Capturing Conservation: The Art of Nature Photography

Leopards and peafowl

In January 2016, Xi launched the Nomad Photographer Development Program after encountering two nomads who captured images of a snow leopard using a compact camera in the Sanjiangyuan region in Qinghai.

He proposed to furnish them with superior equipment and instruct them in photography techniques. By 2020, the initiative had educated over 40 nomads in wildlife photography.

Three participants from his program became principal cameramen for Xi’s wildlife documentary, Snow Leopards and Friends. Released in August 2023, the film included valuable footage taken by Xi and these nomadic photographers, generating significant attention regarding the current condition of snow leopards, and won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Documentary/Science Education Film that year.

To film a snow leopard mother rearing two cubs in a cave located at an altitude of 5,200 meters, Xi and his Tibetan cameramen set up a camp at 4,700 meters and remained there for 35 days. Daily, they would climb 500 meters to the filming location. For one of the Tibetan photographers, Xi noted, the ascent required 20 minutes.

“However, I took one hour and 20 minutes to reach that altitude,” he stated. “With their keen eyesight and physical resilience, they are genuine experts of the rugged landscape.”

The six-year undertaking not only brought about a significant shift in the local community’s perspective towards wildlife but also enhanced the living conditions of snow leopards and other species residing in the area.

“For local nomads, photography has evolved into a prevalent lifestyle,” Xi remarked. “With earnings from selling caterpillar fungus, they now prefer to upgrade their photography gear instead of purchasing new motorcycles or vehicles.”

In 2017, he received distressing news that one of the last remaining sanctuaries for the endangered green peafowl — a species under State first-class protection due to its diminishing population of fewer than 500 birds — was threatened by a hydroelectric dam initiative. Motivated by this pressing concern, he gathered a group of colleagues to carry out an on-site assessment.

“In China, the green peafowl is only found in Yunnan and previously inhabited forests along major rivers, such as the Jinsha and Lancang (Mekong) rivers,” Xi explained. “Over time, they have disappeared from many of these environments, now existing solely in a few secluded areas along the Honghe River. As a local Yunnan photographer, I felt a sense of duty in addressing this neglect.”

In reaction to this predicament, he led an environmental movement in collaboration with grassroots conservation entities to contest the dam’s construction. This shared endeavor resulted in a civil suit raised against the project developers, leading to a stop in the construction process. Thanks to these united efforts, the habitat of the green peafowl was preserved from additional damage.

“I believe I act as a messenger or a conduit,” Xi expressed. “Through my work, I wish to enable more people to witness the true forest and authentic nature.”