Seeing photos of Dafna Ben Nun alongside emperor penguins on the ice of Antarctica or beluga whales in the White Sea, it is possible to understand that animals instinctively trust Israel's only professional wildlife photographer.
"I'm not allowed to get close to them, but if they get close to me, that's fine and it means they feel safe," the artist said.
Dafna Ben Nun's monthly column in the Israeli edition of National Geographic for children features photos of whales, polar bears, Tasmanian devils, baboons, pandas and many other animals with a mission to instill love and respect for wild creatures.
In the latest issue, the photographer shows how Arabian oryx breed in the wild and then are released into the Hai-Bar Nature Reserve, near Eilat. The animals have GPS collars so they can track the movements of this type of antelope almost Extinct.
In 2012, at an exhibition in South Korea, Ben Nun won an international National Geographic contest with her photo of a beluga whale in 2011. And it was her image of emperor penguins that graced the poster for the entire exhibit. .
“I dedicate my life to raising awareness about wildlife,” the photographer told ISRAEL21c.
inveterate traveler
Although she was bitten by a German shepherd when she was two years old - and she still has a scar to prove it - Ben Nun was never afraid of animals. Her fear is of technology.
“What drives me is my artistic mind. Generally, a photographer buys a new camera and is eager to use it. When I do, I put it away until I get up the courage to use it,” she explained.
Ben Nun has carried a camera with him since he was seven years old while her family moved around Australia and Israel. Yes, the camera was her transitional object.
“Until sixth grade I was always in different places and schools and I think that is why I am an inveterate traveler. I didn't have a lot of friends just because of all the movement so the animals were my comfort and being behind a camera kept me safe,” she recounted.
Before becoming a professional photographer, Ben Nun intended to be a serious drummer. While she was fulfilling her military obligations in the Israel Defense Forces she played in the army band.She then went to study percussion in New York but then a friend invited her to travel to Australia for a year.
“When I went back to Israel in 2003 and developed my photos, I saw that 80 percent were of animals. For me it was very natural to swim with dolphins in water at a temperature of 10 degrees, ”she said with a laugh.
It was at this time that Ben Nun decided to turn professional and studied post-production, animation and photography at the Open University and during the three years of studying he opened a video editing business. When he saved enough money, he began to travel the world to photograph animals.
Consultations with specialists
Prior to any excursion, Ben Nun chooses the animals in the target region that interest her and she contacts an expert to teach her about the creature and its habitat so she can understand how to get as close as possible.
“I am a role model for other photographers so I never seek to show anything irresponsible. A lot of people mess up nature to get the images, but I see her first as if she was an animal,” she described.
It doesn't matter if it's in the North Pole, Antarctica, Brazil or China, the photographer always works with a guide to stay safe and not interfere or harm the animals.
Ben Nun, 40, is a mother of six-year-old twins, and she applies the same approach when she shoots children and adults in the wild with animals, her favorite sideline.
“I took representation courses at the Technion, I opened a children's and family photography studio and after three months I closed it because it wasn't for me, I need the outdoors. Next to my house I have a small forest and there I use my knowledge as a nature and studio photographer to take pictures of children and families there,” she recounted.
condors and guanacos
Before the pandemic put her professional adventures on hold, Ben Nun accompanied a group of Israeli backpackers in their 60s on an organized tour of South America. There she took photos of guanacos in Chile and condors in Argentina, among other animals.
While she looks forward to traveling again, Ben Nun will continue to photograph nature in Israel and present lectures in Hebrew or English. You can contact her on her website for more information on her.
“My conferences are not just for photographers or wildlife lovers. They also seek to empower women who don't think they can do what their hearts tell them. I encourage them to follow their dreams”, she expressed.
ISRAEL21c learned about Ben Nun's work from volunteers' photo of her joining hands in the shape of a heart while cleaning up tar on a beach in Israel following an oil spill in the Mediterranean.
“For me, photographing such a disaster is rare. I tried to show it in a positive way. I do everything I can to help the Israel Nature and Parks Authority show off the special things they do,” she explained.
Click here or here to see more wildlife photos of Dafna Ben Nun.
