The Shark and the Albatross: Adventures of a wildlife film-maker - Hardcover

Aitchison, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 178125348X ISBN 13: 9781781253489

Publisher: Profile Books, 2015

Synopsis

For twenty years John Aitchison has been travelling the world to film wildlife for the BBC and other broadcasters, taking him to far-away places on every continent. The Shark and the Albatross is the story of these journeys of discovery, of his encounters with animals and occasional enterprising individuals in remote and sometimes dangerous places. His destinations include the far north and the far south, expeditions to film for Frozen Planet and other natural history series, in Svalbard, Alaska, the remote Atlantic island of South Georgia, and the Antarctic. They also encompass wild places in India, China and the United States. In all he finds and describes key moments in the lives of animals, among them polar bears and penguins, seals and whales, sharks and birds, and wolves and lynxes.

He reveals what happens behind the scenes and beyond the camera. He explains the practicalities and challenges of the filming process, and the problems of survival in perilous places. He records touching moments and dramatic incidents, some ending in success, others desperately sad. There are times when a hunted animal triumphs against the odds, and others when, in spite of preparation for every outcome, disaster strikes. And, as the author shows in several incidents that combine nail-biting tension with hair-raising hilarity, disaster can strike for film-makers too.

This is natural history writing at its absolute best, evocative, informative and gripping from first to last.

About this title

Review

This is a lovely book, vividly written, giving us a fascinating insight into the world of wild life photography. It is a must for all those who enjoy insights into the natural world. (Alexander McCall Smith)

In a word, beautiful. John shares the experience of patiently waiting, then the euphoria of capturing the action; capturing the art in nature. (Bill Oddie)

Nature writing for a technological age, rich with zoom-enabled insights. (The Independent 2015-10-23)

Here you'll find a version of the world which is more real, more intense and, sadly, more beautiful than the one most of us are forced to occupy. (Adam Nicolson)

A kaleidoscope of brilliant wildlife experiences not to be missed (Sir John Lister-Kaye OBE, Conservationist and nature writer.)

These evocative stories are from the heart of the keenest observer, a skilled cameraman and a superb naturalist (Chris Packham)

A must-read for fans of the BBC's natural history programming. (Matt Swaine BBC Focus magazine 2015-10-01)

Through his evocative narrative, Aitchison makes us feel as if we are observing him as he films... A must-read for budding cameramen and for those with an interest in wildlife photography. (Kate Whiting The Scotsman 2015-10-24)

Absorbing, elegant essays. (Charlotte Heathcote The Sunday Express 2015-11-01)

Clear and poetic ... throughout, Aitchison notes that observing wildlife highlights the precariousness of the natural world. (Publishers Weekly)

Book Description

For twenty years John Aitchison has been travelling to distant places to film wildlife for the BBC and other broadcasters. The Shark and the Albatross is the story of his encounters with animals in remote, exotic, and dangerous places.

About this edition

• Publisher: Profile Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 178125348X
• ISBN 13: 9781781253489
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256