Bored Panda wanted to dive deeper into the photographer’s work, so we reached out to them and asked a few questions. José Manuel shared with us what first sparked his passion for birds: “Before dedicating myself to photography, I conducted bird surveys and ringing works to study the composition of different bird communities and aspects related to migration.
I began photographing them to document these activities and gradually devoted more time to it, until in recent years I have dedicated a large part of my time to bird photography.”
The photographer told us that in his work, he doesn’t necessarily focus on capturing rare birds, and explained: “When photographing birds, I don't look for rare species. I prefer to photograph common species, especially looking for interesting aspects such as certain behaviors, interesting situations in terms of lighting, backgrounds, environments, etc., and, if possible, close to home so I can dedicate more time to them.”
He added: “I'm fortunate to live near a small wetland with a large number of migratory species, and that's where I do most of my work.”
When asked about his favorite tools for capturing birds in flight or in their natural behaviors, Grandío responded: “Before I begin photographing any species, I like to go out into the field with binoculars, without a camera, and study the sites they frequent and see the potential of those specific locations, what season they're in, what their behavior is like, how the light hits them, etc....
For me, the most important thing is to spend some time observing before I start taking photographs, and it's as enjoyable as photographing. When it comes to photographing birds in flight or in action situations, current digital equipment is a great help due to its modern features.”
Lastly, we were curious if there are any bird species or locations that José Manuel still keeps on his bucket list. The Spanish photographer shared with us: “I think all photographers think a lot about species they haven't photographed yet, or we dream of photographing certain situations with species we've already photographed. Perhaps that's why we return again and again to the same places to photograph something that usually only occurs in our thoughts.
The most beautiful thing about this activity is that no matter how much time passes, there are always new reasons and situations to continue. Personally, and when I'm not photographing close to home, I like to go to some places in northern Europe. Although I generally photograph the same species there as close to home, I do so in their nesting places, with different behaviors, plumages, and environments.”
