Why I created WildlifePhotographer – The tool I would have liked to have in the field

A passion born in nature

For years, I have devoted all my free time (and a good part of my resources) to wildlife photography. Getting up before dawn, going out into the cold, walking in silence for hours on end… in the hope of catching a glimpse of a wild animal in its natural habitat and capturing a unique moment. It is this passion, as demanding as it is magical, that has shaped me. But like many wildlife photographers, I have also experienced frustration:

• Forgetting a spot spotted months earlier
• Going to the field without knowing if the animals are active at that time
• Not finding my camera traps
• Leaving “at random” and returning empty-handed

I was missing something to structure all this. Not just a GPS app. Not just a notebook. I needed a comprehensive tool, designed by a field photographer, for field photographers.

The trigger: what if I created the tool I would have liked to have?

Over the years, the idea matured. I started to note down what I would have liked to have in my pocket when I went out:

• A map where I could record all my spots by species
• An intelligent system to know when a species is active, according to the rut or births
• The ability to see my camera traps and set reminders
• A way to take notes on each spot and know which are the most promising
• And above all, a clear, simple, fluid interface: you don’t need to be a computer scientist to use it

That’s how the idea for WildlifePhotographer was born.

A two-pronged project: photographer + developer

Not having the necessary skills to develop a mobile application myself, I called on a developer friend.

He is not an animal photographer, but thanks to our collaboration, he was able to bring my ideas to life and translate the needs in the field into effective digital tools.

I brought the practical vision, the concrete problems experienced in the forest, the specific needs of photographers and naturalists. He brought the technical expertise, the structure, the rigor of the code.

It is this synergy between passion and competence that has made it possible to create a simple, powerful tool tailored for the field.

An app designed for the field

WildlifePhotographer is based on four fundamental pillars:

🗺️ Prospecting mode

When you are in the field, open the map, mark your observations, and the app automatically creates a map for each species. You can see your GPS spots, altitude, weather, and all of this even offline.

📅 Preparation mode

Before you go out, immediately see which species are active around you depending on the period (rut, births). The application adapts to your location, whether you are in Switzerland or on the other side of the world.

👁️ Observation mode

Add notes, photos, comments, etc. and let the algorithm show you the most promising spots using a color system. The more you observe, the more powerful your maps become.

🎥 Photo trap mode

View all your photo traps, their status (active/inactive), set reminders and manage your cameras centrally.

More than an app, a real digital field notebook

The aim of WildlifePhotographer is not to add technology for technology’s sake. It is to serve your practice, to save you time, and to increase your chances of observing wildlife without disturbing it.

It also preserves the memory of your outings. How many sightings have been lost for lack of a notebook? How many times have you said to yourself, “I’ll come back here,” without finding the place again?

With the application, you keep everything: your spots, your evidence of presence, your notes, your reminders, your captures.

An app that evolves with you

We continue to develop WildlifePhotographer with a single guiding principle: to meet the concrete needs in the field. Thanks to feedback from users, photographers and naturalists, the app is gradually being enriched.

And this is just the beginning: collaborative sharing, species sheets, multi-device synchronization… everything is being considered to make the tool even more comprehensive.

In conclusion: a tool made with passion, for passion

WildlifePhotographer is not a commercial project conceived in an office. It is the culmination of a frustration experienced in the field, transformed into a concrete solution by two friends with complementary skills.

I hope that this app will help you as much as it helps me on a daily basis. Whether you are an experienced photographer, a seasoned naturalist or simply a nature lover, I designed WildlifePhotographer for you.

📲 And if you want to try it out: the app is available on Android and iOS, with 1 month free to discover its full potential.

See you soon in the woods 🌿