Behind the Lens

I’m Michael Jordan, a wildlife and nature photographer based in the beautiful KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa. My photography takes me across South Africa, exploring wild places and capturing the birds, animals and landscapes that make this country so incredible.

My love for wildlife started long before I picked up a camera. My grandfather has been an avid birdwatcher for many years, and when I was younger, he introduced me to the world of birds and birding. What started as something we could enjoy together eventually became a passion of my own.

I still remember one of the moments that really started my journey into photography. While out birding with my grandfather, I managed to take a photograph of a Black Egret using my phone through a pair of binoculars. It certainly wasn’t a professional photograph, but seeing that moment captured in a picture completely changed the way I looked at photography. From there, I was hooked.

I’ve now been photographing wildlife and nature for more than a decade.

For me, photography is about much more than getting the perfect photograph. It’s about being outside, exploring new places, watching wildlife behave naturally and, most importantly, being there for those unexpected moments. There is something special about being able to freeze a fleeting moment in time and turn it into a memory that can be looked back on for years to come.

Some of my favourite places to photograph are the wild and remote areas of South Africa, particularly the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Every trip into the bush brings the possibility of seeing something new, and that’s a big part of what keeps me exploring.

I have also been fortunate enough to have my photography reach beyond my own collection. One of my Striped Weasel photographs is currently being used in the board game Wildscapes, which is something I’m particularly proud of.

Photography remains a passion and a hobby for me. I don’t simply want to photograph wildlife — I want to experience it, explore the places it calls home, and share those experiences through my images.

Every photograph has a story behind it.

This is mine.