"It makes my heart beat faster": Jasper Doest on breaking the wildlife photography mould

Jasper Doest's series of thought-provoking and award-winning portraits of Japanese snow monkeys elevated him to public prominence as a rising star of wildlife photography a decade ago. Far from resting on his laurels and devoting his energies to a subject for which he is now synonymous, the Dutch-based professional photographer is pursuing a more photojournalistic style, inspired by his emotional responses to man's interaction with the environment.

It is, he freely admits, a new approach that requires a lot of talking – usually to himself. "I ask myself: 'What is it that's causing this emotional reaction?' By asking that question I often get answers, and then I know the ingredients I need to bring together for a composition," Jasper says.

While some photographers would think twice about changing an award-winning style, Jasper believes that by stepping out of his perceived comfort zone he is now following a photographic path that is more in tune with his personal interests. "I have a Bachelor of Science in climate change," he says. "That's my background and that's what makes my heart beat faster – but I realised my images were not about that, so I decided to change my path."

As a serial winner and a past judge, Jasper's perspective on photo competitions is worth listening to. With that in mind, we talked to him about his opinion of awards.

How important are awards for a photographer?

"If it wasn't my profession, I wouldn't compete in them, because why would you want to be better than somebody else if you do it for enjoyment? But competitions like Wildlife Photographer of the Year, World Press Photo and European Wildlife Photographer of the Year are useful for your career, if you are able to harness the marketing and self-promotion opportunities of competition success. If you do nothing after you receive an award, I don't think it makes a difference – attention soon dies out."

With all of your success so far, do you still feel the need to enter awards?

"I do. If I look at my higher goal of giving a voice to subjects that are often misunderstood, or making change on a larger scale, I feel I'm only just beginning. That's the goal, and the awards help me to reach that platform to speak to a larger audience. That's the only reason I enter – to get on that platform."

What's the story behind your recent change of direction?

"I think it happened when I spent 50 days on Rottumeroog, the only uninhabited island in the Netherlands. It was for the Dutch edition of National Geographic Magazine – it was its 125th anniversary and it wanted something very special. This island is protected by the highest European conservation laws and because nobody lives there, I had a lot of time to myself, with my own thoughts. It definitely helped clear my mind and I realised that my inner voice and visual voice were not running parallel."

Lately, you've been photographing storks in a way that is far removed from our traditional perception of how these birds live. How has this project influenced your development as a photographer?

"Traditionally, nature photography has been about celebrating the stunning beauty of the natural world. This often means that any human element is avoided. For example, we might move slightly to the side to avoid a house in the background. However, since white storks have always dwelled around humans, there was no way to avoid this being part of their natural history. While following their annual migration from Western Europe to the African continent I was horrified to find these birds – which are regarded as a symbol of new life and prosperity – foraging on the detritus of human society on the vast open landfills on the Iberian Peninsula. I realised that I shouldn't leave us out of the equation while telling these stories."

You have enjoyed competition success with these pictures, too. Is nature photography generally becoming more documentary in style, and should we expect to see more of this in future competition exhibitions?

"The photojournalistic way of telling stories about wild animals is relatively new to wildlife photography, but I'd say it comes naturally with the sense of awareness that we're getting about the planet. We're finally starting to see the consequences of our behaviour. Nature is beautiful, and something that should be celebrated, but we have been celebrating the natural world [in an idealistic way that distances it from our lives] for years. Meanwhile, many people today don't seem to realise that nature is our home and something that we should take care of.

"The images that we see in the photojournalistic categories of the major competitions display why there is an immediate need for these stories – because we are currently exploiting our planet to a point where there is almost no way back."

How has your work changed in terms of your technique and the lenses and gear that you rely on for this?

"I used to be a long-lens shooter, with my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM and Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM being my go-to lenses. Since I started to show the bigger picture, I have worked with shorter focal lengths, in order to add context.

"I enjoy working with a fixed Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens because this pushes me to think about the context a little more than I would with a zoom lens, but I would still consider the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens to be my workhorse.

"Also, I no longer look for technical perfection, because I believe it isn't perfection that moves the heart. However, I do believe the aesthetic part is still important while building visual narratives for viewers."

What's in your camera bag for a typical day in the field – if there is such a thing?

"There really isn't such a thing. I like a very organic approach – I can only anticipate what the world has to offer me, and I choose my tools based on my expectations. Knowing that the main part of the job is gaining access to a scene, I can often work with a fixed 35mm or 24-70mm lens once I have access, so I always bring something in that range.

"If the scenery is visually loaded, I add a 16-35mm, just in case. If I know it will be difficult to gain access, I add telephoto equipment. And depending on the situation, I add studio flashes. It's only on those occasions where I know capturing context will be difficult that I bring out the large telephoto lenses such as a Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM or a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM."

Is there anything that you feel Canon could add to its repertoire, to make a positive difference to your photography?

"I'm still hoping for a full-frame mirrorless system. Canon's DSLRs are doing an amazing job for me. However, when working with people I notice a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II or even a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens can be intrusive. People don't respond as much to smaller camera systems, which makes it much easier to become a fly on the wall when working on documentary shots."

With your work changing so much recently, do you still describe yourself as a wildlife photographer?

"No. I've removed the word wildlife from my website, so it's just my name and then 'photography'. I've had this issue since I was a teenager – I don't really like thinking in boxes. You limit yourself when you say 'wildlife photographer'. You can still photograph wildlife and tell stories about wildlife, but by saying, 'I am a wildlife photographer', you go and sit inside the box and you're blinded by the words. You should always try to look outside the box, to see what else is there."