麻豆传媒映画

Nicolas de Vaulx鈥檚 passion for wildlife photography stemmed from the pure pleasure of observing creatures in their natural habitats. 

He has travelled around the world for almost 30 years, with his images winning international prizes and being published in numerous nature magazines. 

鈥淢y goal is to capture a moment that is playful and pleasing to the eye,鈥� he told The Connexion, upon returning from his most recent voyage spent snapping whales and penguins in Antarctica. 

鈥淚 have always felt a need to be in wide open spaces, but I鈥檓 not Tarzan, I also find opportunities to seek nature in cities and towns.鈥�

From Fr茅jus to Paris, Mr de Vaulx began noticing the interesting and varied wildlife present in urban areas around France and Europe, developing a dedicated project titled Nature en ville (Nature in town).

Read more: Tips for taking great wildlife photos in France

This collection of aesthetic animal images has toured from the mountains of Chamonix (Haute-Savoie) to the Phot鈥橝ubrac festival (Loz猫re). 

It was more recently hosted in Draguignan (Var), enchanting members of the public with shots of curious creatures in seemingly unlikely urban environments.

Which animals are hiding in town centres?

There are foxes, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels鈥� 鈥淏adgers can be a bit more difficult to find,鈥� said Mr de Vaulx. 鈥淚t sounds silly, but I even have photos of rats and coypus [similar to beavers], to show they are actually very beautiful and intelligent creatures.鈥� 

You can also find different birds: the peregrine falcon, the kestrel (which hunts field mice and pigeons), mandarin ducks and herons can be found in certain French towns.

鈥淲agtails can be seen up to 10 or even 20 times per day - they are everywhere. Swallows and starlings are also easy to spot,鈥� said Mr de Vaulx. Other species require more patience. 

Kingfishers in Fr茅jus

Mr de Vaulx once waited several long hours just to catch a glimpse of a couple of kingfishers, with brilliant blue and orange feathers. He noticed that these birds routinely flew by a metal bridge in the touristic town centre of Fr茅jus in south-east France. 

鈥淚 need to know exactly where the creature will be and at what times. Then I can position myself in a place that allows me to take an aesthetic picture in the instant that they pass through.鈥� Mr de Vaulx explained.

An advantage of being in an urban environment is easily understanding an animal鈥檚 habits and rituals. 

Read more: French photographers are winners when it comes to capturing nature

Looking for clues, night and day

Wildlife clues such as droppings, pawprints, and even gaps in fences can lead to animals that appear either during the day or at night. For example, squirrels and falcons are diurnal while foxes and raccoons are mainly nocturnal, even though some venture out in daylight in areas where they feel safe.

鈥淚鈥檇 say to myself, 鈥業f I were a fox, I would pass through this hole,鈥� and then after some observation and investigation, I realise that right enough, a fox lives not far away,鈥� said Nicolas.

鈥淚n nature, it would flee before I would be able to get anywhere near it. In town centres, if you are persistent enough, animals can get used to your presence. It is at this moment that I manage to get the types of photos I am looking for.鈥�

Are you walking or wandering?

Some people who see Nicolas de Vaulx's photography cannot believe their eyes, falsely accusing him of using AI. They say that they never see animals while walking through their town centres. 

He points out a key difference between the act of marcher (walking) and se promener (wandering).

鈥淪o many of us are guilty of walking while looking at our phones or wearing headphones in our ears, or focusing on looking in shop windows鈥� I even have a picture of a woman who is so concentrated on a conversation she is having on her telephone that she fails to notice a fox walking just two meters away from her.鈥�

Mr de Vaulx highlights that nature should not be taken for granted: 鈥淚t is fabulous, but it is also fragile.鈥� 

He hopes that people who see his photographs feel an urge to take a closer look at nature while living their day-to-day lives in towns and cities.

鈥淓ven when sipping a coffee en terrasse, just take a moment and pay attention to the slightest movement in the trees.鈥�

To see more of Nicolas de Vaulx鈥檚 urban wildlife images, the Nature en Ville exhibition will next be in Chirac (Loz猫re) from March 28-30. You can also order his book by writing to: photographie.ndv@gmail.com