Roger Hooper is a renowned wildlife photographer with a particular focus on big cats, and he displays his latest photographs at an annual show at the gallery@oxo. He has taken pictures in many different countries covering a wide array of wildlife.
Hooper mixes the cute angle with the predatory instincts of his subjects, so that pictures of a baby gorilla and a lion cub are displayed alongside a leopard holding a young gazelle in its jaws. This ensures that this show appeals to those who are seduced by the so called 'aaah factor' and those who prefer a more potent image.
There are also black and white images that have been painted in by hand. These present a curious hybrid between a painting and a photograph.
The large-scale photos are the standouts of this show. There is great emotional weight in Hooper's photograph of cheetahs lazing on the Masai Mara while a storm approaches in the background. The picture of a flock of thousands of birds dwarfed by an enormous ice sheet is breathtaking.
Hooper is a talented photographer and this exhibition is a chance to see some great wildlife pictures that will leave a lasting impression.
Art in the Wild is on display at the gallery@oxo until 8 July. Admission is free.