Maxime Aliaga: saving the orangutan through print

"Sharing the beauty of nature is my true purpose – it's what drives me to be a photographer. I want to share emotion and touch the viewer," says French wildlife photographer Maxime Aliaga, Canon Ambassador and Associate Fellow at the International League of Conservation Photographers. For more than 10 years, Maxime has photographed a diverse range of species in countries around the world, often collaborating with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) doing important conservation work.

How did you begin your work photographing orangutans?

"Around five years ago, I started to follow the work of an NGO in Indonesia, the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP). As a conservation photographer, I felt I had to be involved in that cause, so I offered to document its work. After that, I went back almost every year and developed a very privileged contact with the organisation and was able to access some very remote places. Through this work, I was also able to photograph the Tapanuli orangutan when it was recognised as a separate orangutan species in 2017, and my pictures were shown around the world."

What, for you, is special about orangutans?

"They're special, first of all, because we are from the same family, and we share about 97% of our DNA with them. For me, it's quite shocking to know that one of the closest species to humans is on the brink of extinction. Spending time with orangutans in the wild, I felt a strong connection with them. Orangutan conservation is important because it is an 'umbrella' species, which means that protecting them also indirectly protects other animals in the same rainforest habitat. It also helps protect us because rainforests are very important for the Earth's climate."

How have your images helped orangutans?

"At first, my goal was to help the SOCP, because they need images to show their work and the species they are trying to protect. Later, I became a kind of ambassador for orangutans and began to spread the word worldwide with articles and exhibitions. The conservation message is the most important thing, so after experiencing this situation I needed to put some words to the pictures and tell the story of the NGO's work."

Why is it important for you to print your images?

"We are now in a digital world and every day we are fed thousands of images through our screens, but those images do not provide as much emotion as the experience of looking at a printed photograph. Also, the print is a way to meet the public – it's like an invitation to people to connect with the photo."

You own a Canon PIXMA PRO-100. Why did you choose that printer?

"The most important thing for me is to get good colour accuracy and deep blacks in my prints and I've always got that from Canon printers. I bought the Canon PIXMA PRO-100 a couple of years ago and have used it a lot and been very happy with the results. It produces prints up to A3 in size and I've mainly used it to build my portfolio, although I have also sold some of these prints. When I'm showing my work, it makes much more impact with a printed portfolio, rather than showing images on a screen."

You've recently been trying out its successor, the Canon PIXMA PRO-200. How does it compare with the earlier model?

"The Canon PIXMA PRO-200 is smaller and more compact, and I think the colours are even better than the Canon PIXMA PRO-100. The new model also prints up to A3 size and has a three-inch display, which is useful. Like the PRO-100, it's very easy to use but it's even faster."

What's your workflow at the post production stage?

"I like to do all my processing in Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®, through which I can directly open Canon's Professional Print & Layout (PPL) software – it's really useful to have it integrated into my workflow. I use PPL to do my final print settings, such as whether I want a margin or not and the size and type of paper I want to use. After making a few final adjustments to colour grading, my image is ready to be transformed into a real and beautiful print."

What papers do you use when printing at home?

"For very easy and affordable prints, I use Canon Plus Glossy II and Canon Plus Semi-Gloss, which has a satin finish. I also use other brands such as Hahnemühle – I especially like the company's Natural Line papers, which are made from sustainable materials such as hemp."

How do you get your exhibition prints made?

"For my exhibitions, I work with Colorpix, a large format digital printing workshop in France, which is an official Canon France printer. I've been going there for prints since I began taking photographs. I use this laboratory for exhibitions because I need very big prints – they go up to 1.2m wide – and I can get them with a Dibond laminated finish. The owner is very passionate about printing and I know I'm going to get perfect results."

What future plans do you have?

"I have had a lot of trips cancelled since Covid-19 began, but it has given me more time to work on my photo archive, write articles and make plans for showing my work.

"Later this year I will have exhibitions of my orangutan photographs in France, Belgium and at different festivals around Europe. I have an idea for photographing another endangered species soon, but my work on orangutans is not done. Deforestation is still happening, orangutans are still at risk, and I will keep working to spread the message."

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