Ode to Hokkaido, Japan by Photographer Michel Godimus
Graceful red-crowned cranes, majestic eagles, reticent foxes, a rare albino squirrel, and other wildlife all accented by untouched natural wonders weave picturesque scenes and unveil the revered land of Hokkaido, Japan.
Michel Godimus, a French outdoor/wildlife photographer who has lived in Japan for 15 years, has taken on the ambitious goal of documenting all of the wildlife in that region. After the passage of many years, he has created a large collection of wildlife photos of Hokkaido. To do so, he has to climb mountains, live in forests, and trek across plateaus in order to be near his subjects and find those rare and precious shots. His photos demonstrate his great love for wildlife and Hokkaido in general. Without his relentless effort and deep sincerity, we would not be able to see the vivid expressions and lively movements of the animals not to mention the beautiful natural scenery.
We are truly fortunate to be able to speak with Michel and let him take us on his journey in Hokkaido via the following interview and images.
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: Please tell us about your journey of becoming an outstanding outdoor/wildlife photographer.
A: Thank you for your kind words. I see a lot of amazing work every day from all parts of the world so when people ask me how I became a photographer the only answer coming to my mind is luck. Of course, nature photography is also a lot of exhausting work but I think I have been very lucky to see what I have seen and lucky enough to get notified by the right people.
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: Hokkaido, Japan, must be a special place for you because many of your fantastic photos were taken there. Please share with us why Hokkaido features so prominently in your work.
A: I really love northern lands since always: bears, foxes, owls, deers, eagles, and of course salmon have always fascinated me. I really love the cycle of the seasons there and I enjoy every season there. I moved to Japan 15 years ago and fell in love the first time I went to Hokkaido. There is a very rich northern nature there and every time I go there I have new ideas and objectives making me think that I will never be able to take pictures and show to the world all the beauty of Hokkaido in only one life. Thanks to the locals, Hokkaido is a special land where most of the animals don’t view humans as a threat and in a lot of cases, it’s easy to create a confident relationship with an animal and become able to observe his daily life without causing any stress to them.
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: The albino squirrel taken by you has won many accolades including from the National Geographic Society. Please tell us how you managed to take this unforgettable photo.
A: As I often come to Hokkaido it’s easy for me to get some information about what is new and interesting in Japan. I knew about a place where an albino is sometimes spotted a long time ago but I never managed to find the time to take some pictures of him. I know a squirrel in the wild has a life expectancy of four to six years and he was spotted four years ago so I decided to go there to immortalize this rare sight.
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: You are a French citizen with a Japanese soul. Please tell us some interesting stories you have encountered while living in Japan.
A: I was born in France but even when I was young, I’ve never considered myself belonging to a particular culture or country. This feeling is even stronger now since I have lived abroad for almost 15 years. What I like the most in Japan is the rich nature and animals there. In nature, there are always new things to discover. Also, most of the people here don’t really enjoy going deep into the wild so sometimes in some places it often turns into a real adventure when you spend some time in the wild. The most impressive memory I have is when I was documenting moon bears in the forest and when I saw a male trying to get in a female den but the female was able to protect her cub.
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
I also remember a day when the weather went strange, it was raining with strong winds, and by -6℃ the rainwater was turning into ice; after some hours the forest turned into a glass-like, shinny forest. I also remember a week in the forest near a deer herd. Every evening I was able to see them fighting and I slept every night listening to their calls…
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: Your wildlife photos of Hokkaido are like visual haiku — in particular, your images of the red-crowned cranes. Please tell us more about these images.
A: When I take pictures I like to be able to capture more than just an image but also a story about life. Cranes are very active animals and they are always doing something interesting like showing their love to each other, raising and teaching a kid, training themselves to charm their lifetime partner when they are single… In winter everything turns white because of the very cold weather and it’s really easy to get some minimalistic shots when overexposing the snowy landscape with animals…
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: Besides the red-crowned cranes, what other wildlife do you like to take photos of in Hokkaido?
A: As I said before I really like northern animals: bears, foxes, deers, birds of prey, raccoons, dogs, pikas, martens, squirrels, and other small mammals. Nature there is very rich in Hokkaido and one life wouldn’t be enough to collect interesting pictures of every species living there.
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: What is your advice for people who are interested in taking wildlife/outdoor photography?
A: Take the time to go outside often and learn about the wildlife you want to photograph. Knowing the behavior of your subjects is one of the keys to take interesting pictures. Be patient and don’t fear coming back with no images — when you don’t take a picture you have probably learned something. Finally, don’t fear bad weather. The light and the ambiance during bad weather are often rewarding!
Photos Courtesy: Michel Godimus
Q: Do you have any future plans, such as upcoming exhibitions, that you would like our readers to know about?
A: For now I don’t have any planned exhibition or book because I have a lot of pictures in mind I would like to take and it’s going to take a lot of time before completing my goals. The social media keeps me very busy as well and it’s always a real pleasure to look at reactions on my social media accounts!
We hope you enjoyed this beautiful visual feast in Hokkaido, Japan. We would like to thank Michel for sharing these stunning images. We will continue to follow his journey on his Instagram account and website.
