‘Catch of the Day,’ one of the photos from A Life In The Wild, an exhibition of work by renowned photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen, on display at the Bateman Gallery until May 29. Photo courtesy of the Bateman Foundation.

A Life in the Wild: Renowned photographer’s work showcased at the Bateman Gallery

February 5, 2021 // by Rick Stiebel

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The animals captured with a camera by Thomas D. Mangelsen leap to life in his photos.

Mangelsen has spent more than 46 years traversing the globe and photographing both animals in their native environment and stunning landscapes.

His heightened sense of animal behaviour and ability to wait for the perfect moment is on full display in A Life in the Wild, a collection of 40 of his most iconic works featured at Victoria’s Bateman Gallery.

For those looking for things to do in Victoria, the exhibition continues through through May 29 at the gallery at the Inner Harbour.

The exhibit includes “Catch of the Day,” one of the most widely circulated wildlife photographs in history. It captured the exact moment a spawning salmon tried to leap over a small waterfall on the Brooks River in Alaska and soared into the waiting jaws of a massive brown bear.

‘Light in the Forest,’ photographed by Thomas D. Mangelsen in Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India, is featured in A Life In The Wild , at the Bateman Gallery until May 29. Photo courtesy of the Bateman Foundation One of the photos from A Life In The Wild, an exhibit of the work of renowned photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen that will be on display at the Bateman Gallery until May 29. (Photo courtesy of the Bateman Foundation)

The Bateman Gallery is the perfect fit for Mangelsen’s work, considering the influence Robert Bateman’s art had on Mangelsen.

“It was 1969, I was 23 and had just graduated from college,” Mangelsen says. “I hadn’t yet begun photographing, (I was a late bloomer), but I was keenly aware and drawn to Robert Bateman’s artwork. I think it was his uncanny ability to ‘see’ what most of us could not. His compositions and concepts were so fresh and unexpected. For several years, a postcard size image of ‘Coyote in Winter Sage’ was taped above my desk.

“I could never have imagined having an exhibit at the Bateman Gallery,” Mangelsen says. “I am honoured and grateful to have been so inspired by Robert Batemen’s work and environmental advocacy. Most of all, I’m proud to call him my friend.”

The Bateman Gallery, at 470 Belleville St. in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a later option of 4:30 to 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month. Admission is by donation.

The Bateman Gallery Gift Shop features a selection of hardcover books chronicling Mangelsen’s adventures around the world. All proceeds support the Bateman Foundation’s mission to foster enduring connections with the natural world.

Visit batemanfoundation.org for more information.

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