[Music] I consider myself a birder now but
I consider myself a birder now but
I consider myself a birder now but believe me when I started this project I
believe me when I started this project I
believe me when I started this project I was the father’s thing from a birder my
was the father’s thing from a birder my
was the father’s thing from a birder my name is Steven Wilks I’m a photographer
name is Steven Wilks I’m a photographer
name is Steven Wilks I’m a photographer and a fine artist I’ve been taking
and a fine artist I’ve been taking
and a fine artist I’ve been taking pictures for most of my adult life my
pictures for most of my adult life my
pictures for most of my adult life my first photographs were actually taken
first photographs were actually taken
first photographs were actually taken through a microscope when I was about 12
through a microscope when I was about 12
through a microscope when I was about 12 years old I was very interested in
years old I was very interested in
years old I was very interested in science when I take pictures that’s my
science when I take pictures that’s my
science when I take pictures that’s my language and if I can touch you with my
language and if I can touch you with my
language and if I can touch you with my language if I can share something with
language if I can share something with
language if I can share something with you
you
you that will inspire you to say wow I’ve
that will inspire you to say wow I’ve
that will inspire you to say wow I’ve never seen anything like that I had no
never seen anything like that I had no
never seen anything like that I had no idea that the world looked like this
idea that the world looked like this
idea that the world looked like this then you begin to understand why we need
then you begin to understand why we need
then you begin to understand why we need to save this thing so date and I came to
to save this thing so date and I came to
to save this thing so date and I came to me kind of in a unique way I was asked
me kind of in a unique way I was asked
me kind of in a unique way I was asked by Life Magazine in 1996 to photograph
by Life Magazine in 1996 to photograph
by Life Magazine in 1996 to photograph the cast and crew of Baz Luhrmann’s film
the cast and crew of Baz Luhrmann’s film
the cast and crew of Baz Luhrmann’s film Romeo and Juliet and at the time David
Romeo and Juliet and at the time David
Romeo and Juliet and at the time David Hockney was doing these photo collages
Hockney was doing these photo collages
Hockney was doing these photo collages and I was very inspired I thought wow
and I was very inspired I thought wow
and I was very inspired I thought wow maybe I’ll do a collage and so I ended
maybe I’ll do a collage and so I ended
maybe I’ll do a collage and so I ended up taking 250 images of the entire cast
up taking 250 images of the entire cast
up taking 250 images of the entire cast and crew and in the center of the
and crew and in the center of the
and crew and in the center of the photograph
photograph
photograph I’ve got Claire Danes and Leonardo
I’ve got Claire Danes and Leonardo
I’ve got Claire Danes and Leonardo embracing and then as my camera panned
embracing and then as my camera panned
embracing and then as my camera panned to the right I’m taking multiple images
to the right I’m taking multiple images
to the right I’m taking multiple images I see this huge mirror on the set and in
I see this huge mirror on the set and in
I see this huge mirror on the set and in the mirror is Claire Danes and Leonardo
the mirror is Claire Danes and Leonardo
the mirror is Claire Danes and Leonardo reflecting and for that one photograph I
reflecting and for that one photograph I
reflecting and for that one photograph I asked them to kiss
asked them to kiss
asked them to kiss and then I came back to New York and
and then I came back to New York and
and then I came back to New York and spent two weeks putting this massive
spent two weeks putting this massive
spent two weeks putting this massive image together by hand and when I looked
image together by hand and when I looked
image together by hand and when I looked at it on my table I was like oh my god
at it on my table I was like oh my god
at it on my table I was like oh my god this is crazy
this is crazy
this is crazy I’m changing time in a photograph and
I’m changing time in a photograph and
I’m changing time in a photograph and that concept stayed with me for almost
that concept stayed with me for almost
that concept stayed with me for almost 16 years until technology now allows me
16 years until technology now allows me
16 years until technology now allows me to do it in a way that’s seamless the
first photograph I did day to night was
first photograph I did day to night was the High Line I looked at the High Line
the High Line I looked at the High Line
the High Line I looked at the High Line and I loved the fact that it was cool
and I loved the fact that it was cool
and I loved the fact that it was cool during lunchtime but it was really kind
during lunchtime but it was really kind
during lunchtime but it was really kind of spooky at night and I remember having
of spooky at night and I remember having
of spooky at night and I remember having this conversation with a photo editor
this conversation with a photo editor
this conversation with a photo editor saying you know be really kind of cool
saying you know be really kind of cool
saying you know be really kind of cool if I could shoot north-to-south day
if I could shoot north-to-south day
if I could shoot north-to-south day tonight in one picture she was like are
tonight in one picture she was like are
tonight in one picture she was like are you kidding me is that even possible
you kidding me is that even possible
you kidding me is that even possible and I didn’t know I thought what we
and I didn’t know I thought what we
and I didn’t know I thought what we could try and that’s really where day
could try and that’s really where day
could try and that’s really where day tonight came about why does it still
tonight came about why does it still
tonight came about why does it still photograph only have to be a single
photograph only have to be a single
photograph only have to be a single moment why can’t we take multiple
moment why can’t we take multiple
moment why can’t we take multiple moments hundreds of moments and layer
moments hundreds of moments and layer
moments hundreds of moments and layer them into one single image day to night
them into one single image day to night
them into one single image day to night started with me photographing New York
started with me photographing New York
started with me photographing New York City it evolved from that into shooting
City it evolved from that into shooting
City it evolved from that into shooting the national parks using people as a
the national parks using people as a
the national parks using people as a narrative
narrative
narrative and then it went from the national parks
and then it went from the national parks
and then it went from the national parks to the Serengeti
that’s the first time that I didn’t have
that’s the first time that I didn’t have a human narrative but I had a wildlife
a human narrative but I had a wildlife
a human narrative but I had a wildlife narrative in my picture
narrative in my picture
narrative in my picture [Music]
but doing Birds was a whole nother
but doing Birds was a whole nother ballgame if I’m shooting the Brooklyn
ballgame if I’m shooting the Brooklyn
ballgame if I’m shooting the Brooklyn Bridge I take a highway and I’m there
Bridge I take a highway and I’m there
Bridge I take a highway and I’m there when you go to a place like bass Rock
when you go to a place like bass Rock
when you go to a place like bass Rock you gotta fly to Edinburgh Scotland
you gotta fly to Edinburgh Scotland
you gotta fly to Edinburgh Scotland drive through a small town take a boat
drive through a small town take a boat
drive through a small town take a boat with nine cases of equipment hike up 122
with nine cases of equipment hike up 122
with nine cases of equipment hike up 122 steps treacherous steps and there’s
steps treacherous steps and there’s
steps treacherous steps and there’s guano everywhere and you’re slipping and
guano everywhere and you’re slipping and
guano everywhere and you’re slipping and sliding you can’t move very quickly you
sliding you can’t move very quickly you
sliding you can’t move very quickly you have to be very deliberate the way you
have to be very deliberate the way you
have to be very deliberate the way you walk to do these pictures one of the
walk to do these pictures one of the
walk to do these pictures one of the greatest challenges is really getting an
greatest challenges is really getting an
greatest challenges is really getting an intimacy well in order to do that I have
intimacy well in order to do that I have
intimacy well in order to do that I have to become one of them I am within a foot
to become one of them I am within a foot
to become one of them I am within a foot or two of their nests that’s a very very
or two of their nests that’s a very very
or two of their nests that’s a very very challenging place to be because these
challenging place to be because these
challenging place to be because these species in particular the northern
species in particular the northern
species in particular the northern Gannet are very very aggressive they
Gannet are very very aggressive they
Gannet are very very aggressive they like to you know attack you if you get
like to you know attack you if you get
like to you know attack you if you get too close to their babies understandable
too close to their babies understandable
too close to their babies understandable and so we had some funny moments he died
and so we had some funny moments he died
and so we had some funny moments he died a good man
a good man
a good man killed on assignment while trying to
killed on assignment while trying to
killed on assignment while trying to film day to night of damage left and a
film day to night of damage left and a
film day to night of damage left and a Scottish island forever
Scottish island forever
Scottish island forever in fact it happened a funnel
we were in steeple Jason we had this
we were in steeple Jason we had this incredible morning where I had this
incredible morning where I had this
incredible morning where I had this spectacular rainbow rise out of the
spectacular rainbow rise out of the
spectacular rainbow rise out of the ocean and literally arc into my frame
ocean and literally arc into my frame
ocean and literally arc into my frame it’s so insanely beautiful and it’s so
it’s so insanely beautiful and it’s so
it’s so insanely beautiful and it’s so surreal that I think my assistant Chris
surreal that I think my assistant Chris
surreal that I think my assistant Chris has a little video he goes just so
has a little video he goes just so
has a little video he goes just so people believe this actually happened
this is actually happening right now
this is actually happening right now you’re just like oh my god
you’re just like oh my god
you’re just like oh my god each one of these pictures there were
each one of these pictures there were
each one of these pictures there were moments I was seeing something that was
moments I was seeing something that was
moments I was seeing something that was so extraordinary I was so overwhelmed is
so extraordinary I was so overwhelmed is
so extraordinary I was so overwhelmed is really that I couldn’t even speak or or
really that I couldn’t even speak or or
really that I couldn’t even speak or or function it was that incredible
function it was that incredible
function it was that incredible it happened in Nebraska when ball the
it happened in Nebraska when ball the
it happened in Nebraska when ball the sandhill cranes came in at sunset
I understand now why I’m a birder and
I understand now why I’m a birder and why people do this and why they spend
why people do this and why they spend
why people do this and why they spend their lives you know following these
their lives you know following these
their lives you know following these species because it is one of the most
species because it is one of the most
species because it is one of the most extraordinary things I’ve ever witnessed
extraordinary things I’ve ever witnessed
extraordinary things I’ve ever witnessed [Music]
you
you [Music]
”
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