Petr Bambousek is a Czech wildlife photographer born in 1977 in Příbram, Czech Republic. He has been fascinated by nature, dinosaurs, and reptiles since he was a little boy. As a teenager, he kept snakes and bred dozens of them. But his life truly changed in 2002 during his first month-long expedition to Costa Rica. He fell in love with the tropics and has been returning to the equator ever since.
He focuses exclusively on animal and nature photography. He tries to bring people closer to the diversity of nature as a whole, covering a wide range of subjects from macros and birds to large wildlife. Since 2008, he has led over 40 expeditions, mostly to tropical destinations like Borneo, Thailand, Panama, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Pantanal. He has also visited Madagascar and Sulawesi.
His work has gained recognition in many prestigious international competitions. He has been a finalist in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and has received awards in Nature’s Best Photography, Bird Photographer of the Year, European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and Nature Photographer of the Year. In 2025, he won first place in the Czech Nature Photo competition in the Birds category. His images have been published in magazines including National Geographic and BBC Wildlife Magazine.
“I take wildlife photography as a gift of the Mother Nature that gives me the privilege of telling her stories in a single moment captured for eternity.”
Petr Bambousek
He is an Olympus Visionary and leads photography workshops to share his extensive experience. Clean and imaginative compositions are typical of his work. One of his most powerful images shows a Celebes black macaque in Sulawesi. The male had lost part of its arm to a bird trap. Petr underexposed the shot to accentuate the eyes, evoking the connection we share with other primates. He also captured a stunning image of torrent ducks in Ecuador, combining static and dynamic elements with a long exposure.
What type of photography does Petr Bambousek specialize in?
He specializes exclusively in wildlife and nature photography. He covers a wide range of subjects from macro insects and birds to large wildlife, with a particular focus on tropical rainforests.
Where has Petr Bambousek traveled for his photography?
Since 2008 he has led over 40 expeditions to tropical destinations including Borneo, Thailand, Panama, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Pantanal, Madagascar, and Sulawesi. He also enjoys exploring Europe and the Czech Republic.
What awards and recognition has Petr Bambousek received?
He has been a finalist in Wildlife Photographer of the Year and has won awards in Nature’s Best Photography, Bird Photographer of the Year, European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and Nature Photographer of the Year. In 2025, he won first place in the Czech Nature Photo competition.
Petr Bambousek was born in 1977 in Příbram, Czech Republic. He kept and bred snakes as a teenager before his first expedition to Costa Rica in 2002 changed his life forever.
