In 2008, Charlie Ryan embarked on a trip to Borneo, initially working on community conservation projects. A seasoned professional in the realm of photography, Charlie Ryan captures the essence of Borneo’s wildlife through his lens, while also contributing to the realm of tourism. Amidst his profound affection for every facet of Borneo, it’s the enigmatic clouded leopard and its feline companions that truly pique his curiosity. Charlie’s work has been published in National Geographic, BBC, and Netflix.
An avid wildlife photographer, Charles Ryan has traveled to over 50 countries primarily in Asia, Africa, and South America. After studying environmental science in college, he moved to Borneo in 2008 to work on conservation and community development initiatives, including forest restoration, eco-tourism, and efforts to curb illegal poaching and logging. Since then, he has worked extensively to document the fauna of Borneo, and his images have been published by Audubon magazine, NPR, the BBC. As a professional guide for nearly a decade, he loves to share his expertise gained from his many years spent exploring Borneo on trekking adventures, helicopter tours, and expeditions with National Geographic grantees.
The focus of these projects – to create alternative livelihoods through the form of forest restoration projects, and community tourism initiatives.
One of his main goals is to curb illegal poaching and logging in rural communities. Alongside this, he also spends time training individuals to become nature guides throughout Borneo – this, he believes is an invaluable skill to promote conservation.
He is an expert naturalist, specialising in mammals, birds, and rainforest ecology and an avid photographer, with some of his most extensive work documenting the fauna of Borneo.
Having travelled extensively, he uses his images to educate people on the importance of tradition and conservation and works with DRK Photo Agency and National Geographic Expeditions, which specialise in worldwide wildlife images. Charles also runs wildlife photography workshops throughout Asia.