So last week I got a call from my friend at Market Road Films asking if I was available for – get this – a show they’re doing with National Geographic Wildlife filming Snow Leopards in northern Afghanistan. Was I available? Was he kidding?! I sent my website along so his boss could evaluate it, and tried to stay realistic and keep my hopes heeled, without much success. I mean, Nat Geo Wildlife AND big cats – this was just disgustingly awesome.
A couple days ago I had my phone interview and I thought it went well. I was told that if I did get the job, I’d need to start growing a beard, in order to be culturally accepted in Afghanistan. They liked my work a lot but wanted to see more examples of Verite shooting (my trailers, being trailers, are mostly staged and beauty shots). Luckily I’d JUST finished the final version of Visions of Mustang (DVDs are being made, guys!) and sent that along.
I guess that did it, because the next day I got a one-line email: “Start growing your beard.” Best acceptance email ever? Yes, yes it was.
So we head out on May 19th! I’ve never been to the Middle East, and I’ve never filmed big cats, so as you can imagine I’m pretty excited. No, scratch that. I’m flipping out.
My parents, as it turns out, know Rodney Jackson, the first guy ever to catch a Snow Leopard on film. And (I can’t believe my luck) he lives in Sonoma. Next mission: get advice from the original guru!
Thanks for reading and wish me luck!
- Daniel
Daniel Byers is an expedition photographer and filmmaker, as well as an experienced climber, mountaineer, and diver. He has worked for National Geographic, the BBC, and USAID, crossing many of the world's extreme landscapes in an effort to tell stories that need to be told.
Fabulous! Cindy and I heard Peter Mathiesson speak about his book on SL while she was at Roger Williams University. She has written a poem about the snow leopards. Ask her to send it to you.
Since I’m sure you’d like some comments here instead of the ~50 likes and ~30 comments you have on Facebook:
If I were making a wise-crack / sarcastic joke about the level of ridiculous awesome that is some of your trips, it’d probably be something like “snow leopards in Afghanistan”. Except it appears to be real instead. Awesome! Have a great trip.
Sn-snow.. leopards?! My favorite big cat. Stay safe and get some good footage!