He has been a nature guide since the age of sixteen – then the youngest in the country. And later also become a biologist, nature photographer and scriptwriter. But if there’s one word that better describes Frank Resseler, it’s “rediscoverer of nature”.
“My father was nature-minded, his father too, and his father too. As far as I know, I am the fourth generation. Of course, where I lived as a child played a major role in my interest in nature. I first got so enthusiastic about it, by wanting to show my father the special things I discovered outside. And that still hasn’t stopped.”
You are a biologist, a photographer and a scriptwriter. Why that combination?
“As a child, I had an ideal image of a biologist: to me it was a bit like the Indiana Jones of nature lovers. But when I applied for jobs that turned out not to be the case. Fortunately, I had a friend who was studying at film school, who I chatted to about making documentaries: he was a cameraman, I was a biologist. We made a short film, and that’s how I stumbled into it. After that I went into nature with a camera. The trick for taking powerful images? Nothing special: just sit among nature, and be. Often, sitting on one spot for so long that the nature around you no longer notices you. Because if you’re walking you’re constantly an intruder: the animals get scared or hide. But if you stand still long enough, you become part of your surroundings. That’s really fascinating, and perhaps the most fun part of my job.”
You’ve already filmed a lot beside the Meuse river and in the Hoge Kempen National Park. What makes this area so unique?
“The Meuse itself. A river of that size that has not been straightened? Without shipping? That’s unique in Western Europe. We already have two canals, and that’s the glory of the meandering Meuse. Here you have colder bits, bits with a lot of current, more or less oxygen … There are so many different micro areas that many species are able to survive. A very nice system that was reduced somewhat by agriculture. I will refrain from being negative, but the whole small-scale element of the old days is gone. Everything is just maize. In the old days, humans contributed to the dynamic of the Meuse, when we farmed on a small scale, and planted spinneys, fruit trees and hedges. Variety was beneficial for animals. But the proportions these days are causing that dynamic to disappear. It’s a pity, because there used to be magnificent species here, which today have simply vanished. So, I hope that a reversal happens quickly. Because our Belgian nature is so beautiful.”
Is that a message that you want to convey through your images?
“That message doesn’t have to be laid on too thickly, it should emanate from them. To me, it’s very simple: Rediscover your own nature. That’s the slogan I use.”
And how do we do that?
“That’s easy! Our nature has so much to offer, and it’s accessible to all. Bring your children along with you, they are still open to the things you can see there. If you don’t have children, buy a cheap pair of binoculars, or sit down somewhere and look. That’s how I saw larger mammals which simply ignored me. So take your time: a 100-metre walk can take 10 minutes or 2 hours. Believe me, there’s nowhere better to recharge your batteries than in nature. And the voltage you get from it, depends how carefully you are looking. Being slightly more nature-minded gives you energy. And that seed exists in all of us. These are stimuli which we lose as we age, but which we all have as children. So get inspired!