Finding big cats around the world is no easy task. With most on the verge of extinction, wildlife journalist Steve Winter is on a mission to tell their story and save them from a terrible fate. As part of The Lincoln Center’s new National Geographic Live Series, Winter will present On the Trail of Big Cats on Oct 10. In an effort to educate, Winter shares breath-taking images and retells astonishing behind-the-scene stories of his experiences with these beautiful creatures.
“I’m a wildlife photojournalist but I started out covering people and cultures. That was very important to me because I learned how to tell a story,” says Winter. “Photography really spoke to me. That you can tell a story in one small moment of a photograph and that became my life’s dream.”
Winter’s journey as a photographer allows him to not only educate people about the majestic animals he photographs but also the story behind them. For Winter, storytelling is just as important as capturing the images because it helps people understand the importance of each creature.
“These stories can’t end on the pages of National Geographic,” says Winter.
This is why you’ll find Winter in the deep recesses of the Amazon, or chasing a snow leopard in the Himalaya, all in search of one shot that tells the story of these big cats best.
“I’m extremely passionate about conservation,” says Winter. “I spent over two decades organizing expeditions to remote locations around the world. One of my goals is that my images actually help to save the subjects that I’m covering.”
“I become so involved, so emotional, and so passionate about the stories I work on, bringing that to the general public is one of the most joyful parts of my job. “
Come experience these elusive creatures as photographed in their natural habitats across the world as On the Trail of Big Cats comes to the Fort Collins Lincoln Center Oct. 10. Seats from $15.