David Attenborough fan Andrey Gudkov, 48, says "patience, endurance, iron nerves and silence are your main companions.”

Andrey said his passion for photographing wild animals began after watching David Attenborough's TV programmes and films

Bear-y cute - this fuzzy duo look like they're playing a game

The profession of a wildlife photographer today remains one of the most difficult, romantic and rare', says snapper Andrey Gudkov

Wildebeest, seen stampeding through water above, travel in large herds and are active day and night, grazing constantly

A spirited humpback whale caught mid-air; these marine creatures can weigh a hefty 36 tonnes

Andrey said: "There are no beautiful or ugly animals - the most important thing is to find something human in the animal and to attempt to convey this through your photograph.

"The eyes of an animal are a very important detail; they speak to its character and help us to understand it."

This movie-like shot shows four horses galloping from the sea

Mane attraction - Andrey has travelled to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana to get close to wild animals

The photographer hopes to show people the disappearing, rare beauty and variety of life forms with his mind-blowing image

Andrey says one of his most fascinating memories from his travels is capturing two Komodo dragons fighting

Andrey has visited the island of Rincha for several years to see the dragons

Andrey said he could feel tension in the air when around the dragons, and was awestruck by 'the scale of the animals'

Patience, endurance, iron nerves and silence are your main companions', the snapper adds

Visiting far-off countries and seeing exotic animals - including these adorable Snow Monkeys enjoying a cuddle - are part of his work

A lioness peers from her hiding spot in Africa

A graceful crane dances as part of a mating ritual

Andrey says he toils 12-15 hours a day to capture perfect shots - like these tigers trying to capture their next meal

Nothing beats scratching your back on tree bark - this pic meets Andrey's aim to capture human-like elements of animals in the wild

Most naturalist photographers are 'inveterate introverts', the snapper adds

Snooze time - a stunning jaguar lazes among the shade of a tree

Andrey said his passion for photographing wild animals began after watching David Attenborough

The photographer said he can often spend 6-9 months to prepare and organise an expedition

A monkey takes a nibble of a water lily during a cooling dip

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That's an ape

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