Pie Aerts

Pie Aerts is a Dutch wildlife/travel photographer and environmentalist. After working for seven years in marketing, he decided in mid-2017 to quit the corporate life and pursue his dream of telling stories for a living. His travels over the last 15 years have taken him around the entire planet, documenting unique stories with a strong focus on wildlife and conservation. He serves as a Canon Ambassador and has worked with major international clients for projects on various continents.

“Being a kid there was nothing I loved more than drawing. It taught me to use my imagination and create stories within the four edges of a canvas. Years later, in my work as a photographer, I try to emotionally connect viewers with what I see, whether it's landscapes, wildlife or human beings. Connection is what it’s all about.”

Over the last three years, Pie has mainly focused on photographing big cats, clocking up multiple trips to Botswana, Namibia, Uganda and India to work with tigers, cheetahs, leopards and lions. While doing so, he created a loyal fanbase on his social media channels composed of like-minded wildlife enthusiasts. He uses these platforms to communicate environmental issues to his followers, in an attempt to drive people’s behaviour towards positive change. In June 2019, he will release his first solo photography book, born from a 5-year passion project of documenting individuals who make a difference in conservation around the world.

“As a photographer, I feel the urge more than ever to be the voice of our planet. We live in a world that is rapidly individualising and, as a result, we care about ourselves and our own struggle for survival more than ever. In fact, we are losing connection, both with each other and with the planet we live on – that’s a very dangerous thing, because people stop caring. I hope that my images contribute to making a change and encourage people to care again; that they make people fall in love again with their surroundings and with each other. Because if you love something, you’re willing to fight for it, whether it’s a landscape, an animal or your neighbours. And that’s what our planet needs.”