'It is much more than showing pictures of animals. It is about evoking emotion' — how these stunning photos of rare Iberian Lynx converted a hunter into a photographer

"It is never 'just a photo'," says Alexandra Surkova, an award-winning wildlife and conservation photographer, who has spent much of her recent years documenting rare Iberian Lynx.

These wild cats are thought to have lived in the Iberian Peninsula for a million years, and recent conservation work has recovered the species from just 94 known such lynx to over 2,000 today.

It's a true conservation success story, for which the power of photography is also playing its part, as highlighted by Alexandra's story.

Alexandra received a Sony FE 200-600mm F5,6-6.3 OSS lens during the COVID-19 lockdown, which prompted her to segue from street photography to wildlife. “My first encounter with a lynx changed everything," she said.

"My hands were shaking. Half of my photos were blurry, but right then, I knew that my future life was there. I couldn’t sleep that night because of the sensations. I had seen this super-elusive animal that was so rare to see in the wild.” 

For Alexandra, the impact was deeply personal, and five years later she now has a big social media presence – her photos, taken today with a Sony A1 II and a range of pro lenses, including the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS and the monster FE 600mm F4 GM OSS, are inspiring others in some surprising, positive ways.

'He decided to go out shooting with a camera, much more than a rifle'

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Sharing the wonder of rare species such as the Iberian Lynx can be a double-edged sword. For Alexandra, there's power in her images, including for those who mean the animals harm.

“It is not just my friends and family who I am talking to. There are many people who are looking at what I am doing now. Sometimes you could disclose the location of an animal without thinking, and the next day that animal could be killed. It is a great responsibility.” 

And this sobering reality was drilled home when, a year after starting photographing Iberian Lynx, Alexandra received a message from a hunter.

"He wrote to me, saying he had been following me for some time. After looking at my photos, he brought a camera. He decided to go out shooting with a camera, much more than a rifle. That moment changed everything inside of me."

Photography can wield power for good. “It is much more than showing pictures of animals”,  Alexandra says, “it is about transformation. It is about evoking emotion.” 

 For stoic photographers like Alexandra, who brave extreme climates and terrain, who often wait for 14 hours in silence without a single sighting but then try and try again, this is the mission.

For the full story, head to Sony Alpha Universe and check out Alexandra's Instagram for more of her wildlife photography. Alexandra shoots with Sony A1 and A1 II cameras, paired with FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS, FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS and FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lenses.

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