“We were literally running for our lives. If one of us had tripped, there was nothing we would have been able to do”

Axel Gomille is a photographer and filmmaker from Germany. His work has appeared in BBC Wildlife magazine and shortlisted for Wildlife Photographer of the Year. He has also published several books.

How did your career start?

I’ve been interested in wildlife since I was a child. For my 7th birthday, I asked for – and was given – a pair of binoculars. I used them to observe the buzzards, hares and deer that lived nearby. I enjoyed the sightings so much that I wanted to photograph them, so I used my mother’s camera.

Then I realised that photography is quite an expensive hobby, so I decided to sell some photos. I sold my first photo when I was 14.

You’ve spent a lot of time in India. What is it about this country that appeals?

India is now considered to have the largest human population in the world. Yet the biodiversity is still spectacular – almost no mammal species have been lost. From some bus stops you can see kingfishers on powerlines, monkeys on rooftops and gazelles in the fields. I find this proximity between people and wildlife fascinating.

You also document human/wildlife coexistence. Where have you seen a particularly noteworthy example of this?

I have seen people living with tigers in India, with lions in Tanzania and with bears in Romania. But what I find utterly remarkable is the return of wolves to Germany, a densely populated, industrial country. Wolves have migrated back and proven that they can live alongside humans, even here.

What’s been your biggest fail?

For some mysterious reason, I always seem to arrive a day too late. “You want to photograph fighting lions? Man, you should have been here yesterday.” I don’t know how many times I have heard that. The same applies to wolves or bears or any other interesting species.

What’s been your closest shave?

I was recently documenting an African elephant tranquillisation in Zimbabwe. We were on foot, and another elephant suddenly appeared and attacked the team. We were literally running for our lives. If one of us had tripped, there’s nothing we would have been able to do.

What’s been your most memorable experience with a wild animal?

That’s hard to say, but my first encounter with a wild sloth bear is among the most memorable. I’ve always been a huge fan of The Jungle Book and wanted to photograph the wild creatures behind the fictional characters.

The cast, of course, includes Baloo, who in reality is a sloth bear – and photographing this species proved extremely difficult. After a lot of planning and many failures, I finally created an entire photo story on these rare bears.

What species would you like to photograph that you haven’t yet?

I have lots of pictures of big cats, but I’m still missing the clouded leopard. It’s a rare, nocturnal rainforest species that lives mainly in trees. Wildlife subjects don’t get much more difficult than that! I’m also still missing a black panther – the black colour morph of the leopard – which I need for my The Jungle Book collection (the character Bagheera was a black panther).

Can you share one top tip for budding wildlife photographers?

Do your research – it’s important to know lots about an area and its wildlife before a shoot. And always treat wild animals with respect. If you disturb your subjects, you will not get good results.

This article by BBC Wildlife Magazine was first published by Discover Wildlife on 20 October 2026. Lead Image: Axel Gomille.