Description
Pantanal, Brazil. After a few days of jaguar photography in August of last year in the Pantanal, I decided to focus on other wildlife. While most jaguars (and photographers) were around Corixo Negro we decided to spend the afternoon in Rio Negrinho. We got there towards the middle of the afternoon and to my delight there were no other boats. After spending the afternoon there, we started on our way back. The sun was very low, and it was almost dark in Rio Negrinho as the thick tree cover prevented the last rays from getting through. As we were approaching the last curve before Rio Negrinho opened into the Cuiaba River, I saw a single ray of light coming through an opening in the thick vegetation and lighting a heron who was standing on a branch. Vanderlei stopped the boat immediately; I didn’t need to ask him as he knew me very well after the endless hours I had spent with him throughout the past years. I underexposed and took the shot.
Artist Biography
Michel Zoghzoghi discovered a passion for photography 20 years ago: he bought a camera to take to a polo tournament organized by a friend in London and has never been able to put it down since.
Michel’s photographic focus is on the “endangered”. From the tigers of India to the polar bears of the Arctic, from the mesmerizing landscapes of Africa to the great white sharks of the Southern Oceans, he has traveled the world in search of the vanishing beauty our planet still has to offer. Through his photography, Michel wants to show how truly beautiful our planet is but he also wants to alert people to the fact that it is endangered with many species on the brink of extinction.
All of the proceeds from Michel’s photography go to support various causes, mainly Wildlife conservation, Cancer treatment and Education.
His achievements include the following:
Exhibitions:
- “Wildlife” – Zinc, Beirut, Lebanon. December 2010
- “Prey” – The Venue-Beirut Souks, Beirut, Lebanon. January 2012
- “London Olympics” – Zinc, Beirut, Lebanon. December 2012
- “Prey” – Galerie Matignon, Paris, France. June 2013
- “A Vanishing World” – Smogallery, Beirut, Lebanon. December 2013
- “Prey” – Hotel Grey, Beirut, Lebanon. December 2014
- “A Vanishing World” – RIRA Gallery, Dubai, UAE. November 2015
- “It is their Planet too” – The Alternative, Beirut, Lebanon. March 2016
- “Le Silence” – The Alternative, Photomed Liban. Beirut, Lebanon. January 2017
- “Giving Back to Nature” – Opera Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon. May 2017
- Photo London – Tanit Gallery, London, United Kingdom. May 2018
- Cattitude and the Unbearable Lightness of Woofing – Station, Beirut, Lebanon. November 2018
- Pantanal, Land of the Jaguar – Brazil Lebanon Cultural Center, Beirut, Lebanon. April 2019
- Other Nations – Dar Al Nimr for Arts and Culture, Beirut, Lebanon. April 2022
- Other Nations: A Tribute to Predators – Rebirth Beirut, Lebanon November 2023
Awards:
- Winner 2nd place: HIPA 2012 – Emirates category
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 competition
- Commended: Sony World Photography Awards 2014
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014 competition
- Semi-Finalist: Windland Awards 2014
- Finalist: HIPA 2014 – General category
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015 competition
- Multiple Honorable Mentions: International Photography Award 2015
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 competition
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 competition
- Semi-Finalist: Windland Awards 2018
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 competition
- Highly Commended: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 People’s Choice Award
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021 competition
- Highly Honored: Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards
- Finalist: Nature in Focus 2023 competition
- Finalist: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 competition
- Overall Winner: Comedy Pet Photos Awards 2023
- Finalist: Nature in Focus 2024 competition
Publications:
- Book: “Prey” – October 2012
- Book: “Cattitude and the Unbearable Lightness of Woofing” – November 2018
- Numerous magazines
www.michelzoghzoghi.com
@michel_zoghzoghi
