During Charlee Wild’s career as a wildlife photographer, they’ve been gifted with moments that have stopped me in my tracks over the years.
With this selection of Charlee’s favorite encounters, they share an emotive living story of resilience and connection. With once-in-a-lifetime wildlife moments comes great responsibility: sharing their stories to inspire conservation while also protecting the images so they’ll never be lost. That’s why Charlee Wild trusts Lexar to back up every memory card, every adventure, and every story worth sharing.
Here are five of Charlee Wild’s favorite images they’ve ever captured, how they came to life, and the lessons they carry from them.
Giant Sleepy Alaskan Brown Bear
After days of hiking and being in total awe while watching brown bears fish, I noticed a huge one settle onto the riverbank, eyes heavy & belly very full.
Slowly, his head began to nod, fighting sleep like a child in class. He was so calm and comfortable with my presence, that I just sat across the river and watched him take a nap. I was low on the ground with my old Sony a7RIV and 400mm GM prime at f/2.8, shooting at 1/1600s to catch each moment between his drowsy blinks.
This frame always makes me smile because it’s a reminder that even apex predators have tender, sleepy moments.
Pro Tip: When photographing large mammals, lower your perspective. Shooting from eye-level creates intimacy & respect, pulling your viewers into the animal’s world.
Eagle’s Blink
One morning on the coast of Washington, a bald eagle landed so close to me I could hear the crunch of gravel beneath its talons.
To my surprise, instead of flying, it walked right up to me, curious, bold, and so majestic (or maybe it just wanted to eat my dog, who knows). In one surreal second, I caught the exact moment its nictitating membrane (that translucent inner eyelid) crossed over the eye.
Settings: my super old Sony a7M3, 100-400mm GM, 1/2000s at f/5.6. It felt like the eagle allowed me into its secret world for a fraction of a heartbeat!
Pro Tip: Wildlife moments happen in a blink, literally. Use a fast shutter speed (1/2000s or more) to freeze the unexpected. If you want to capture quick moments sharply, have your shutter speed twice your focal length.
Lone Tree in Lapland
It was around -30°C, so my eyelashes started freezing together. Alone for a moment in a silent snowfield, I saw a single tree standing defiant against the white-out.
I shot this at 100mm for a bit of compression at f/4.5. That photograph is simplicity itself, but it reminds me of endurance, solitude, and the wild’s quiet strength.
Pro Tip: In extreme cold, keep batteries in an inner pocket to preserve their life!
The King
This stunning lion was rescued from a canned hunting operation, a brutal industry where animals are bred and caged to be shot for trophies.
During the pandemic, Americans were paying to shoot them in cages via Zoom. Now safe, he’s living his best life at an amazing sanctuary in South Africa. I used my 135mm prime lens at f/1.8 (my favorite aperture for that dreamy bokeh), framing him in soft light to honor his dignity.
This image is a testament to survival and hope.
Pro Tip: For big cats, long lenses allow you to capture detail and emotion from a safe, respectful distance. I was only this close in this instance due to him being a captive animal.
My Local Fox
Throughout my life, I’ve had a weird thing with foxes.
My goal used to always be to see wolves, but they turned into my unicorn that I’ve struggled to find. Conversely, every continent I’ve traveled to, a fox has randomly appeared to me while hiking around. Near my home in Alaska, this local and popular fox would greet me on a local trail.
Locals argue whether it’s male or female and whether or not they’ve seen her have kits. I believe she’s female. She’s a very old fox now!
For seven years, people have reported photographing her. Over seasons, I’ve watched her trot through wildflowers, crunch across ice, and spent many, many hours just to see her pause in the quiet snow.
This portrait was shot on my Sony a1 at 400mm at f/2.8. After I took the photo, I just cried. What a magical creature. I’m beyond thankful for the encounters I’ve had with her. She reminds me that connection to the wild isn’t only in distant lands, it’s also right outside our door, if we choose to look & wait long enough.
Pro Tip: Use a wide aperture (like f/2.8) for portraits. It blurs distractions and lets the animal’s personality shine.
Protecting the Wild, Protecting the Work
Every one of these images is irreplaceable for me. After each shoot, I transfer my GOLD CFexpress™ 4.0 Type A Cards to my Lexar ARMOR 700 Portable SSD. Whether I’m thawing my fingers in Lapland or loading gear under African stars, Lexar gives me the speed and reliability I need to back up quickly and securely.
The wild is unpredictable. Your backup process shouldn’t be. With Lexar, my life’s wildest encounters are safe and ready to inspire conservation and connection for years to come..
About
Charlee Wild is a British wildlife & travel photographer, videographer, & conservationist who has documented the beauty and plight of our planet for over a decade. Represented by Sony Alpha, she captures the imagination of a global audience.
Learn more about Charlee Wild’s photography
