Incredible Time-Stretching Photographs Capture Bird Migrations | National Geographic

[Music]

[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]