IS THIS MY BEST SIDE?

Wildlife photographers are adept at capturing creatures in their own habitat. But Randal Ford had the idea of snapping them in a studio, like animal supermodels. A new book reveals the endearing results

BROWN BEAR

‘Roberta was a doll. She happily posed for us, but demanded sweets like any self-respecting bear would – pure local honey was her main treat, and her kind trainers did not deny her. Sometimes, an animal shows me just a glimmer of their personality – I caught her looking away for a split second. Maybe it was for the honey. Or maybe she was eyeing up my assistant.’

SLOTH

‘Oh boy, who would have thought a sloth would be so challenging? Perry (short for Perezoso – ‘lazy’ in Spanish) was a character. Despite his name, he moved constantly, literally spinning, which made it super-challenging for me to capture just the right moment. Most of my subjects can either stand on their legs or sit upright. Sloths do neither. They lay or they hang – that’s it. It was impossible to create a shot of Perry laying because he just melted into the floor. So here he is, hanging.’

RACCOON

‘Like all young animals, Lewis was a speed demon, getting into everything in the studio, completely unfazed by the camera, lights or my crew. When he finally showed up on set, he didn’t stay long, but I captured around 30 frames, and this shot epitomised his mischievous and youthful spirit. It’s like he’s looking around at me saying, “Don’t tell my mum.”’

TIGER CUB

‘Like many cubs and kittens, little Tino wouldn’t sit still for us for long. The frame I ended up choosing is him looking down, showing the profile and striping of his face and body. Soft, cute, and cuddly – but you can imagine the magnificent animal he’s going to be. This shot is the making of the roar.’

BROWN GOAT

‘Sammy waltzed into the shoot ready for attention. He wanted goat treats and a scratch behind the ears from everyone. After a few minutes of walking around, he peeked into the set area and I captured this great expression.’

The Animal Kingdom: A Collection of Portraits, by Randal Ford (Rizzoli, £29.95), is published on Tuesday

‘Soft, cute, and cuddly – but you can imagine the magnificent animal he’s going to be. This shot is the making of the roar’