will allow me to check how the autumn colours are appearing to decide the best time to go back, maybe in mid October.

I haven’t been out of Spain for many years, so this is a special extra for WWE and, of course, for me. My purpose is to make it original and having such a nice experience that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. The place, one of the less known in the Quest, is going to be of a great help, because of it uniqueness and variety of photographic opportunities.

After getting all my equipment ready and deeply thinking about my approach to the location, I finally decided to bring as less packing as possible. A camera, three lenses, tripod, filters, flash and very few more stuff will make truth of what I continuously say in my workshops and books: it is only the photographer’s eye that makes the picture. I have never been more insecure than ever before about this assertion!!!

The contact with the authorities, some photographers and people working on the administration of the park have all been of great help to prepare some details and to know more about the area. I have been told that all the transports through the park have to be done with their authorised vehicles. It will maybe limit my nocturnal photography, so I hope I’m able to get assistance for this from my helpful and kind guide, Mr. Sojka, the photographer of the park. I’m sure it is not going to be hard at all.

Finally I take the essentials of the equipment, leaving the rest behind. In this first approach it’s better to move light and decide what will be best for next landing. It is supposed to be the eye of the photographer that makes a good picture… My God!

Acknowledgements:
It’s people who make our experiences become better.
I’d like to thank the persons who are helping making this possible in Czech Republic (apart from WWE team):
Department of Public Relations. Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic.
(Mr. Jakub Kaspar – Director. Mrs. Jitka Pilbaueroba)
National Park Administration. (Mr. Tomás Salov)
Mrs. Radana Dungelova.

Please note that blogs reflect our photographers' opinions and not necessarily those of the directors of Wild Wonders of Europe.