My name is Fabian Gnos, and I was born on February 29, 1992, in the beautiful canton of Uri, Switzerland. When you only get to celebrate your birthday once every four years, you learn a thing or two about patience from an early age. As it turns out, that’s a quality that has served me well in my greatest passion today: wildlife photography.
My connection with the natural world began in early childhood. Animals were always part of our family life, from our loyal dog Tina to the many aquariums in our home and the aviary my mother cared for. My father, Tony Gnos, is a nature filmmaker who often ventures into the wilderness with his camera, and I was lucky enough to accompany him on many of his adventures. Those early experiences taught me how to find elusive wildlife, read animal behaviour, and quietly blend into their world.
During my teenage years, my fascination with spending hours observing wildlife took a bit of a back seat. There were a few exceptions, of course — particularly when it came to fascinating creatures like snakes or the legendary white chamois of Uri. Those encounters kept the spark alive until my passion for wildlife fully reignited in my twenties, this time with a camera in hand.
What started as a hobby soon grew into something much more meaningful. I began by photographing wildlife in Switzerland with fairly basic equipment, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that capturing the true beauty of the natural world takes more than just a good eye. I immersed myself in the art of photography, invested in better gear, and began travelling to increasingly remote corners of the world.
Today, my Sony camera takes me across the globe — from the jungles of Uganda, where I encounter gorillas, to Australia, where I photograph koalas, and Sri Lanka, where I search for venomous snakes. But my camera is more than just a piece of equipment. It’s a way for me to share the incredible diversity of our planet and show just how fragile the natural world can be.
Through my photography, I hope to do more than simply capture beautiful images. I want to inspire a deeper appreciation for nature, highlight what makes it so extraordinary, and remind people of the responsibility we all share in protecting it. Because ultimately, we’re far more likely to protect what we know, understand, and learn to appreciate.