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Local photographer gets bird's eye view

Newcastle based wildlife photographer Kaleel Zibe is celebrating after receiving his first professional commission from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), to take photographs for its latest marketing campaign and image library.

The RSPB have selected two images to be used in their upcoming Feed the Birds press campaign, which aims to promote feeding birds as a family activity.

Lisa Fell, Picture researcher at the RSPB, said: “I was initially attracted to Kaleel’s work by his stylish images of people in the natural environment, he is able to capture some lovely tones and expressions that fit really well with the RSPB brand. The images that we chose to be used in the adverts show feeding birds as fun for all the family which is exactly what we are try to portray though this campaign.”

Kaleel started his business in February this year after pursuing it as a hobby for six years previous. He first realised his talent for photography whilst taking pictures of his children Emily, five and Jake, four and bought a professional camera to keep up with them.

Formerly the MD of North East based ink specialists Multichem, Kaleel stepped down from the business in 2007, in favour of a career change. Kaleel said: “I became increasingly frustrated with the amount of stress the job generated and was looking for a new challenge. I wanted to take my photography to the next level so decided to go for it and do what I enjoyed most. A year later and Kaleel Zibe Photography was born.

“Being commissioned by the RSPB is a significant contract for me and signifies the start of my career as a professional photographer.”

To view pictures from Kaleel’s trip to Africa and many others from his portfolio visit his website at www.kaleelzibe.com. The RSPB images are also available to purchase on the RSPB image library website at www.rspb-images.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .