Kyle Oberman shares his experiences of an expedition through the enchanting Anzihe Nature Reserve

Photographer Kyle Oberman shares his experiences of an expedition in the Anzihe Nature Reserve, home to China’s densest population of pandas

The Path of the Panda reveals the story behind panda conservation in China. It demonstrates the Chinese knowledge of pandas and what their conservation work is like in the field. I wanted to bring viewers closer into what conservation of one of the world’s most incredible species was like. I wanted to show everything, from crashing through the bamboo forest to the nightly dinners.

I was, and still am, very involved with funding environmental preservation and research at Anzihe. As a result it was one of the sites I spent the most time shooting for them. We were there on a nine-day expedition to help promote conservation and sustainable exploration.

Storytelling and photography are attractive ways to draw people’s attention to the issues that matter and make conservation ‘sexy’. I wanted to use my work as a constructive way to support Conservation International and other local conservation groups, and show people the value of protecting these lands. I was also enticed by the thrill of being in a place that had never been documented before.

As far as I know, I was the first western photographer to document the core of this impressive reserve. But with that came extra pressure to photograph it well to represent it accurately. This is the work that I can’t get enough of – it’s a combination of athletics and photography – I love it. From a journalistic perspective, it was an honour to enter this part of the reserve with them.

This is the Anzihe Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province, China. It’s the closest nature reserve to Chengdu – a city of over 14 million – and a key wildlife corridor for species like the giant panda, snow leopard and takin. Its mountains range from bambooforested slopes to alpine summits, so there’s tons of ecological variety. This was my first time inside a nature reserve in China and I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.

Right kit for the right job

I wanted to use my wide angle to get in close to the action and I was able to achieve that often. I mainly shoot with a Nikon D750 and 16-35mm f/4 and 70-200mm f/4 lenses. I also have a 24-70mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.8. Six months ago, I bought a drone, which is the biggest game changer for photography these days – that and 360º technology. They open up so many paths for storytelling, so I’m considering how to utilize these tools more effectively.

During this shoot, I only brought the 16-35mm, 70-200mm, 50mm and D750 body. When I am in the mountains I like to travel as light as possible so that I can be fast and not delay the subjects I am shooting. The members of the conservation patrol were comfortable with my presence and willing to have me photographing their work. I enjoyed having the freedom to shoot the pictures I wanted without worrying my subjects would be annoyed or feel I was infringing upon them.

Despite being fluent in Mandarin, the biggest challenge was the language. The rangers and members of the patrol I was with primarily spoke a local version of the Sichuan dialect, which basically sounds and functions as a different language. By day six of the patrol, hiking and using my camera became much more difficult, and I had to force myself to shoot with the same enthusiasm I had in the beginning.

Photography are attractive ways to draw people’s attention to the issues that matter and make conservation ‘sexy’

Read the full story of Kyle’s amazing trip, as well as other intriguing photo essays, at www.discoverinteresting.com/ the-path/of-the-panda