Attila Szilágyi | nature photographer

I was born in 1974 in the surrounding of Hortobágy, in Balmazújváros. My whole life has been connected with this wide open, mystical plain world. I grew up in a house on the outskirts of the village. Our playground was the plains behind the end house. As a kid, I never guessed that where we were playing football with my buddies was one of the most special saline areas of Hortobágy and Hungary – the so-called Big Saline. At that time, it was so natural that to avoid the ball a Kentish plover “rolled” away and avocets, godwits, pewits flew away because of our noise. Later on, it made me sad to realize that this wondrous world has disappeared. I was curious about everything, but the focus of my attention turned to birds. I have spent plenty of time in that area where I have seen so many unforgettable phenomena of nature which made me realize that I wanted not just to watch but also to actively protect the wonders of nature. As a foundation member of the Hortobágy Environmental Protection Association and ranger of the Hortobágy National Park Directorate I am working on repaying the gift which I got from this wonderful area.

Bence Máté | Wildlife photographer

Bence Máté is one of the most successful and world-renowned wildlife photographers of our country. He earned the title of the “invisible wildlife photographer” thanks to his special, self-designed one-was glass hides. He maintains such an ecosystem in his farm in Pusztaszer where the most diverse animal species settle, and from his secret hides, Bence can gain a direct view to the hidden world of animals. He is holder of several prestigious national and international awards, he won the title of “Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010” in London that is considered as the Oscar of wildlife photography . He is one of the most successful photographers in the history of the international competition. His images were presented to the Hungarian audience at a huge-volume outdoor touring exhibition in 2019. Bence has travelled the world, but independent to his exotic photography adventures, his heart draws him to his “own wilderness”. When he has the time, he spends most of his time in his hides in Pusztaszer.

Csaba Daróczi | nature photographer

I was born in Debrecen in 1969, then I grew up in Püspökladány. My passion for nature started when I was young, but it extended only to fishing. During my high-school years, I took interest in the art of photography, however, black and white photography and labs somehow didn’t bring me much excitement. In the early 1990s, I came into closer contact with nature photography in college, as it was mandatory to document what I saw on a colour slide during geographic field practices. At that time, I visited a nature photography exhibition in Szeged, which directed me towards nature photography. I started learning in a self-taught way, but some experienced nature photographers also helped a lot. I came to Soltvadkert in 1994 and started exploring Kiskunság with the eyes of a photographer, which still lasts to this day, as this area is inexhaustible of amazing subjects. This beautiful landscape is illustrated in my recently published book, The Child of the Rivers. I am interested in every topic that provides an experience or in which I see a chance to take a good picture. I am happy to take part in photo contests; I have already achieved great success in these, not only in Hungary, but also internationally. www.daroczicsaba.hu

Éva Keleti | photographer

In 1952 I started my career at the Hungarian Photo – so called MTI (Hungarian News Agency) as a reporter and I was a picture editor and photo reporter of the Új Tükör (New Mirror) since 1976. Since 1991 I have been the establisher and manager of the Europress Photo Agency. I got Mihály Táncsics and Béla Balázs awards, then became Artist of Merit, when I was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award by the Hungarian Photographers Association. I furthermore got the For the Hungarian Art award. I am a member of the World Press Photo international presidium as well. The MÚOSZ (National Association of the Hungarian Journalists) honoured me with Golden Pen and I got the Prima Primissima Award in 2008. I am a member of the World Press Photo’s international presidium. My first significant exhibition was arranged in the Ernst Museum, which was followed by several other exhibitions both in Hungary and abroad. My pictures taken in India have been shown in exhibitions in the National Gallery and in the Museum of Ethnography. Recently I had exhibitions about Iván Darvas and Éva Ruttkai actors at the University of Kaposvár and at the Vígszínház. My life-work book titled “So Far and Near” was edited by Mihály Gera. The Memorial Volume of Iván Darvas was published in 2007. After that my series was published entitled “Reportage Art”.

László Suhayda | nature photographer

I was born in Gödöllő in 1959. As a kid, I spent a lot of time at the reedy area of Rákos creek and in the surrounding forests and fields of Gödöllő. I was mainly interested in birds, so when I had the opportunity, I joined the local team of the Hungarian Ornithological and Conservation Association in Gödöllő. I bought my first camera rather late, as an adult, in 1990. I do not have favorite theme, I find inspiration in all fields of nature. The purpose of my activity as a nature photographer is to share the things I have seen with others, who are open to the beauty of nature, but do not have the opportunity to get any personal experiences. I make an effort to serve nature and the environment protection through education. I participated in domestic competitions with my photos regularly, except the last few years. I have achieved significant results both in Hungary and abroad. From 2008, I have been taking part in nature photo courses as an instructor. I find in important that besides the technical and esthetical knowledge, the beginner photographers know and keep also the ethic rules of the nature photography.

Laurent Ballesta | underwater photographer, diver

Laurent Ballesta is a French photographer from Montpellier. He is the author of 13 photography books dedicated to underwater wildlife. Cofounder of Andromède Oceanology since 2000, he has been leading major expeditions for the past 10 years. His Gombessa Expeditions gather 3 emblematic values: a scientific mystery, a diving challenge and the promise of unique world first images. From the first pictures of the coelacanth taken by a diver at 120 meters deep, to the hunts of the 700 sharks of Fakarava at night and the deepest and longest dive in Antarctica, Laurent illustrates the underwater world with a naturalist and artistic point of view. In the summer 2019 he did a world first by successfully combining offshore saturation living systems with the technics of autonomous rebreather diving. For 28 days Laurent and 3 other divers lived in a 5 square meters pressurized chamber and dove daily in the mesophotic zone, between 60 and 140 meters deep with no limit of time between Marseille and Monaco. There, they were able to illustrate targeted ecosystems and put together unique scientific protocols. http://laurentballesta.com/

Tamás Vitray Jr. | Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Hungary Magazine, former film and TV cameraman, biologist researcher

Perhaps the most important revelation about myself is my realization that, in fact, three different lives of mine ran together at National Geographic magazine. I started the first one at the Faculty of Science of Eötvös Loránt University, where I graduated as a research biologist. My second life set off at Eötvös Loránd University, majoring in English translation, where I learned how much more I still need to study English, and in my great attempt, I ended up as a book translator-editor. I started living my third life at the University of Theatre and Film Arts, thus I became a film and TV cameraman. Then came many years of moving image, cameraman and directing work, and at the meanwhile some book translation and editing here and there, and a year of advertising agency. I have been teaching visual and cinematography studies at Metropolitan University for the sixth year, and it has been twenty years since I became editor-in-chief of the national publisher of National Geographic Books; during which, 220 books passed through my hands. I have been preparing National Geographic magazine for thirteen years as managing editor and five years as editor-in-chief. I’m maniac about image and maniac about text too - it seems that my three lives at National Geographic magazine are now finally starting to come together into a unified whole.

Zsolt Marcell Tóth | wildlife filmmaker

I was attending primary school when hiking, exploring nature became part of my life. I wanted to be a geography teacher for a long time, then once, as a high school student, I saw a camera operator working in Kossuth Square. I was impressed by the thought that he can see the world from a special point of view. It was around this time that I decided to do filmmaking and television production. I feel lucky because over the decades, I’ve been able to view and capture the world from many places and many perspectives. As a wildlife filmmaker, I know that a good shot requires either great luck or great luck and a lot of lifting, waiting, patience, and tremendous tolerance to endure failure. I have been working on a lot of television and film productions over the past nearly two and a half decades; but in the meantime, I never gave up my own freedom either. With a backpack and a tent, I have been able to explore countless lands, both rugged, frosty places and lush, lively rainforests, but the diversity of our Carpathian Basin still amazes me to this day. Filmmaking is a responsibility, as we have the opportunity to document our environment and shape people's attitudes with our opinions, but at the same time, this work also offers the opportunity to play and experiment. For all these reasons, it’s worth to turn on the camera every single day and show the world a framed slice of life.