In Your Eyes – Interview with Robert Sachowski – Chile 2025

third November 2025

 

Tell us slightly extra about your images journey.  How lengthy have you ever been taking images and running a blog?

I used to be given my first digicam as a present in my final yr of highschool, a Pentax ME. I shot till I graduated from Engineering, then my profession acquired in the way in which. So I used to be away from images for a few many years. When I retired, I made a decision I wanted one thing aside from golf to maintain me lively and studying. So what was it going to be? I regarded round, and on my partitions had been prints of photos I took, and on a bookshelf had been my outdated Pentax movie cameras, being room decorations. I stated to myself, I used to try this and loved it. So off to the digicam retailer I went, and picked up my first digital digicam, a Canon 80D. The zoo introduced the start of snow leopard cubs. I assumed that may be a very good place to determine how all of the dials and buttons labored. The physics of sunshine hadn’t modified, however the expertise certain had. It was there that I found I loved wildlife, after capturing photos of them that confirmed their character.

What are you keen about in addition to images?  What do you do in your free time?

There are issues I love to do, like images, golf, cooking, expertise and some different issues. Living within the centre of Canada and the seasons, somethings we are able to’t do yr spherical, I do one thing for some time, then do one thing else.

What do you take pleasure in doing in your free time?

I’m retired. I golf some in the summertime, and images after the September lengthy weekend, when all of the persons are again to work and the children are again in class. I’ve no actual schedule most days, aside from tee instances in the summertime. I do one thing every day, no matter I’m feeling. I’m doing issues at a reasonably relaxed tempo now in retirement, the precise reverse of the way in which I used to be throughout my profession as an Engineer.

What drew you to go to Chile to {photograph} the Pumas? 

There is a little bit of a narrative. I used to be on a visit at a fly-in lodge 250 km east of Churchill, Manitoba, for polar bears and wolves. One of the company instructed us about simply being in Patagonia earlier. I noticed a few of his photos. So once I acquired house, I did some analysis and located the Wild Images tour. I reside in Canada, the place there are pumas (we name them mountain lions/cougars), however good luck seeing them. So when the title got here up, Walking with Pumas, that acquired my consideration.

What gear did you utilize on our tour?

I introduced 2 Canon R5, RF100-50, RF70-200, RF24-105, RF14-35, and an iPhone 15 Pro.

99% of my photographs had been with the R5 100-500 and my iPhone.

I did carry the second physique with the 70-200, however after a number of days, I solely carried one physique after we had been on our walks.

What had been your first impressions of Chile for images?

I loved it, how calm and approachable the cats had been. I had a few goals which I used to be going to attempt to obtain whereas I used to be there. Get a small in-frame shot, with mountains within the background. Showing the habitat wherein they reside. The frosty mornings had been a pleasant aspect.

What stunned you about your journey there?

I’m not certain I used to be stunned by something. It was a really well-run journey, the folks had been nice, and the placement was nice.

What had been your frustrations in your journey?

Once I acquired there, there have been no frustrations. Getting there, we reside in fascinating instances. I received’t get into the politics.

Of all of the animals you will have photographed, do you will have a favorite vacation spot you favor to {photograph}?

I’m very new to journey images. I began after retiring. And so occurred, 4 days earlier than I used to be to step on a airplane to Kenya, the entire world shut down, COVID. So this was my second worldwide journey. I’ve been as much as Churchill a few instances. I reside in Winnipeg, so it was a straightforward journey, no borders to cross. But I should say, throughout COVID, it was a car parking zone, which was a 30-minute stroll from the place I reside. With every thing shut down and no folks round, a pair of ospreys determined to construct a nest on a car parking zone mild fixture. I acquired to spend quite a few hours and lots of days with them over the two years.

Aside from the images, what different elements of the tour did you take pleasure in?

The folks, the meals, the flexibility to hike with the Pumas. Out strolling versus driving round in a automobile. I favor that.

What have you ever realized out of your tour of Chile?

I take pleasure in composing a small in-frame shot. That was new for me. I’ve accomplished numerous tight close-ups and portraits previously. And I used to be in a position to shoot much less. With these cameras and body charges, the variety of photos the cameras are producing is overwhelming, not less than for me.

Do you will have any recommendation for photographers visiting Chile?

Just have enjoyable. Try belongings you haven’t tried earlier than. Follow your information’s directions. Simple hand gestures labored effectively once I was trying to transfer away a bit from the group, with out disturbing others.

Are there any photos which might be notably particular to you?

“Above the Cloud” can be a characteristic print on my wall. All my portraits and a few wider photographs. I acquired some good frosty mornings and backlit photographs. The frost provides a component to the picture.

Why did you take pleasure in these photos a lot?

Above the Cloud: It is small in body, which was a shot I needed to do. It confirmed the habitat, the mountain had snow on it, and the bonus was that there was a cloud over the lake, which was a part of it’s beneath the place she was sitting. There was no clear blue sky within the background. I discover plain, strong color or utterly blown out backgrounds distracting; I take a look at it and assume one thing is lacking. But that’s simply me.

Would you come to Chile for images?

Not certain. I’m new to journey and journey images, so there are a selection of different locations I wish to go to, and different animals I want to {photograph} and placed on my wall.

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