While she was recuperating, Gu realized she could fulfill her dream of flying in another way — so to speak. As she could not fly like a bird, she decided to take photographs of birds. She became a wildlife photographer, and she mainly shot various species of birds.
"Paragliding and shooting wild animals have something in common. I have passion for both … Both require much willpower and patience. I need to spend much time to do them well. Paragliding is a sport that requires me to challenge myself. However, shooting wild animals is more meaningful. I can promote the animals to more people," says Gu.
She often stays in remote regions for long periods to shoot rare bird species or to obtain valuable photos of wild animals. She stayed in a remote mountainous area in the Tibet Autonomous Region for several weeks, in September 2011, to shoot photos of some special birds on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. She went to the Arctic region twice and each time she stayed there for 10-plus days, so she could photograph the moment when polar bears left their caves, with their newborn cubs, after hibernation. She stayed in the Antarctic region for 18 days, to shoot emperor penguins as they were breeding.
"I study the animals before I shoot them. I must be thoroughly familiar with their habits and characteristics. I need to use different methods of photographing to shoot different animals. Only if I blend into the living conditions of these animals can I obtain high- quality photos. Many wild animals live in remote areas, so the conditions … must be arduous. However, I really enjoy shooting animals, and I never regard it as a difficult thing. I describe wildlife photography as 'peeping.' I cannot disturb the animals. I hope to approach the animals without disturbing them, and to shoot them in a clear way," Gu says.
To date, Gu has shot more than 1,000 species of birds in various regions of the world. Some of her photos have been included in the Handbook of the Birds of the World, an authoritative bird encyclopedia. She has also shot many rare animals in their habitats.
