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Photographer Will Burrard-Lucas takes pictures of wild animals up close, often only inches away from flesh-eating carnivores and poisonous reptiles alike.

You might be wondering how he is able to capture these wild animals on camera with such vivid and close-up perspectives, sans telephoto lens (while maintaining all four limbs).

One answer: The BeetleCam.

Read all about it and check out these insanely cool photos of wildlife from destinations all over the globe.

Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got into wildlife photography.

I am a professional wildlife photographer from the UK. I use innovation and technology to achieve fresh perspectives in my work. Back in 2009, I was unable to find products that would allow me to achieve my vision, so I started to develop my own devices for getting my camera close to potentially dangerous wild animals.

This lead to the creation of the BeetleCam, a remote control buggy for DSLR cameras back in 2009 in order to get close-up, wide-angle photographs of potentially dangerous wild animals. I have since launched a company, Camtraptions Ltd, to further develop remote and camera trap products for forward thinking, innovative photographers and filmmakers.

I spent part of my childhood in Tanzania, where I first developed a passion for Africa and its wildlife. As a teenager I went on a couple of trips back to Africa and developed my love for wildlife photography during those trips.

You’ve traveled all across the globe capturing wild animals on camera. What locations would you say are the most abundant with wildlife?

African wildlife has become my primary focus because there is such variety. Also, the combination of wildlife and the expansive wild places always draws me back.

Are the animals you take photos of in captivity or do you seek them out in the wild?

I only take photos of animals in the wild.

What’s the most dangerous situation you’ve ever come across?

A hippo charged at me while I was living in Zambia! Here’s the blog post with the story: http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2013/02/luangwa-rains/

What lens/equipment do you typically bring with you?

My primary lens is a 400mm f/2.8. I mainly shoot with the 1DX camera. I also create my own remote and camera trap products, such as the BeetleCam and copters in order to capture unique angles of wildlife which can be found at http://camtraptions.com/.

How much persistence is required to capture wild animals in action?

A lot! The first challenge is to find the animal that you want to photograph, and the second is to get the shot you want. I have been on many trips where I have returned without the exact photos I wanted, but it is important to make the most of each trip and take the opportunities when they come your way.

What’s the rarest wild animal you’ve captured on camera?

Ethiopian Wolf.

What’s your favorite animal?

My favorite animal at the moment is the African Wild Dog. You can read more about my encounter with them here: http://blog.burrard-lucas.com/2013/02/luangwa-rains/.

What advice or techniques can you offer for successful photos of wild animals?

It is important to take your time when trying to photograph wild animals and spend time getting to know the animals you are photographing, in particular their behaviors and habits. See more photos by Will Burrard-Lucas below and be sure to check out his website at www.burrard-lucas.com.