Into the Unknown with Cari Siebrits
Cari Siebrits is a multidimensional Toronto-based wildlife photographer whose work redefines the wildness of her subjects by traversing the space between urban and natural. A passionate collaborator with a heart for conservation, Cari works alongside organizations like Coyote Watch Canada and the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective to bring awareness to the hardships faced by Canadian wildlife. With a full-time career outside of photography, Cari maximises her creative potential through opportunities like the OM System Tell Your Story program. Cross Into the Unknown with Cari, and uncover how a sense of awe turned into a sense of purpose.
Photo Credit: Cari Siebrits
To many people there is an inherent difference between wild spaces and urban sprawl, but you haven’t let that hinder your work in the least. How did you discover the wild side of city living, and how has it changed your understanding of wildlife photography?
I was one of those people who thought of “urban” and “wild” spaces as inherently different — it took me a long time to realize just how wild the city I live in really is!
For a long time, when I thought about “wildlife photography,” I pictured grizzly bears, moose, and wolves. And when I imaged a “wildlife photographer,” I pictured someone exploring the Arctic tundra, summiting the Rockies, or camping in deep backcountry. Living in Toronto (alongside millions of other people), it never crossed my mind that you could be a wildlife photographer in Canada’s biggest city!
But over time, I realized that we share our city with so many adaptable and resilient creatures — I just hadn’t been paying enough attention.
My camera helped me take notice of the wild lives all around me in new ways. It started off small — I noticed black-capped chickadees outside of my apartment, crafting their nests in crevices along the sides of my building. Or how my neighbourhood squirrels’ behaviour changed over the course of the seasons. And the more I started looking for examples of wildlife in the city, the more I found!
It finally ‘clicked’ (pun intended) that we don’t need to be in Churchill or Jasper or the remote corners of the country to find wild moments (as wonderful as those places are!). They are literally happening all around us – in our neighbourhood parks, green spaces, and even in our own backyards.
Once I realized that, there was no turning back.
The fascinating world of urban wildlife was unveiled, and lately I’ve been really enjoying the challenge of showing how Toronto’s iconic wildlife — like coyotes, skunks, raccoons, and squirrels — navigate life in the city they share with us.
You work with multiple organizations that champion a balanced coexistence between humans and nature. How does wildlife photography lend itself to that ideology?
One of the most unexpected parts of my journey with wildlife photography is that my camera has connected me to such an inspiring community! Through photography, I’ve gotten to know so many dedicated and dynamic individuals who are advocating for coexistence and the protection of our wildlife and wild spaces — and they make me feel hopeful for the future.
I’m lucky to work with some incredible conservation-focused organizations — including Coyote Watch Canada (which works towards canid conservation and community coexistence) and the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective (which promotes conservation efforts through photography).
Photo Credit: Cari Siebrits
Working towards a shared goal with like-minded photographers and conservationists has taught me that there’s so much power in community – and so much power in photography. We can accomplish so much with our cameras, especially when we work together.
As photographers, we are storytellers — our cameras give us an opportunity to shine a spotlight on important issues and move people to action. For me, the ultimate goal with wildlife photography goes beyond sharing a good photo (although that can be impactful in and of itself). It’s also about telling a story that sticks with people. Photography can be the first step in connecting someone to a subject or an issue I really care about. And my hope is that, by sharing my words and images, I can inspire others to find magic in the subjects I photograph.
I see so many examples of wildlife photographers choosing to share photos and stories that:
Educate, combat myths, and shift narratives — our images can help people see certain species or places in a new light! I see so many examples of photographers bringing us into the secret worlds of species we might misunderstand or overlook. Images can bring new magic, compassion, and understanding to all sorts of subjects. I see many great examples of photographers shifting our understanding about overlooked species like reptiles, amphibians, and insects, or reshaping the conversation about stigmatized and misunderstood creatures (like coyotes and wolves).
Engage and awe our audience — we have the power to evoke emotion, connect people to the wild world, and make them care about protecting it. Our images can be the first step in someone developing a stronger connection to a subject they may not encounter regularly in their day-to-day life.
Document and bring awareness to urgent conservation issues (and solutions) — I see so many examples of photographers using their work to spotlight issues and engage people in important conversations about how we’re interacting with the natural world around us.
Rally people to take action, and foster a community that can collectively bring about change!
Ultimately, the stories we choose to tell as wildlife photographers have the power to move us closer to a world where we make changes to coexist with the creatures we share our communities with. It feels like both a privilege and responsibility.
You have spoken about ethical photography as being a fluid practice that changes and evolves with each experience. What are the key tenets of ethical photography that our foundational to your interactions with wildlife?
I might say less “fluid” and more “complex” — in that it requires constant re-evaluation to ensure we are not causing harm to the wildlife we’re drawn to (intentionally or unintentionally).
With wildlife, each subject is unique, each situation is unique, and each photographer is unique — so there are a lot of unpredictable elements and layers to every encounter, which leaves room for nuance. So, while there are some black and white rules of ethical photography, there should also be continuous reflection and re-evaluation of what we did right and where we could have done things differently, or could do better in the future. I think these reflections are imperative to holding ourselves to a high level of responsibility, accountability, and transparency.
Photo Credit: Cari Siebrits
For example, some hard and fast rules that I believe all wildlife photographers have a responsibility to abide by are:
Do not bait or feed wildlife
Respect ecosystems and park rules
Be very mindful of disclosing locations (especially around sensitive ecosystems or wildlife that is nesting or denning)
Do not crowd or harass wildlife – strive to have the absolute minimal impact on your subject’s behaviour. if your subject moves away from you, let them go.
Do your research about wildlife tours and experiences
Never put your subject’s safety or comfort above the shot
However, the more time I’ve spent with wildlife, and in conversation with other photographers I admire, the more I’ve thought about situations that can be more complex to navigate, where the “right” and “wrong” thing to do feel less obvious.
Some of the more nuanced questions we might ask ourselves could include:
How long do you stay to photograph an animal, even if they don’t appear to be disturbed by your presence (especially around nest or den sites, where wildlife is less likely to or be able to move away?)
Would you go to a location where you know bad behaviour from photographers has been reported (even if you behave “ethically” at the location, is your presence adding undue stress to a situation that’s already stressful? Is your presence condoning the bad behaviour of others?)
How do we react when we encounter unethical actions of others, in the field or online? When do we call out bad behaviour, and when do we try to educate and call others in? (while also acknowledging that there can be safety concerns in doing so, which are amplified for women and gender-marginalized individuals, and historically marginalized communities)
Reflecting on if and when you share certain images (e.g. maybe you have a great urban shot of a fox den, but there are some clearly identifiable elements in the background – do you share it? Do you wait a few months to minimize potential disturbance to the den site?)
If you photograph a subject that you know (or can assume) has been fed/food conditioned by others, is it still ethical to take the shot? If you take the shot, is it important to disclose this?
How are you captioning your images? Are you playing into false narratives or stigma? (for example, I once saw a photographer post a photo of a yawning coyote, using the hashtag #rabies. While the intention probably wasn’t malicious, this feeds into a lot of stereotypes and misunderstandings about these canids)
And after any encounter, reflecting on what went well, and asking ourselves if there was anything we could have done better.
These are the types of questions that are important to ask ourselves. I think part of our responsibility as wildlife photographers and advocates means constantly evaluating whether we could have done better by our subjects, and constantly being critical of the ways our presence might impact them and their habitat.
I also think having transparent conversations about the nuance or areas we could have done better and less clear cut scenarios can help us all hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Looking at this image specifically, what about this encounter stuck with you, and how do you connect with your subjects in the moment?
Photo Credit: Cari Siebrits
This image of an urban coyote in my neighbourhood is especially memorable for a whole bunch of reasons!
First and foremost, urban coyotes are one of my favourite subjects! I’m especially drawn to subjects that are misunderstood, and I’d argue very few animals are more misunderstood in North America than the coyote. Their resilience, intelligence, and social dynamics are just a few of the things that make them incredibly interesting animals to watch.
Secondly, I love that this moment really spotlights the way they have adapted to our presence.
And it was also an occasion where patience paid off (which I’m sure all the wildlife photographers out there can relate to!).
In a busy parkette on a Sunday morning, I waited (in the rain, because — of course!) in this spot along a graffiti wall, hoping to see a neighbourhood coyote that had been active in this area. I waited, and waited, and waited, when finally I saw the coyote cut across the field!
To me, this image captures this space they occupy, that exists within and somewhere between "urban" and "wild." It shows the way they navigate our cities, despite the fact that human presence impacts nearly every aspect of their lives — including the way they hunt, move, den, and raise their young. I watched him skillfully avoid off-leash dogs, parents with strollers, cyclists, and busy roadways. Most of them never even knew he was there.
I snapped a few shots before the coyote quietly disappeared, somehow vanishing into a bustling city before my very eyes. And was left thinking about how the line between our habitat and theirs continues to blur.
You were chosen for the OM System Tell Your Story Program. What was it like crafting a narrative through your work, and how did this experience help you grow as a photographer?
It’s hard to find the words to express how much being part of the OM-5 Tell Your Story program meant to me! Through this program, I received camera gear, technical support, financial support, and mentorship (from the most incredibly talented, kind and generous @BrookeLittleBear) to tell a wildlife photo story.
It was the first time my photography had ever been invested in, or I’d ever been asked to craft a narrative in this way! Like so many photographers out there, I shoot because I truly love it — photography brings me such a deep sense of joy, purpose and fulfillment. I have never picked up my camera expecting it to lead anywhere (beyond editing photos on my living room couch!). So, for a company like OM System to recognize and celebrate our work and passion for telling stories with our cameras was an unbelievable dream come true. Being part of this program was such a gift, and I am so appreciative of this investment you’re making in me and the other (extremely talented) participants.
The experience helped me push my skills as a photographer to new limits and made me believe in myself in new ways. I hope it also helped others fall in love with wildlife (the way I have!).
My last piece of advice to other photographers out there would be to find communities and groups like these, to support you in your journey! I almost didn’t apply to be part of the project, and had so many voices of doubt in my head when I finally did submit my application. So, when you see opportunities like these come up — apply! Take a chance on yourself! You never know where it might lead.
Thank you so much to the remarkable Cari Siebrits for sharing her work and her insights into the world of photography. Please take a moment to peruse more of Cari’s stunning photos on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram.
