From CCF Intern to Wildlife Photographer: Meet Leo Kim

For some wildlife photographers, the journey begins with a camera. For our latest Photographer of the Month, Leo Kim, it began with a lifelong fascination with animals, and eventually led him to the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia.

Currently studying at Oregon State University, our Leo has loved animals since he was five years old. He always knew he wanted to pursue a career involving wildlife, with ambitions of becoming a marine or wildlife biologist. Photography became a natural extension of that passion, particularly after he discovered birding and began spending as much of his free time as possible watching and photographing birds.

Leo only bought his first proper camera and lens in February, but within months, his photography journey had taken him thousands of miles away to Namibia, where he captured more than 7,000 photographs of cheetahs, birds and other wildlife during his CCF internship.

A dream brought to life at CCF

Long before he arrived in Namibia, CCF was already familiar to him. Leo had followed the work of CCF and Dr Laurie Marker for around a decade and had looked up to her since he was young. When he began studying at Oregon State University, he discovered that CCF was one of the international internship opportunities available through the university.

From that first day, Leo knew he wanted to apply. Being selected for the internship became a true full-circle moment: after years of admiring Dr Marker and CCF’s conservation work, he finally had the opportunity to meet her and experience the organisation’s work firsthand.

During his time at CCF, he was able to combine his passion for wildlife photography with hands-on exposure to conservation. He describes the experience as one of the most memorable of his life, giving him opportunities to develop professionally, improve his photography and grow his social media presence.

But it was the wildlife encounters that would stay with him most.

Capturing unforgettable moments in Namibia

Namibia quickly became his favourite place to photograph wildlife, describing it as a wildlife photographer’s dream because of its incredible colours, diversity and abundance of wildlife. During his time at CCF, Leo had the rare opportunity to photograph three cheetah releases, including Tupuka and his subsequent re-release following an issue with his GPS collar.

One moment, in particular, stands out.

During Tupuka’s release, Dr Marker asked him if he wanted to position himself behind a termite mound. As Tupuka was released, the cheetah slowly ran past — and looked directly at him.

It was a brief encounter, but one he says he will never forget.

His time at CCF also allowed him to photograph and experience many aspects of the organisation’s conservation work, including Zebra Legs the wild dog’s workup, Sparky the pangolin’s checkup and a Darwin Project kraal-building trip. Other highlights included the annual waterhole count, night drives and exploring Namibia with fellow interns and friends.

And, of course, there were thousands of photographs.

Through his lens: CCF’s cheetahs and Namibia’s wildlife

Choosing a favourite photograph from more than 7,000 images is no easy task. Among his favourites are portraits of Hamish, Dominic and Kenobi, with Kenobi holding a particularly special place in his heart.

Since first seeing Kenobi, Leo has been captivated by the cheetah’s huge, expressive eyes, distinctive face and sounds.

He also loves capturing cheetahs in motion, particularly photographs of them leaping towards a piece of cloth, with their legs and claws extended into the frame. Away from CCF, his Lilac-breasted Roller photographs from Etosha are another highlight of his time in Namibia.

While mammals can be difficult to find back home, birds provide endless opportunities for photography. Hawks, eagles, falcons and owls are among his favourite subjects, while wild foxes and wolves are the animals he hopes to photograph most in the future.

His interest in wildlife goes beyond photography. Before joining CCF, he worked at Oakland Zoo, where he was involved in research and rescue, including helping injured Black-crowned Night Heron and Snowy Egret fledglings. He also carried out observational studies and research involving jaguars, California condors and Bald eagles.

As Leo works towards graduating in 2027, he hopes to pursue conservation work involving canids, felids, raptors or other large carnivores, and perhaps return to CCF for a future master’s project. For now, he’ll be sharing more of his photographs and memories from CCF and Namibia, alongside his continuing birding adventures in Oregon.

We are delighted to celebrate his work as CCF’s Photographer of the Month and to share a glimpse of Namibia’s wildlife and conservation story through his lens. Want to see more of Leo’s work? Follow his photography journey on Instagram: @LK_CapturingTheWild.