Cafe

Goan photographer reaches new heights by winning the British Photography Award 2024

With his camera, documenting animals who can be very unpredictable and instinctive, Edwin Godinho’s years of patience and perseverance paid off, with his photograph winning the prestigious British Photography Award 2024 in the Land Animals category

Herald Team

Surrey, UK-based Edwin Godinho is an accomplished Technology Management professional with over 25 years of experience, currently working for one of the world’s largest banks. But as soon as he gets time on his hand, he is off to some of the most offbeat places on the globe in search of the perfect shot of the animals in their comfort zone. Edwin is an award-winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker, who recently won the British Photography Award 2024 for the Land Animals category.

"This is the biggest achievement of my amateur photography career. It’s one of the most prestigious awards in wildlife photography, and it feels incredibly special to have been recognized among such talented photographers," says Edwin.

Speaking about the winning shot, Edwin explains, "This photo was taken in the Kalahari Desert at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on the border of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Normally, because on the field you don't get a chance to change gear, so we sit down with three camera bodies and three different lenses, so if in case the circumstances change, you can quickly change. There are about 60 water holes, to provide water to the animals. We keep driving from one water hole to the next water hole, but there are only two groups of jackals that have learned to hunt doves, and this is one of them. We waited over three days, and the funny thing is, I got the shot towards the end, just as the camp was closing by 6 o'clock."

Born and raised in Fontainhas, Panjim, Goa, Edwin is the son of Estevao and Lidia. It was his brother, a talented photographer, whose work initially had a profound impact on Edwin’s own journey. “My brother was an accomplished photographer back in the days of film. He covered events, including the Pope’s visit to Goa, and his photos even made it to Indian newspapers like the Herald. But since then, he has now turned to business that keeps him busy. In fact. I'm encouraging him to pick up photography again. He occasionally critiques my photos which I take very seriously,” says Edwin.

It wasn’t until the early 2000s, after moving to Europe and settling in London, that Edwin decided to pursue photography more seriously. In 2001, he bought his first film camera, using it as a tool to explore and document the landscapes of his new home. But it wasn’t until 2016, when he embarked on an African safari to Tanzania, that his passion for photography truly ignited. That trip, he recalls, was the turning point. He invested in his first serious gear—a telephoto zoom and a telephoto prime lens—and the rest, as they say, is history.

He has been capturing images of animals and landscapes across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. As a wildlife photographer, Edwin visits Africa at least two to three times a year. These trips involve rugged, adventurous experiences like self-driving in 4x4 vehicles, camping in remote locations, and photographing animals like lions and leopards. He avoids taking his family on these trips due to the intense nature of the work and the lack of comfort. Instead, he plans family vacations to places where his family can relax.

His photos and film footage were featured by renowned organizations like BBC, Discovery, National Geographic, and Canon UK. His work also appeared in major UK newspapers, while stock photography sites such as Getty, Shutterstock, and Alamy began licensing his images.

In 2021, Godinho placed 8th in the prestigious Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY) competition, in the Movement category. The following year, he was a runner-up in the Society of Photographers’ Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His photos were even shortlisted for the Natural History Museum’s World Photography Awards in 2022.

Yet the biggest honour of his career came in 2024 when he won the British Photography Award in the Land Animal category—a coveted prize in the UK photography scene. The win was a validation of his years of hard work and dedication to the craft.

His dream is to collaborate with production companies like the BBC Natural History Unit and National Geographic to document wildlife for their high-profile productions.

“I want to create a documentary that captures something never before seen, perhaps focusing on an undocumented species. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, and now I’m learning the art of filmmaking to make that dream a reality.”

To achieve this, Godinho has set his sights on obtaining a Ph.D. in Animal Behaviour, working with institutions like the Open University and the BBC to produce groundbreaking research and documentaries on wildlife.

Despite his international success, Edwin's heart remains in Goa. He visits at least once a year, returning to his family’s ancestral home in St Estevam and his residence in Caranzalem. “Goa is such a rich and diverse ecosystem. There’s so much potential to uncover hidden stories about its wildlife. I want to team up with the BBC and the Open University to create something special about Goa’s wildlife, something that hasn’t been explored before. This endeavour would involve extensive fieldwork, radio-collaring animals, and capturing raw footage to produce documentaries," says Edwin with optimism.

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